131V1 Criteria G

Eco Mark Product Category No.131“Products for Civil Engineering Version 1.21” Certification Criteria

Category G. Materials for temporary structures
Japan Environment Association
Eco Mark Office
1. Purpose of Establishing Certification Criteria
In civil engineering/construction-related business that is implemented as part ofsocial infrastructure development, ripple effects in the economy are expected, but at
the same time a significant environmental load is imposed on the naturalenvironment of the oceans, rivers and land as well as the living environment. New
forms of civil engineering-/construction-related business based on the principles of
the “Basic Environmental Law,” such as through harmonization with the naturalenvironment, formation of a good living environment, prevention of global warming
by improving energy efficiency, etc., are therefore being explored.
In addition to these kinds of environmental conservation efforts, it was also
determined that in the civil engineering/construction-related business it is necessary
to promote the control of waste generation (reduction), secondary uses (reuse) andrecovery for further use (recycling) in accordance with the “Waste Disposal and Public
Cleansing Law,” the “Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-Based Society,” the “Law
Concerning Promotion of the Procurement of Eco-friendly Goods and Services by theState and Other Entities (Green Procurement Law)” and the “Law for Recycling
Materials for Construction (Construction Recycling Law).” Furthermore, independent
efforts by civil engineering/construction enterprises for reduction of theenvironmental load, the “Guidelines for Green Procurement in the Construction
Industry” were formulated in 2002.
In Japan’s material balance, the proportion attributable to civil engineering andconstruction-related business accounts for approximately 40% of new resources (2002White Paper on a Recycling-Oriented Economic System; FY2001 Major Construction
Materials Demand Forecast), approximately 20% of industrial wastes andapproximately 40% of wastes collected at final landfill sites (2002 Environmental
White Paper). It can therefore be expected that an environmentally-sound materials
cycle to promote reduction, reuse and recycling will have a major impact on the
structure of society.
The load placed on elements of the environment by the civil engineering andconstruction-related business varies according to many environmental factors suchas the site of the business and the methods and types of materials used. As theenvironmental load may be reduced by applying Eco Mark Product Certification to
construction materials, one of the factors affecting this, the Eco Mark Certification
Criteria for newly applied products, shall be established to certify such materials as‘construction products’ after organizing and integrating them with products that are
already certified.

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131V1 Criteria G
The new certification criteria, in addition to minimizing the consumption of newmaterials and the generation of wastes on the basis of using recycled materials, as
has been recommended, and taking into consideration the reduced use of hazardous
substances, energy saving, the impact on the ecosystem, etc., that are intended toreduce the environmental load imposed by construction work and long-term use, bothof which may be characteristic of construction products, aim at the same time toachieve a symbiotic relationship with nature by creating a secondary naturalenvironment. The concept of the life cycle of materials and products will be introduced
into the evaluation, taking into consideration the life stage when the construction
work is commenced as a construction product, and as many concrete environmentalload items as possible have been selected.

2. Applicable Scope
Scaffolding, landing bridges, etc.: Lining board, Temporary road mat, Road mat
Molds: Round/rectangular molds, Decorative form
3. Terminology
Terms for the common standard
RecycleMaterials recycling only; energy recovery (thermal recycling)
is not included.
Recycling
Collecting used materials and putting them into recycling
processes for the purpose of reuse, recycle, energy recovery,
production of gas or oil, blast furnace reduction, or
production of chemical raw materials for coke-oven
Recycled materials
Post-consumer materials or pre-consumer materials, or a
combination of these. However, this product category shall
include thinned wood, less useful wood, slag resulting from
Pre-consumer
materials
Post-consumer
material
Standard mixture
amountDisposable productindustrial activities, etc., in recycled materials.
Materials or rejected products generated from a disposalroute in a product manufacturing process, excluding thosethat are recycled within the same process (plant).
Material or product which was disposed of after being used
as a product
The percentage of recycled materials of each material that isused to manufacture products (as % by mass), and calculated
as follows and regulated on a material-by-material basis:
Standard mixture amount = recycled materials/eachmaterial
Products that are not intended for repeated use in a field inwhich durable products exist for repeated use as propermaterials.

2

131V1 Criteria G
Prescribed
constituents

Waste rubber
Construction sludge

Terms for paper
Waste paper
Post-consumer waste
paper
Pre-consumer waste
paper

Percentage of waste
paper in the pulp
mixtureMaterial components added for the intended purpose ofgiving certain characteristics to the products. Impurities
that are technically unavoidable in the manufacturing
process are not included.
Post-consumer materials and pre-consumer materials
obtained from used tires, tubes, etc.
Construction sludge prescribed in the “Appropriate Disposalof Waste Produced from Construction Work” (Kansantasu
No. 26, June 11, 2001).

