EM-01-01

Guidelines for Eco Mark Program Implementation
Japan Environment Association

Chapter I General Rules
1. Purpose of the Eco Mark Program
The purpose of the Eco Mark Program is to widely disseminate information on theenvironmental aspects of products (goods and services, the same hereafter) and to guideactivities of consumers and activities of business towards the formation of a sustainable
society. This goal will be accomplished through certification of Eco Mark products, which help
to reduce the environmental burden caused by everyday activities and business activities,
thereby contributing to the conservation of the environment.

2. Basic Requirements of Eco Mark Products
2-1. Eco Mark Products must satisfy one of the following requirements and fall into a categoryof products that are recommended from the viewpoint of environmental conservation.
(1) Products that impose less environmental load than similar products in their manufacture,
use and disposal.
(2) Products that reduce the environmental load in other ways, thus contributing significantly
to the conservation of the environment.
2-2. Products allowed to be indicated the Eco Mark (hereafter referred to as “Eco Markproducts”) are sold in Japan, regardless of their country of manufacture; applicable to the Eco
Mark product category (hereafter referred to as “product category’”; and approved according
to the procedures set forth in Chapter III.

3. Organization of the Eco Mark Program
3-1. The Japan Environment Association administers the Eco Mark Program and Eco Mark
Office (hereafter referred to as the “Office”) of the Japan Environment Associationadministers general affairs.
3-2. To ensure proper and effective operation of the Eco Mark Program, JEA encompasses theEco Mark Steering Committee (hereafter referred to as “Steering Committee”), Eco MarkPlanning and Strategy Committee (hereafter referred to as “Planning and StrategyCommittee”), “Eco Mark Criteria Deliberation Committee (hereafter referred to as “Criteria
Deliberation Committee”) and “Eco Mark Product Certification Committee (hereafter referred1EM-01-01

to as “Certification Committee”). Eco Mark Product Category-based Criteria DevelopmentCommittee (hereafter referred to as “Criteria Development Committee”) is to be organized toformulate a draft criteria for each proposed product category whenever required. In addition,
the Eco Mark meeting composed of specialists in various fields is to be held to listen toopinions of the people about the Eco Mark Program.

SteeringCommittee
Criteria
DeliberationCommittee

CriteriaDevelopment
Committee

ProductCertification
Committee

Japan
Environment
Association
Eco Mark OfficePlanning andStrategy
Committee

Operational Structure of Eco Mark

(1) The Steering Committee comprises specialists in various fields, such as representativefrom industries and consumer groups, experts from academic and relevant governmentalorganizations. The committee deliberates on Eco Mark Program budgets, program plansand program implementation guidelines; establishment and revision of guidelines andregulations for each committee, and other important items concerning the Eco MarkProgram.
(2) Planning and Strategy Committee deliberates on selection of the Eco Mark productcategories and the establishment of Eco Mark certification criteria stipulated in Section 2,
as well as items concerning the revision of these.
(3) Criteria Deliberation Committee consists of members form experts in environmental
conservation, LCA, resource recycling, chemical substances, biological diversity andintellectuals in the administrative organs concerned and the consumer affairs, andinvestigates and verifies the draft certification criteria from a technical standpoint inorder for establishment of certification criteria defined in Chapter II.
(4) Criteria Development Committee consists of members from enterprise for selected productcategories, consumers, and specialists from neutral functions. From the viewpoint ofenvironmental load, they deliberate on the life cycles of the products as a whole and decideon the proposal for certification criteria.
(5) Product Certification Committee consists of specialists from the neutral functions to whom
the evaluation as to how much impact is imposed on the environment, measures to reduce2EM-01-01

the impact, and certification of the products for Eco Mark are referred to.

ChapterⅡ Selecting Eco Mark Product Categories
4. Selection of the Eco Mark Product Category
4-1. Product category that is an object of Eco Mark is selected according to the following
procedure;(1)

Proposals for a new product category from suppliers, consumers or the third party
persons in accordance within the certain period of time by means of the website areaccepted, as well as the proposals from the Office.

