Commission Decision of 26 November 2009 on establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the Community Ecolabel for wooden floor coverings (notified under document C(2009) 9427) (Text with EEA relevance) (2010/18/EC) (repealed)

FRAMEWORK

The aims of the criteria

These criteria aim in particular at promoting:

• the reduction of impacts on habitats and associated resources,

• the reduction of energy consumption,

• the reduction of discharges of toxic or otherwise polluting substances into the environment,

• the reduction of use of dangerous substances in the materials and in the finished products,

• safety and absence of risk to health in the living environment,

• information that will enable the consumer to use the product in an efficient way which minimises the whole environmental impact.

The criteria are set at levels that promote the labelling of coverings that are produced with low environmental impact.

Assessment and verification requirements

The specific assessment and verification requirements are indicated within each criterion.

This product group includes ‘Wood and timber coverings’, ‘Laminate floorings’, ‘Cork coverings’ and ‘Bamboo floorings’;

Wood and timber coverings are ‘wood floors or wall coverings made of one solid piece of wood that have tongue and groove sides or constructed from several wood plies that are glued together in a multilayer panel. A wood covering can be unfinished, and once installed sanded, then finished on site or pre-finished in a factory.’

Wood and timber coverings criteria can be applicable both for wall and floor coverings, if the production processes remain the same, using the same materials and the same manufacturing methods. The criteria are set for internal use only.

The industry producing wood floor coverings determines its technical position in the European Committee for Standardisation CEN/TC 112.

Laminate floorings are ‘rigid floor covering with a surface layer consisting of one or more thin sheets of a fibrous material (usually paper), impregnated with aminoplastic thermosetting resins (usually melamine), pressed or bonded on a substrate, normally finished with a backer’.

Laminates coverings criteria can be applicable only for floor coverings and for indoor use.

The industry producing laminate floor coverings determines its technical position in the European Committee for Standardisation CEN/TC 134.

Cork coverings are floor or wall coverings the main component of which is cork. The granulated cork is mixed with a binder, and then cured or several layers of cork (agglomerated/veneer) can be pressed together with glue.

The cork coverings can be divided into natural cork tiles (the main component of which is agglomerated composition cork, intended to be used with a finish) and in engineered cork panels (consisting of several layers including a fibreboard the main component of which is agglomerated cork or has cork as technical solution, intended to be used with a finishing wear layer).

Cork coverings criteria can be applicable both for wall and floor coverings, if the production processes remain the same, using the same materials and the same manufacturing methods. The criteria are set for indoor use only.

The European ‘cork’ floor covering industry determines its technical position in the European Committee for Standardisation CEN/TC134.

Bamboo floor covering are made of bamboo in solid pieces or in agglomerates as a main component.

Bamboo coverings criteria can be applicable only for floor coverings and for indoor use.

The functional unit, to which inputs and outputs should be related, is 1 m² of finished product.

Where appropriate, test methods other than those indicated for each criterion may be used if their equivalence is accepted by the competent body assessing the application.

Where possible, testing should be performed by appropriately accredited laboratories or laboratories that meet the general requirements expressed in standard EN ISO 17025.

Where appropriate, competent bodies may require supporting documentation and may carry out independent verifications.