Collected post-consumer waste paper and pre-consumer
waste paper.
Used paper generated in shops, offices, or households.
Paper diverted from the waste stream during the processing
stage at facilities which use paper for material such as paper
processing factories, paper products factories, printing andbookbinding plants.
However, if waste paper resulting from the paper making
process in a plant or works of a party (hereinafter referred
to as “paper manufacturer”) that conducts business related
to the paper manufacturing industry (hereinafter referred toas “plants, etc.”) or those resulting when processing, etc. is
performed in the plants, etc. of the paper manufacturer(including the case in which the paper manufacturer has
othercontractor
toconduct
processing
throughcommissioning of the product before its shipment) is notshipped as a product, and used as raw material for papers by
the paper manufacturer, they shall not be treated as waste
paper (from “Regarding operation of ministry ordinances,
etc. defining matters that should be criteria for judgment on
use of waste paper of those who conduct business related tothe paper manufacturing industry” of the Ministry ofInternational Trade and Industry dated December 24, Heisei
3 (1991).
Weight percentage of waste pulp in pulp contained in
product. Expressed by (waste paper pulp) / (virgin pulp +waste paper pulp) x 100 (%). However, the weight of the pulp
is measured under the condition of containing 10% moisture.
In addition, waste sheets shall not be included in the
denominator and numerator, respectively, of the calculating
formula of waste paper pulp combination rate.

3

131V1 Criteria G
Terms for wood
Reused/Unused woodThinned-out log

Waste wood

Construction wastewood

Less useful wood

Indicates the following: forest thinnings, waste wood,construction waste wood, and less useful wood.
Wood produced from a reduction in the density of the tree
type that is the objective of management based on theintensity of the forest stand
Used wood (used packing materials, etc.), remaindermaterials generated in wood processing plants (shavings
generated in plywood/lumber plants, etc., low quality chips
not used as raw materials for paper, etc.), and wood andwooden materials such as trimmed branches, bark, etc.
Wood and wooden materials disposed of as waste during
construction work such as from the dismantling of buildings,
construction of new buildings, building extensions,renovations, and construction related to other work.
Abandoned lumber in the forest, shrubs, tree roots, woodobtained from lumber damaged by disease, pests, disasters,
bent or small diameter logs, etc. Also includes bamboo cut
down in bamboo groves for the purpose of maintenance andmanagement in environment preservation. Small diameterlogs measuring less than 14 cm in diameter corresponding
to “a” or “b” below must be certified as forests sustainably
managed by an independent third party or publicorganization.
a. Small diameter logs from logs felled from naturalforests.
b. Small diameter logs from logs produced by clear cutting,Waste plant fiber

Wooden partTerms for glass
Glass cullet

Percentage ofcullet usage

patch logging, and strip logging in plantation forests.
Agricultural residues generated during harvesting and the
manufacturing process such as rice hulls, and used
packaging materials such as jute bags, etc.
Actual wood (including plant fibers)

Waste glass used as materials for making new glass andgiven recycling treatment (sorting, removal of foreign
matter, etc.).
glass The rate of the total amount of glass material used in a
product, which is calculated as follows and all materials
shall be expressed by mass: Glass cullet/total amount ofglass material (per product)

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131V1 Criteria G
Terms for plastic
Plastics:

Recycled plastic:
Biomass

Bio-based plastic

Bio-based synthetic
polymer

Bio-based synthetic
polymer content rate

Materials composed of a single or multiple polymers, plus
additives, fillers, etc. that are added to the polymer(s) to giveit (them) specific characteristics.
Plastic materials composed of post-consumer materials andpre-consumer materials.
Biomass is a term originally used in ecology to describe
the amount (mass) of living organisms (bio). In thiscriteria, it refers to resources that are organic matterderived from plants and animals, excluding fossil fuels.
Plastics that are produced from bio-based synthetic polymer
derived from renewable organic resources such as plants. In
particular, plant-derived plastics are also called plant-based
plastics. For example, polyethylene (PE), polyethylene
terephthalate(PET),
polylactic
acid
(PLA)
and
polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) are offered in the formof bio-based plastics.
*Bio-based plastic means plastic whose bio-based carbon
content can be determined by 14C content measurement
specified in ISO 16620-2 or ASTM D6866.
“Biobased synthetic polymer” defined in ISO 16620-1 3.1.4(original: polymer obtained through chemical and/or
biological industrial process(es) wholly or partly frombiomass resources).
Content rate of biomass resources in bio-based synthetic
polymer which is included in a product (or a designatedportion by certification criteria). Means bio-based synthetic
polymer content (Original sentence: bio-based synthetic
polymer content ： amount of bio-based synthetic polymer
present in the product) defined by ISO 16620-1 3.1.5

4. Certification Criteria and Certification Procedure
Any certification verifying conformity with the criteria shall be signed by theapplicant and submitted.
4-1. Environmental Criteria and Certification Procedure
4-1-1. Common criteria and certification procedure(1) In manufacturing the applied product, related environmental laws and regulations
and pollution control agreement (hereinafter referred to as the “Environmental
Laws, etc.”) must be followed with respect to air pollution, water contamination,
noise, offensive odor, and emission of hazardous substances in the area where theplant performing the final manufacturing process is located.
In addition, the state of compliance with the Environmental Laws, etc. for the past5