(2) Planning and Strategy Committee gathers information on the above proposal, and if
necessary, conducts survey or hearing for the persons concerned.
(3) Planning and Strategy Committee selects new product categories taking into
consideration of the proposal made under (1) above.
(4) Newly selected product categories are open to the public by means of Eco MarkKouhou(mail magazine)and the website, etc.
4-2. Apart from the preceding paragraph, necessary items on deliberation procedures andpolicies relating to selection of Eco Mark Product Categories may be separately stipulatedwith the Steering Committee's approval at the suggestions of Planning and Strategy
Committee or the Office.

5. Developing the Certification Criteria
5-1. Certification criteria of the new selected product category is developed according to thefollowing procedure:(1) Criteria Development Committee is established which consists of experts and specialists
concerned with the selected product category.
(2) Criteria Development Committee develops a draft of certification criteria. Whendeveloping a draft, the life cycle of the product shall be considered as a whole, referring toTable 1 "Chart for Selecting Environmental Evaluation Items at Product Life Stages" andtaking quantitative analysis into consideration, focusing the important items in order toattain the purpose of the product category and satisfy the requirement that certified
products should impose less environmental load than similar products in their
manufacture, use and disposal, or certified products should reduce the environmental loadin other ways, thus contributing significantly to the conservation of the environment. The
draft of the certification criteria is developed which is effective to make many consumers
3EM-01-01

and industries guided towards the formation of a sustainable society. The criteria items
shall be set focusing on environmental aspects in accordance with ISO14024 "Type I
Environmental Label", but social aspects that is closely related to the product categoryand desirable to be worked with shall also be included in the criteria items. In the courseof setting such criteria items, economic aspects including contribution to the circular
economy shall be taken into account.
(3) The Criteria Deliberation Committee shall discuss the draft of certification criteria from atechnical standpoint.
(4) Upon referral to the Criteria Deliberation Committee, the draft of certification criteria is
made open to the public by means of Eco Mark Kouhou (mail magazine) and the website,
and for opinions and proposals from the general public are accepted for 60 days form theannouncement.
(5) The Criteria Development Committee considers opinions and proposals from the generalpublic, and re-deliberates on the certification criteria.
(6) Japan Environment Association establishes certification criteria based on the deliberationby the Criteria Development Committee.
(7) Newly established certification criteria is open to the public by means of Eco Mark Kouhou(mail magazine) and the website along with the background information for thecertification criteria.
Table 1: Chart for Selecting Environmental Evaluation Items at Product Life Stages
Product life stages
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Environmental evaluation Resource Manufacture Distribution Use,
Recycleitems
extraction
Consumption

F.
Disposal

1. Resource saving andrecycling
2. Prevention of globalwarming
3. Restriction and controlof Hazardous Substances
4. Conservation ofbiodiversity

5-2. Apart from the preceding paragraph, necessary items on deliberation procedures andpolicies relating to the establishment of certification criteria may be stipulated with theSteering Committee's approval at the suggestions of Planning and Strategy Committee,
Criteria Deliberation Committee, Criteria Development Committee or the Office.

4EM-01-01

6. Review of Product Categories and Certification Criteria
6-1. Planning and Strategy Committee reviews certification criteria about two years before
the end of validity period, giving consideration to market trends and technologicaldevelopment, and if necessary, the committee deliberates and approves an overall revision ofcertification criteria, discontinuance of product categories or extension of the validity period.
6-2. Procedures to make an overall revision of certification criteria are carried out inaccordance with 5, and based on the deliberations of Criteria Development Committee,
Criteria Deliberation Committee, Japan Environment Association revises certification
criteria.
6-3. Apart from 6-1 and 6-2, necessary items on deliberation procedures and policies relating
to revision of product categories and certification criteria may be separately stipulated withthe Steering Committee's approval at the suggestions of Planning and Strategy Committee orthe Office.

