Eco Mark Product Category No.140“Containers and Packaging for Food and Beverages, Cosmetics, Household Goods
Version 1.16” Certification Criteria

A-2. Replaceable Containers
Japan Environment Association
Eco Mark Office
1. Purpose of establishing criteria
Omitted2. Applicable Scope
This document applies to the containers filled with the content refilled into theproduct container for repeated use of a part of the product container (e.g. spray orpump). Replaceable containers provided with a product label or other that informs
consumers they are also available as refill shall be classified into Category A-1.
Product containers for which replaceable containers are available may be includedin the scope of application (may be applied for as a set) only when they meet therequirements of 4-1. (12). However, products covered by other product categories
such as Eco Mark Product Category No. 112 "Stationery / Office Supplies, Version 2"
are excluded.

3. Terminology
Omitted4. Certification Criteria and Certification Procedures
To show conformance to the criteria items, the Attached Certificates and related
documents shall be submitted.
4-1. Environmental Common Criteria and Certification Procedures(1) A replaceable container shall meet a) or b) below.
a) The weight of the replaceable container (including the exterior package) shall be
reduced by at least 40% compared to the product container (including theexterior package).
Reduction ratio (%) = ([Weight of the product container] - [Weight of thereplaceable container]) / [Weight of the product container] x 100

Criteria 140V1 A-2b) A replaceable container (including exterior packaging) shall meet the criteria in
the Table below, or weight of the container shall be 20g or less regardless of theinterior content of the replaceable container.
Table 1. Weight of replaceable container
区分 classification

Weight of Container per 1L (or 1000 g) ofContent

Plastic containers / packaging

40g or less

Paper containers / packaging

65g or less

[Certification Procedure]
A certificate stating materials used and the weight of the replaceable container
shall be submitted.
(2) In manufacturing the applying 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 materials in the area where the plant
performing the final manufacturing process is located.
In addition, the state of compliance with the Environmental Laws, etc. for the last five
years from the date of application (whether there is any violation) must be reported.
If there is any violation, it is necessary that proper remedies and preventive measures
have 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 manufacturer of the applying
product or the manager of the relevant plant (entry or attachment of the list ofnames of the Environmental Laws, etc.) must be submitted.
In addition, it is necessary to report whether there is any violation during thelast five years, including a violation subject to administrative punishment oradministrative guidance, and if there is, the following documents in a and b mustbe 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 (making a series of progress clear);b. Following materials (copies of recording documents, and so on) concerning

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Criteria 140V1 A-2

the management system for compliance with the Environmental Laws, etc.
in 1)-5):
1) List of the Environmental Laws, etc. related to the area where the plant
is located;
2) Implementation system (organizational chart with entry of roles, etc.);
3) Document stipulating retention of recording documents;
4) Recurrence prevention measures (future preventive measures);5) State of implementation based on recurrence prevention measures (resultof checking of the state of compliance, including the result of onsiteinspection).
(3) Substances regulated by “Voluntary Regulation on Printing Ink (NL regulations)”by the Japan Printing Ink Makers Association shall not be added to printing ink used
for the container (labels, etc.) as a prescribed constituent.
[Certification Procedures]
The Applicant shall state in the Attached Certificate that the product complies
with NL regulations.
(4) Adhesives used for containers shall not be added materials forbidden in “VoluntaryRegulation on Adhesive for Food Packaging Materials (NL regulations)” by the Japan
Adhesive Industry Association as a prescription constituent.
[Certification Procedures]
The Applicant shall state in the Attached Certificate that the product complies
with NL regulations.
(5) The Applicant shall state on the container, package, manual, brochure, etc. that thereplaceable product is available for purchase.
[Certification Procedures]
The applicant shall report the content of statement as well as submit

photographsof the container or package, manual, brochure, etc., specifications or theexplanatory document that indicate the corresponding statement.
(6) Plastic materials used in the container shall not be added plastics that containhalogen in polymeric backbone as a prescription constituent.
[Certification Procedures]
Whether any halogen element is added or not in polymeric backbone shall be
stated in the Attached Certificates