131V1 Criteria G
five years from the date of application (whether there is any violation) must bereported. If there is any violation, proper remedies and preventive measures shallhave been already taken, and the related Environmental Laws, etc. must thereafter
be followed appropriately.
[Certification Procedure]With respect to the compliance with the Environmental Laws, etc. in the area
where the plant performing the final manufacturing process is located, acertificate issued by the representative of the business of manufacturing theapplied product or the relevant plant manager (entry or Attachment of a list ofnames of the Environmental Laws, etc.) must be submitted.
In addition, the applicants shall report whether there is any violation in thepast five years, including a violation subject to administrative punishment oradministrative guidance, and if there is, the following documents in a and b
must be submitted:
a. With respect to the fact of violation, guidance documents fromadministrative agencies (including order of correction and warning) andcopies of written answers (including those reporting causes and results ofcorrection) to such documents (clearly indicating a series ofcommunication);b. Following materials (copies of recording documents, etc.) concerning themanagement system for compliance with the Environmental Laws, etc. in1)-5):
1) List of the Environmental Laws, etc. related to the area where the plant
is located;
2) Implementation system (organization chart with roles, etc.);
3) Bylaws stipulating retention of recording documents;
4) Recurrence prevention measures (future preventive measures)
5) State of implementation based on the recurrence prevention measures(check results of on-site inspection, etc. as compliance condition).
4-1-2. Material criteria and certification procedure
The constituents of the products shall conform to the following criteria for therespective materials. In this regard, the relevant criteria for the materials shall not
be applicable to minor attachments (minor parts necessary for the functioning of the
product, such as screws, adhesives, etc.).
A. Wood(2) For products using lumber from dismantled buildings (wood and wooden materials
disposed in dismantling), materials subject to preservatives, termicides, andpesticides shall be differentiated and eliminated. The content of harmful
substances in these products shall meet the requirements for hexavalent chromium
and arsenic given in Attached Table 5, which is provide by the detailed enforcement
regulations (December 26, 2002, Environment Ministry Ordinance No. 29) of theSoil Pollution Control Law.

6

131V1 Criteria G[Certification Procedure]
Documents certifying that wood from dismantled buildings is sorted in use or
not used (work manual, workflow, etc.) shall be submitted. If using such waste
wood from dismantled buildings, results of tests performed by a third party
testing centers or public institutions shall be submitted.
(3) Wood preservatives shall be approved by the Japan Wood Preserving Association.
[Certification Procedure]
The use of wood preservatives shall be described in the Application Form for
Eco Mark Certification for details. A document stating the reasons for their use
and certifying that the preservative agents have been approved by the Japan
Wood Preserving Association shall be submitted.
(4) If paper (virgin pulp) and wood are used as the material, the raw wood shall be
harvested in legally appropriate procedure consistent with the forest laws of timber
producing countries or regions. However, this item is not applicable for waste wood,construction waste wood or less useful wood.
[Certification Procedure]
A certificate shall be submitted to prove that the timber whose legality has beenverified* in accordance with “Guideline for Verification on Legality andSustainability of Wood and Wood Products” of Forestry Agency has been incustody to be separated by the applicant or the paper manufacturer and is
supplied to the applied products. At the same time, the applicant or the paper
manufacturer who issues the above certificate shall submit any of the following
certificates:
1) Certificate that the applicant or the paper manufacturer has been assessed
and authenticated by the CoC (Chain of Custody) Certification System;
2) Certificate of the authorized company (that guarantees the association
member’s adequate way of supplying wood and wood products verified withlegality, etc.); and
3) Code of management practice which stipulates the way of custody to manage
wood and wood products verified with legality (the method in the case thatthe timber verified with legality only is handled. The same applies tohereunder), retention of certificates for a predetermined period, etc.
In the event that Item 2) or 3) above is chosen and the certificate is submitted,
the applicant who issues the above-mentioned certificates or the material
supplier shall publicly announce through its web site the code of management
practice prescribed by the association concerned in the case of Item 2) and shallprescribe and publicly announce through its website the code of management
practice concerning the scheme to assess and guarantee the system forseparative management, document management for retention of certificates fora predetermined period, etc. in the case of Item 3).
*Confirm the certificate issued by the related company closest in commercial
process, which at least verifies that wood and wood products they supply are7