Chapter Ⅲ Certification of Eco Mark Products
7. Requirements for Eco Mark Product Certification
Products that satisfy the following requirements and have gone through the necessary
procedures set out in 8 will be certified as Eco Mark products.
(1) The product shall satisfy the certification criteria of the pertinent product category.
(2) The applicant and the manufacturer of the product (in case the applicant is not themanufacturer of the product) shall abide by any related environmental laws, regulations,and pollution prevention treaties.
(3) Regarding the quality and safety, the product shall meet the related laws, criteria andstandards.
However, the Product Certification Committee reserves the right not to certify a product if itjudges to be problematic in terms of environmental conservation, even if the product has
satisfied the above requirements.

8. Certification Procedure of Eco Mark Product8-1. The certification procedure of Eco Mark product proceeds the following;(1) The Manufacturer or distributor of a product sold in Japan can apply for the certificationof the Eco Mark. For the custom-made products, the parties who order products from a5

EM-01-01

manufacturer of product sold or used in Japan can apply for the certification of the Eco
Mark when using the products by their own or when distributing the products for free. . To
apply, the applicant follows Guidelines for applying for Eco Mark product certification andUsage.
(2) The Office may ask the applicants for an examination conducted by a third party and asubmission of a certificate of the examination, if necessary.
(3) The Product Certification Committee conducts an examination of the applied productbased on the requirements set forth in Article 7, and according to the examination results
and its approval, the Japan Environment Association certifies the product as the EcoMark product8-2. Apart from the preceding paragraph necessary items on deliberation procedures andpolicies relating to certification may be separately stipulated with the Steering Committee's
approval at the suggestions of Product Certification Committee or the Office.

9. Validity Period of Certification of Eco Mark ProductThe validity period of certification of the product which has been certified by the productcertification examination, is until the end of “the expiration date” which is stipulated in theCertification Criteria under which the product concerned has been certified (only those withthe same integer value of the version number). Therefore, even if partial revisions areperformed before the expiration date (the decimal point of version number is carried forward),
the certification is effective as long as the products concerned are satisfying the requirements
for certification at the time of examination. When the expiration of Certification Criteria isextended according to the procedure, the certification is valid until the expiration dateextended.

Chapter Ⅳ Use of the Eco Mark
10. Utilization Contract of Eco MarkTo have the product certified and to use Eco Mark, it is required to conclude Eco Markutilization contract of between the user and Japan Environment Association.

11. Eco Mark Usage Regulations
The Eco Mark licensee must abide by the Eco Mark Usage Regulations which provided forseparately.
6EM-01-01

12. Eco Mark Trademark Rights, etc
Trademark rights for the Eco Mark belong to Japan Environment Association. If the Eco
Mark is improperly used, Japan Environment Association shall terminate the license contract
or take other necessary legal procedures. After certification of Eco Mark Products, if theproducts become incompliant for the certification criteria, Japan Environment Association
shall ask the licensee to take the corrective measures, and may order temporary suspension ofuse or Eco Mark revocation.

Supplements Provision
Any revision of this Guidelines for Eco Mark Program Implementation shall be subject to aresolution of the Eco Mark Steering Committee.
Establish: February 1st, 1989
Revised: April 1st, 1994
Revised: March 1st, 1996
Revised: January 22nd, 1997
Revised: September 8th, 1998
Revised: May 1st, 1999
Revised: July 1st, 2000
Revised: April 1st, 2005
Revised: September 25th, 2007
Revised: April 1st, 2010
Revised: April 1st, 2011
Revised: April 1st, 2012
Revised: April 1st, 2013 (Public Interest Incorporated Foundation)
Revised: April 1st, 2018 (5-1.(2))
Revised: April 1st, 2022 (addition of version numbering)7