Commission Decision of 9 July 2009 establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to hard coverings (Notified under document C(2009) 5613) (Text with EEA relevance) (2009/607/EC)

Technical appendix for hard coverings

The applicant shall provide all the required information calculated, measured or tested for the period immediately before the application. Measurements shall be representative for the respective series of testing and it should be consistent for all parts of the application as appropriate.

A1 Raw material extraction — indicators and weights definitions

Confined waterbed

The expression ‘confined waterbed’ identifies an artesian waterbed.

Average flow of the surface water bodies

The average flow of the watercourse that interferes with the quarry shall be calculated taking into account the authorised area of the considered quarry. The calculation shall be made multiplying the section of the water body by the velocity of the water. The values shall be representative of at least 12 months.

Indicator description

I.1. Water recycling ratio

See A3.

I.2. Quarry impact ratio

The calculation of I.2 consists of the measurement of the affected area, which includes quarry front and active dump areas, and of the authorised area. These areas should be measured during operating activities.

I.3. Natural resource waste

The calculation of I.3 consists of the evaluation of the usable material and of the total volume extracted yearly. Usable material refers to all the volume which can be used in any process: for example, commercial blocks, aggregate materials, everything else suitable for further processing and use.

I.4. Air quality

This indicator is described in Council Directive 1999/30/EC(1). The calculation of I.4 consists of the measurement, along the border of quarry area, of PM 10 suspended particles based on the specific requirements of the test method and the general provisions of that Directive (PM 10 are defined in Article 2(11)). The test method is defined in EN 12341.

I.5. Water quality

This indicator considers the total emissions of suspended solids after treatment on surface water flowing out of the quarry site. The calculation of I.5 consists of the measurement of total suspended solids using the test method reported in ISO 5667-17.

I.6. Noise

This indicator considers the noise level recorded along the border of the quarry area. Non-impulsive noises are to be measured. The calculation of I.6 consists in the measurement of the noise using the test method reported in ISO 1996-1.

Weight description

W1. Soil protection/land capability classification

According to the European Soil Bureau's indication, land is graded on the basis of its potentialities and the severity of its limitations for crop growth into eight capability classes. An indicative description of the classes is as follows:

• Class I soils have slight limitations that restrict their use,

• Class II soils have moderate limitations that reduce the choice of plants or require moderate conservation practices,

• Class III soils have severe limitations that reduce the choice of plants or require special conservation practices, or both,

• Class IV soils have very severe limitations that restrict the choice of plants or require very careful management, or both,

• Class V soils have little or no hazard of erosion but have other limitations, impractical to remove, that limit their use mainly to pasture, range, forest land, or wildlife food and cover,

• Class VI soils have severe limitations that make them generally unsuited to cultivation and that limit their use mainly to pasture, range, forest land, or wildlife food and cover,

• Class VII soils have very severe limitations that make them unsuited to cultivation and that restrict their use mainly to grazing, forest land, or wildlife,

• Class VIII soils and miscellaneous areas have limitations that preclude their use for commercial plant production and limit their use to recreation, wildlife, or water supply or for aesthetic purposes.

A2 Raw materials selection

‘Closed loop recycling’ means recycling a waste product into the same kind of product; for ‘secondary material’ arising from a manufacturing process (such as leftovers or remnants), ‘closed loop recycling’ means that the materials are used again in the same process.

A3 Water recycling ratio

The calculation of the water recycling ratio shall be consistent with the following formula based on the flows highlighted in Figure A1.

For waste water is meant only the water used in processing plants, not comprehensive of the fresh water coming from rain and subsoil water.

A4 Energy consumption calculation (PER, ERF)

When providing a calculation of process energy requirement (PER) or energy requirement for firing (ERF), the correct energy carriers shall be taken into account for the entire plant or for the firing stage only. Gross calorific values (high heat value) of fuels shall be used to convert energy units to MJ (Table A1). In case of use of other fuels, the calorific value used for the calculation shall be mentioned. Electricity means net imported electricity coming from the grid and internal generation of electricity measured as electric power.

Evaluation of PER for agglomerated stone production shall consider all energy flows entering the production plant both as fuels and electricity.

Evaluation of PER for terrazzo tiles production must consider all energy flows entering the production plant both as fuels and electricity.

Evaluation of ERF for ceramic tile production shall consider all energy flows entering all the kilns as fuels for the firing stage.

Evaluation of ERF for clay tile production shall consider all energy flows entering all the kilns as fuels for the firing stage.

Evaluation of PER for cement production shall consider all energy flows entering the production system both as fuels and electricity.

Table A1

Table for calculation of PER or ERF (see text for explanations)

Production period	Days	From	To
Production (kg)
Fuel	Quantity	Units	Conversion factor	Energy (MJ)
Natural gas		kg	54,1
Natural gas		Nm3	38,8
Butane		kg	49,3
Kerosene		kg	46,5
Gasoline		kg	52,7
Diesel		kg	44,6
Gas oil		kg	45,2
Heavy fuel oil		kg	42,7
Dry steam coal		kg	30,6
Anthracite		kg	29,7
Charcoal		kg	33,7
Industrial coke		kg	27,9
Electricity (from net)		kWh	3,6
Total energy
Specific energy consumption (MJ/kg of product)

A5 Water consumption calculation

The fresh water specific consumption shall be calculated as follows:

CW_p-a = (W_p + W_a)/P_t

Cw_p-a

=

fresh water specific consumption. The results are expressed in m³/tonnes, equivalent to l/kg;

P_t

=

total stored production in tonnes;

W_p

=

water from wells and intended for exclusive industrial use (excluding water form wells for domestic use, irrigation and any other non-industrial use), in m³;

W_a

=

water from aqueduct and intended for exclusive industrial use (excluding water form aqueduct for domestic use, irrigation and any other non-industrial use) in m³.

The system boundaries are intended from raw materials to firing operation.

A6 Emissions to air (for processed products only)

The air pollutant emission factors shall be calculated as follows:

• the concentration in the exhaust gas emitted to the environment of each parameter considered in the tables shall be calculated,

• the measurements used for the calculation must be made following the testing methods indicated in the tables,

• the samplings shall be representative of the considered production.

(1)

OJ L 163, 29.6.1999, p. 41.