131V1 Criteria G
with legality and under separative custody management.
B. Plastics(5) Plastic additives shall conform to the positive list system of food utensils, containers
and packaging. As for the elution of harmful substances, the plastics shall conformto the standards concerning elution of harmful substances that are set forth inAttached Table 4 of the enforcement regulation of the Soil Contamination
Countermeasures Law (2002 Ministerial Order No. 29 of the Ministry of theEnvironment) with respect to cadmium, lead, hexavalent chromium, arsenic,
mercury, selenium, among the specified hazardous substances listed therein. In lieu
of the requirements of the Enforcement Regulation of the Soil Contamination
Countermeasures Law, conformance of the Product to the standards concerning
hazardous substances set forth in ISO 8124-3 may be accepted. In the case of using
flame retardant, the product shall have no flame retardant of Polybrominatedbiphenyl (PBB), Polybrominated diphenylether (PBDE) or short-chain chlorinatedparaffin (the number of chained C is 10 to 13 and contained chloride concentration
is 50% or over) added as formulated components. In addition, (Pb)-based chemicalcompounds, cadmium (Cd)-based chemical compounds, tributyl tin compound (TBT),
triphenyl tin compound (TPT), dibutyl tin compound (DBT), diphenyl tin compound(DFT), and monophenyl tin compound (MFT) shall not be added as prescribed
constituents.
[Certification Procedure]
To show that the plastic resin (including recycled plastics) and plastic additives
meet the requirement on the harmful materials, a certificate issued by the raw
materials supplier, or a certificate describing the results of tests carried out by
an independent testing institution shall be submitted. In cases where no raw
materials contain any of the corresponding chemical substances as a prescribed
constituent, a document prepared by the raw materials supplier and theapplicant that proves there is no content of the chemical substance shall be
acceptable.
(6) For the products to use plastics containing halogen in polymer backbone, at least
70% of the plastic part of the Product after use shall be recovered. Furthermore, atleast 70% of such recovered plastic parts shall be directed to material recycling.
However, this item is not applicable to the product with 20 years or more of theaverage length of year to use, even if the product uses plastics containing halogen .
[Certification Procedure]
Whether this criteria applies to the Product or not shall be stated in the
Attached Certificate, and, if affirmative, a document ensuring that proper
recovery and recycling will be made at the time of Product disposal, or
continuous use of 20 years and more shall be submitted.
Eco Mark Office reserves the right to ask the reports on the recovery ratio (orto conduct audit) after the conclusion of the license agreement, for which theApplicant assumes the obligation to cooperate.
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131V1 Criteria G
C. Glass cullet(7) As for the elution of harmful substances from glass cullet, the product shallconform to the standards concerning elusion of harmful substances that are set
forth in Attached Table 4 of the enforcement regulation of the Soil Contamination
Countermeasures Law (2002 Ministerial Order No. 29 of the Ministry of theEnvironment) with respect to cadmium, lead, hexavalent chromium, arsenic,
mercury, selenium, boron and fluorine among the specified hazardous substances
listed therein. In addition, if waste glass is used as a raw material, color of cullet
to be used (solid color, brown, etc.) shall also be reported.
[Certification Procedure]
A certificate shall be submitted describing the results of tests carried out by anindependent testing institution or a public institution. If waste glass is used
as a raw material, usage of solid color cullets, brown cullets or those in any
other color shall also be reported.
D. Other materials(8) The Product that is made of gypsum board recycled from the waste generated inconnection with building demolition shall be made free of products that are known
to have contained asbestos, arsenic, or cadmium through the process of sorting andremoval. On the subject of specific waste gypsum boards to be eliminated, theApplicant should refer to “On the Inclusion of Asbestos in Gypsum Boards)
published by the Gypsum Board Industry Association, “Proper Handling ofHazardous Substances and the Like Associated with Building Demolition and theLike” published by the Construction By-products Recycling Promotion Conference,and other pertinent documents.
No analysis shall be required if the Product is made of gypsum board that isrecycled from the waste coming out of the manufacturing process of gypsum board
processing plants or generated at a new building construction site, because therecycled material does not contain asbestos.
[Certification Procedure].
Applicants shall enter the conforming condition to this item in the attachedcertificate. In the event that products which have turned out to have contained
asbestos, arsenic, and/or cadmium are separated and removed, applicants must
report the specific separation and removal methods. Incidentally, in the caseof judgment by analytical examinations, applicants must determine that morethan 0.1% of six types of asbestos including Tremolite are not contained by themethods that conform to “JIS A1481: Determination of asbestos in building
material products” (2008) shown in the Instruction Letter No. 0821002 of theLabour Standards Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare dated
August 21, 2006 “On the Analysis Method of Asbestos Content in Building
Materials.”(9) For a product using construction sludge as a raw material, the conditions for9131V1 Criteria G
discharging construction sludge and acceptance criteria for checking soil property
shall be defined with reference to “Construction Sludge Recycling Manual” (Written
and edited by Public Works Research Institute in December 2008), and only
inorganic sludge that were subjected to appropriate treatment shall be used. Any
construction sludge that does not conform to the environmental quality standards
for soil based on the Environmental Basic Law and the content standard of
specified toxic substances based on the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law
shall not be used unless it is subjected to proper processing so that it can conformto these standards.
[Certification Procedure]
Conformance to this item shall be stated in the attached certificate. A material
describing conditions for receiving construction sludge, content and flow oftreatment shall be submitted.

4-1-3. Individual product criteria and certification procedure(10) As for products, the total mass of recycled materials given in Table 1 shall be 70%
or more of the entire product mass. At the same time, each recycled material shallconform to the standard mixture rate given in Table 1.
However, as for products in which the total mass of concretes and plastics is 50%
or more of the entire product mass, the total mass of recycled materials shall be
50% or more. At the same time, each product shall conform to the standard mixture
rate given in Table 1.
The total mass of recycled plastic of plastic mold shall be 50% or more of the entire
product mass and the standard mixture rate for each material in Table 1 is notapplicable for it.
The total mass of recycled materials shall be 20% or more of the entire productmass for a temporary road mat and a road mat which contains recycled rubber as
main material, and the standard mixture rate for each material in Table 1 is notapplicable for it.
The product using bio-based plastic may satisfy 4-1-3.(11) instead of 4-1-3.(10).
Table 1
Materials
Concrete

Recycled materials usable as materials for temporary structures
Recycled material
Standard mixture rate (as % by mass)
Aggregates
The concrete parts shall satisfy one of the following
satisfy(1)to(3)Aggregates Category-C
Certification(1)
Weight of recycled materials
Criteria
in concrete×100 ≧50
4-1-2.A.(2)Weightofconcrete
Cementsatisfy
CementCategory-C
Certification
Criteria
4-12.B.(6)and(7)

(2)

10

Weight of recycled materials

×100 ≧50

131V1 Criteria G
Concreteadmixture

ConcreteadmixturesatisfyCategory-C
Certification
Criteria
4-12.C.(11)Plastics

Recycled plastics

Glass
Wood,
woodenmaterials

Glass cullet

Paper
Rubberin aggregates
Weight of aggregates(3)

Total weight of recycled materials
in cement and concrete admixture
Total weight of cement+ concrete admixture

×100 ≧50

Recycled plastics/total plastics×100≧50[25]Glass cullet/total glass material×100＝100(Forest thinnings and small-diameter logs + waste
Reused/unused wood, waste
wood + less useful wood + waste plant fiber)/total
plant fiber
wooden materials  100 = 100
Waste paper pulp/pulp×100=100
Waste paper pulp
[Waste paper pulp/pulp  100  95 (Mixture rate formold without using release agent)]
Recycled rubber/total rubber×100=100[50]Recycled rubber

Note 1: The percentage mass of wooden parts means the mass ratio of the product or eachmaterial in an air dried state *1 or at the point of constant weight *2 at a temperature of 20±2ºC
and humidity of 65±5%.
*1 : Indicates leaving in a well-ventilated room for seven days or more.
*2 : Change is less than 0.1% when the weight is measured every 24 hours.
Note 2: As for recycled plastics, the combined use of recycled polymers and virgin polymers shallbe permitted. Products using post-consumer materials as raw materials shall be permitted if
the mass ratio of the plastics composed of post-consumer materials conforms to the requirementin [ ] given in the table.
Note 3:As for recycled rubber, products using post-consumer materials as raw materials shallbe permitted if the mass ratio of the recycled rubber composed of post-consumer materials
conforms to the requirement in [ ] given in the table.

[Certification Procedure].
A raw materials certificate issued by the supplier shall be attached. In addition,
the types of recycled materials, the proportional content of recycled materials
and materials other than recycled materials and control procedures shall be
stated in the product weight certificate.
For thinned out wood and less useful wood, a certificate specified in Appendix 3
shall be submitted.
(11) A product using bio-based plastic shall meet all the requirements in a) to c) below.
However, when the criteria item 4-1-3.(10) is selected, this item shall not apply.
a) The bio-based synthetic polymer content in the entire product mass (plastic
parts) shall be 10% or higher, and the mass ratio of the bio-based plastic shall be
25% or higher.
b) Sustainability of biomass mixed into plastic as raw material shall meet therequirements of Appendix 4(a) “Sustainability checklist of bio-based plastics (rawresin)” and the supply chains of the biomass shall be identified. If the biomass
material has underwent third-party audit or certification for sustainability (aninternational sustainability certification for plastics, etc.), the result of audit or11131V1 Criteria G
certification may be submitted as evidence instead of Appendix 4(a).
c) It shall be confirmed through life cycle assessment (LCA) that the bio-based
plastic (raw resin) does not cause an increase of GHG emissions (in terms of CO 2)
throughout the product life cycle in comparison with a resin to replace with.
[Certification Procedure]a) A certificate indicating the calculated content of biobased synthetic
polymers in the product (plastic parts) shall be submitted. For the bio-based
plastic (raw resin) thereof, measurement results of the biobased synthetic
polymer content calculated with the method specified in ISO 16620-3, using
measurement results of the biobased carbon content and element
composition by the 14C method specified in ISO 16620-2 or ASTM D6866
shall be mentioned. Should there be any deviation of 10% or higher between
the measurement results and the content of biobased synthetic polymer inthe standard, a description of a reason(s) therefor shall also be included.
The measurement results of the biobased carbon content shall be submitted
as an attached document.
In addition, for appropriate maintenance of the content of biobased
synthetic polymer after certification, any of the following certificates issued
by a raw resin supplier (including a dealer) shall be submitted.
- An explanatory document stating that measurements of the content of
biobased carbon will be regularly carried out, and that measurement
results can be disclosed as per a request of the Eco Mark Office; and- A certificate that the Applicant has been audited or certified by a third party
for management of the content of the biobased synthetic polymer.
b) An applicant shall submit documents on the source of biomass material (acultivation area (country, state, city, etc.), a generation process of waste andresidues, etc.), a manufacturing flowchart (of raw resin) (describe the nameof manufacturers of fundamental chemicals (monomers), polymers, etc.),
and checklists or an evidence of a third-party audit or certification.
To the application for Eco Mark certification of products containing biobased plastics or biomass materials that have never been certified for use,
Eco Mark Office may request the applicant (or the plastic supplier) to
provide information on the chemical composition of the products (seeAppendix 4(b)).
c) An applicant shall submit the result of LCA conducted by a third-party. (Anapplicant shall provide the LCA result and the calculation conditions. If theapplicant has underwent LCA under an international sustainability
certification scheme for plastics, it may submit the data instead. The
applicant may submit an academic paper published on a journal as anevidence as long as the same materials and/or manufacturing processes(sites) are mentioned in the paper as those used for the product applied for
certification.).
(12) As for the elution of harmful substances, the product shall conform to the standards
concerning elusion of harmful substances that are set forth in Attached Table 4 of
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131V1 Criteria G
the enforcement regulation of the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law (2002
Ministerial Order No. 29 of the Ministry of the Environment) with respect to
cadmium, lead, hexavalent chromium, arsenic, mercury, selenium, boron andfluorine among the specified hazardous substances listed therein. However, thisitem shall not apply to metal portions such as steel products, etc. Slags may betested by JIS K0058-1 “Test methods for chemicals in slags”. The materials listed
in the 4-1-2A-C and paper shall be in accordance with the 4-1-2 and can be omitted.
[Certification Procedure].
A certificate to indicate no addition of chromium, cadmium, and arsenic as theprescribed constituents shall be submitted.
(13) As for the content of harmful substances, the product shall conform to thestandards concerning content of harmful substances that are set forth in Attached
Table 5 of the enforcement regulation of the Soil Contamination Countermeasures
Law (2002 Ministerial Order No. 29 of the Ministry of the Environment) withrespect to cadmium, lead, hexavalent chromium, arsenic, mercury, selenium, boron
and fluorine among the specified hazardous substances listed therein. However,metal portions such as steel products, etc. may be confirmed by other test methods,
etc. Slags may be tested by JIS K0058-2 “Test methods for chemicals in slags. The
materials listed in the 4-1-2A-C and paper shall be in accordance with the 4-1-2
and can be omitted.
[Certification Procedure].
A certificate shall be submitted describing the results of tests carried out by anindependent testing institution or public institution. With respect to metals, thecontent of hazardous substances may be proved by test results, ingredient table,
etc. by manufacturers, and others.
(14) The products shall not have chromium, cadmium or arsenic added as prescribed
constituents.
[Certification Procedure].
A certificate to indicate no addition of chromium, cadmium, and arsenic as theprescribed constituents shall be submitted.
(15) The products shall not be of a disposable type.
However, if they are “disposable products” as defined above, in the cases where acollection and recycling system after disposal has been established and suchproducts are actually recycled, this requirement is not applicable. For productswith recycled pulp comprising magazines, corrugated boards, and mountings andbook-cover paper referred to in the recycled paper standard quality specification
list compounded as main recycled material, this item shall not apply in the eventthat a system for collecting and recycling the products after use is established andthe products are actually recycled.
[Certification Procedure].
It shall be specifically explained and described as to whether the product

13

131V1 Criteria G
corresponds to a disposable product, as described in 2-1-9 E-1 Materials for
Temporary Structures in the Application Form for Certification and Use of the
Eco Mark. In cases that require verification that a system for collection andrecycling after disposal has been established, materials including an
explanatory document shall be submitted.
(16) Information regarding Certification Criteria 4-1-3. (12) and (13) shall be madeavailable.
[Certification Procedure].
The document to be used at the time of information provision shall be submitted(a draft is acceptable).
4-2. Quality Criteria and Certification Procedure(17) As for quality requirements for the products, safety shall be confirmed through inhouse standards based on official test methods.
[Certification Procedure].
A certificate shall be submitted verifying that based on in-house standards,
safety has been confirmed.

5. Product Classification, Indication and Others(1) The products shall be classified according to each applicable product in “2.
Applicable Scope” (Appendix 1) and brand of the product. The product is notclassified by size or color; provided that products made of different materials shallbe applied separately.
(2) Regarding products which correspond to designated procurement items under the"Act on Promotion of Procurement of Eco-friendly Goods and Services by the Stateand Other Entities (Green Purchasing Law)", conformity status for evaluation
criteria will be announced on the website of the Eco Mark Office.
(3) In principle, Eco Mark shown as below shall be indicated on the product main body.
The licensees of Eco Mark Utilization Contract who own the Eco Mark products shallalso be allowed to use the indication and the certification number as before.

(Note for the indication)*For indicating the logo, Eco Mark certification number (eight-digit number) or thename of the licensee using the logo shall be appeared.
* Such expression as “Eco Mark product” can be used following the 2.(2) of the Guide
to Eco Mark Usage.

14

131V1 Criteria G“Eco Mark product”, “#Eco Mark”, “www.ecomark.jp”, “Eco Mark Certificate”*In accordance with “Environmental Labeling Guidelines” of the Ministry of theEnvironment of Japan, etc., the environmental claims of certified products may be
indicated in association with Eco Mark.
(https://www.env.go.jp/policy/hozen/green/ecolabel/guideline/)* The Guide to Eco Mark Usage shall be followed for any cases not listed above.
(https://www.ecomark.jp/office/guideline/guide/)
January 15, 2005
February 23, 2005
May 13, 2005
September 8, 2005
April 28, 2006
October 19, 2006
February 9, 2007
April 13, 2007
October 5, 2007
February 14, 2008
June 9, 2008
August 21, 2008
May 1, 2009
November 4, 2009
March 1, 2011
June 15, 2012
February 1, 2013
February 1, 2014
December 1, 2014
March 1, 2018
August 10, 2018
January 7, 2019
April 1, 2022
February 1, 2023
March 15, 2024
January 31, 2031

Established
Revised (4-1-3.L(75)､(76))
Revised (4-1-3. (35)､(94), 5-1-3.(73))
Revised (Terminology)
Revised
Revised
Revised
RevisedExtension of Expiration date
Extension of Expiration date
Revised
Revised
Revised
Revised
Revised (5.Indication, Version1.14)
Revised (4-1.(4),deletion of 5.(2)(3) Version1.15)
Revised (Version1.16)
Extension of Expiration date
Revised (Category F, Version1.17)
Revised (4-1-2.(4), Version1.18)
Revised (Category E-J, addition of 5.(2)(3) Version 1.19)
Extension of Expiration date
Revised (Category E, J: Version 1.20)
Revised (Version1.21)
Extension of Expiration date
Expiration date

The Certification Criteria for the Product Category will be revised when necessary.

15

131V1 Criteria G
Appendix 2 -- Omitted --Appendix 3 Criteria and certification for thinned out wood and less useful wood
If using thinned wood as the material, a certificate of origin that includes informationon the place of production, type of tree, and year of planting shall be submitted withphotographs of the forest concerned (showing clearly that the forest stand has been
thinned). The thinning percentage and how many times the forest stand has been
thinned, including the most recent thinning shall also be indicated if possible.
If using less useful wood, the following information shall be submitted. At the sametime, official documents stating that the forest has been certified as sustainable by athird party shall be submitted.
・ Type of forest (natural or man-made, etc.), place of production, type of tree, and yearof tree planting if man-made forest.
・ Under what conditions was the wood produced (damaged by disease/pests, damaged
by disaster, bent or narrow trees, etc.). For small diameter log, indicate logging
method and tip end diameter.
If small-diameter wood of less useful wood is used, and if it applies to a or b described
below, a document certifying that forests were certified as sustainable by a third party
as listed in the table below shall also be submitted.
a. Small diameter logs from logs felled from natural forests.
b. Small diameter logs from logs produced by clear cutting, patch logging, and strip
logging in plantation forests.
Table Requirements for Forest Certification
Certification criteria- While balancing economical, ecological, and social benefits,
the criteria shall comply with Agenda 21 and Statement of
Principles on Forests, and observe related international
agreements and conventions.
- Including solid requirements, the criteria shall promotesustainable forests.
- Recognized both domestically and internationally, thecriteria shall be recommended as part of the process opened
to participation by ecological, economical, and social
stakeholders.
Certification system- Certification systems shall have high transparency, maintainnation-wide or international reliability, and can verify
requirements.
Certification body
- With fairness and high reliability, certification organizations
and groups shall be able to verify that requirements are
satisfied, convey the results, and able to execute
requirements effectively.

16

131V1 Criteria G
If using bamboo as the raw material in less useful wood, certificates indicating thefollowing information and photographs/maps of the surroundings of the bamboo grove
shall be submitted.
- Type of bamboo, place of production, surrounding conditions, and description thatlogging is carried out for the purpose of appropriate maintenance and management
in environment preservation, as well as management plans and quantity.

17

Appendix 4(a)No

Purpose1

Prevention of
globalwarming,
conservationof the natural
ecosystem

Sustainability checklist of Bio-based Plastic (Raw Resin)
Request (Item that must be
realized)
Hasn’t the farm land where plants
are cultivated been converted fromvaluable land in biodiversity orland with high carbon storage(forests, peatland, etc.) since 2008?

Subject□Not
converted□Converted

Farm land

2

Realized

Conservation If the Applicant uses theofthe genetically modified crop as a raw
ecosystem
material, has the Applicant
assessed ensuring of safety?

□Notapplicabledue toresidues or
waste

□Yes/
□No/
□Not

Farm land

applicable(GM crops
Not used)□Not
applicabledue toresidues or
waste

Implementation Method (Check off all relevant
items.)□Confirmed the laws and regulations concerning theland conversion for the site.
□Gained the understanding of the actual condition of thesite through on-site investigation or hearings.
□Defined and released the guideline for procurement ofplants. Alternatively, conforming to the guideline of an
independent third party.
- Name of the guideline:- Location of release:□Also using the certification system of an independent
third party, regarding the procurement of plants.
-Name of certification system:□Others (Describe specifically.):□Confirmed

the laws and regulations concerning
genetically engineered crop on the site.
□Gained the understanding of the actual condition of thesite through on-site investigation or hearings.
□Defined and released the guideline for procurement ofplants. Alternatively, conforming to the guideline of an
independent third party.
- Name of the guideline:- Location of release:□Also using the certification system of an independent
third party, regarding the procurement of plants.

131V1 Criteria G
Request (Item that must be
realized)No

Purpose3

Prevention ofland
acidification/
nutrient
enrichment/w
ater
contamination

Has the Applicant gained theunderstanding of usage conditionsof fertilizers/agricultural chemicals
in the main cultivation area ofplants?
Isn’t any agricultural chemical
regulated under the “Stockholm
Convention on Persistent Organic
Pollutants” (POPs Treaty) used?

Appropriate
water usage

Has the Applicant gained theunderstanding of usage conditionsof water in the main cultivation
area of plants?

4

Subject

Realized

Implementation Method (Check off all relevant
items.)-Name of certification system:□Others (Describe specifically.):□Confirmed

□Yes/
□No
□Not

Farm land

applicabledue toresidues or
waste

the laws and regulations concerning
fertilizers/agricultural chemicals on the site
□Gained the understanding of the actual condition of thesite through on-site investigation or hearings.
□Defined and released the guideline for procurement ofplants. Alternatively, conforming to the guideline of an
independent third party.
- Name of the guideline:- Location of release:□Also using the certification system of an independent
third party, regarding the procurement of plants.
-Name of certification system:□Others (Describe specifically.):□Confirmed the laws and regulations concerning usage

□Yes/
□No
□Not

Farm land

19

applicabledue toresidues orwaste

of water (limits on the amount of water) on the site.
□Gained the understanding of the actual condition of thesite through on-site investigation or hearings.
□Defined and released the guideline for procurement ofplants. Alternatively, conforming to the guideline of an
independent third party.
- Name of the guideline:- Location of release:□Also using the certification system of an independent

131V1 Criteria GNo

Purpose5

Useofrecycledresources,
avoidance ofcompetition
for food
Prevention of
globalwarming67

8Request (Item that must be
realized)

Subject

If recycled resources are available
as a part of crude raw materials of
bio-based plastic (raw resin) on the
Raw resin
site,
did
the
Applicantpreferentially use them?

Has the Applicant gained theunderstanding of the processing
status of methane having a highglobal warming potential if it isgenerated by fermentation in themain manufacturing plant for the
crude raw material?
Utilization of In the course of cultivation to raw
non-fossil
resin manufacturing, did theenergyApplicant utilize as many non-fossil
sources and energy sources (for example,
renewablebagasse, biogas, off gas, etc.) or
energyrenewable energy sources assourcespossible?
Legal
In manufacturing the bio-based
complianceplastic (raw resin), does theapplicantfollow
relatedenvironmental laws and regulations

Realized□Yes/

Implementation Method (Check off all relevant
items.)
third party, regarding the procurement of plants.
-Name of certification system:□Others (Describe specifically.)
Name of recycled resource in use

□No/
□Not

[

]

Generated amount/percentage of recycled resources

applicable(Not
available)[]□Gained the understanding of the actual condition of the

Crude rawmaterial
manufactu
ring plant

□Yes/
□No

site through on-site investigation or hearings.
□Others (Describe specifically.)
[

□Not

]

applicable
Energy name and method of utilization[

Manufactu
ring plantResinmanufactu
ring plant

]

□Yes/
□No

Monomer manufacturer / plant name
□Yes/
□No

[

Resin manufacturer / plant name
[

20

]
]

131V1 Criteria GNo

PurposeRequest (Item that must be
realized)and pollution control agreementwith respect to air pollution, watercontamination, noise, vibration,
offensive odor, and emission of
hazardous materials?

Subject* Residues or Waste defined in Renewable Energy Directive (RED) of EU

21

Realized

Implementation Method (Check off all relevant
items.)

131V1 Criteria G
Appendix 4(b) Sheet for Providing Information for Application of Products Containing
New types of Bio-based Plastics or Biomass Materials
Month/Day/Year
Submit to: Eco Mark Office, Japan Environment Association
Company name:
Department:
Name:E-mail:1. Information on bio-based plastic used in a product applied for Eco Mark certification
Item
Type of plastic (PE, etc.)

Description

Chemical structural formula

Major use (molded product,
fiber)
Launch onto the market andproduction volume of biobased plastic□Already put on the market (□Japan／□Overseas)□Not yet (the scheduled time of launchMonth/Year)

Production volume (actual, planned or estimated)tons(Year)
Manufacturer of bio-based
plastic (and the URL of
website)(Describe the name of manufacturerof bio-based plastic proposed in theform in addition to the applicant)Fossil-based plastic to be
replaced with the bio-based
plastic
Manufacturing process chartfrom raw material toproduction of plastic

May be described in an attached sheet(Description of processes fromacceptance of raw material toproduction of monomer andplastic, with or without offermentation process, etc.)

100-percent bio-based/
Partially bio-based□100-percent bio-based (the bio-based synthetic polymer
content is 100 percent)□Partially bio-based -> The maximum bio-based synthetic
polymer content that can be mixed into the bio-based
plastic [Management under the massbalance (MB) approach%]□Plastic directly mixed with biomass／□MB approach*Bio-based plastics managed under the MB approach are notcovered by the guidelines.

Biodegradability

□Yes

／

□No

Disposal after use
Issues in disposal and22

131V1 Criteria G
recycling in comparison withfossil-based plastics to replacewith (possible disposal method,etc.)

2. Information on biomass material
Type

of

Item
biomass

Description
material(name of plant, etc.)
Cultivation area (country, state,city, etc.) or the generation

process of waste and residues,
etc.
Productionorgeneration
volume of biomass material
Main use of biomass material(principal product or by-product)
State of cultivation land (forplants, describe type of land suchas peatland)

Possible influences onbiomass material if
production of bio-based
plastic increases in the future(Influences on other uses of thebiomass, influences caused by
rapid expansion of production of
the biomass, etc.)

Competing demand against
foods
Use of recycled material inproduction of bio-based
plastic(If recycled material can be used,describe the source, collection
methods, management under EU
RED, etc.)

3. Information on sustainability of biomass material
Item
Description
Sustainability certificates andinitiatives of biomass material(RSPO, ISCC, etc.) andacquisition(Ifacquired,
describe
the
name
and
detailed criteria)
Any sustainability issues
pointed out by NGOs or
researchers regarding thecultivation of biomass
material (If any, describe thedetails and the URL of website ofNGOs or researchers)

Any other concerns about thebiomass material

23

131V1 Criteria G
4. Others
Item

Description

Other bio-based plastics
produced from the same
biomass material (if any,describe the name of biobased plastics)
Others* Attach relevant documents such as company profile of manufacturer.
The information provided in this form will be used as reference for examination of Eco Mark certification
by Eco Mark Office and relevant committees only. The Certification Committee will assess thesustainability of bio-based plastic based on the information provided in the form. The Certification
Committee may conduct additional study or consult with the Evaluation Panel established under theCommittee as necessary. In this case, a longer assessment period will be taken than usual.

24