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Criteria 140V1 A-2(7) For replaceable containers using plastic materials, the plasticizers, color materials,stabilizers, lubricants and other plastics additives shall conform to the positive list
system of food utensils, containers and packaging, etc. In case of using the plastic
additives which are not listed in the positive list for the products which are notintended as containers for food, the plastic additives shall meet the requirements
described in ISO 8124-3, etc.
[Certification Procedures]
The applicant shall submit certificates that plasticizer, color materials,stabilizers, lubricants and other plastic additives conform to the Positive List
system of food utensils, containers and packaging, etc. With respect to plastic
additives not included in the Positive List, the results of tests to show theconformance to the requirements stipulated in ISO 8124-3, etc. shall besubmitted.
(8) If recycled plastic materials are used in food containers, the measures to ensure thesafety shall be taken based on “Regarding “Guideline for the Use of Recycled Materials
as Raw Materials for Synthetic Resins Used in the Manufacture of Food Utensils andContainers/Packaging”” (issued on March 28, 2024 as Food Safety Standards andEvaluation Division 0328 No.7 and Food Inspection and Safety Division 0328 No.7
under the joint names of chiefs of above both divisions of Pharmaceutical Safety andEnvironmental Health Bureau, the MHLW) of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
[Certification Procedure]
The written document shall be submitted which shows the ensuring the safety
based on “Guideline for the Use of Recycled Materials as Raw Materials for
Synthetic Resins Used in the Manufacture of Food Utensils and Containers/
Packaging” of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
(9) The product whose content is food, cosmetic, or medical related products shall meetthe requirement described in the Standards for Foods, Food Additives, etc. (Ministryof Health and Welfare Notice No. 370, 1959).
[Certification Procedure]
The Applicant shall submit test results to certifying that the products meet thecorresponding requirements.
(10) If exterior package is used for the replaceable container, the following "a" and "b"shall be met.
a. Exterior package shall be as simple as possible, easy to recycle, and free ofadhesion between different materials (excluding labels, seals, laminated

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Criteria 140V1 A-2

packaging, coating processing, etc.).
b. If paper material is used, the waste paper pulp content shall be 50% or more. If
waste paper pulp is unavailable, use of the forest certification paper is acceptable.
[Certification Procedure]
The Applicant shall state in the Attached Certificate that the products meet thecorresponding requirements. Also, a raw material certificate or a certificate offorest-certification shall be attached.
(11) In the event that the virgin pulp is used for material of replaceable containers andouter packages, the timber used for material must be harvested in legally appropriatemanner consistent with the forest laws of timber producing countries.
[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 issupplied 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 andauthenticated 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 that thetimber verified with legality only is handled.

The same applies to hereunder),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, paper manufacturer or material supplier who issues the abovementioned certificates shall publicly announce through its web site the code ofmanagement practice prescribed by the association concerned in the case of Item2) and shall prescribe and publicly announce through its Web site the code ofmanagement practice concerning the scheme to assess and guarantee the system
for separative management, document management for retention of certificates
for a predetermined period, etc. in the case of Item 3).
*Confirm the certificate issued by the related company closest in commercial pro cess,which at least verifies that wood and wood products they supply are with legality andunder separative custody management.

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Criteria 140V1 A-2(12) Product containers applied with replaceable containers as a set shall conform toCategory I. “Multiple containers and packaging using plastics”.
[Certification Procedures]
Certificates in accordance with the procedure defined in the category I shall besubmitted.
4-2. Quality Criteria and Certification Procedures(13) Quality of containers shall conform to the industrial voluntary standards or themanufacturer’s own standards.
[Certification Procedures]With respect to the industrial voluntary standards or the manufacturer’s ownstandards, certificates by the Applicant shall be submitted.

5. Considerations
In the process of manufacturing products, it is desirable to consider the following items,
although they are not requirements for certification.

(1) Replaceable containers shall be designed as compact (improvement of container
shape, size change, etc.) and thin as much as possible.
(2) For replaceable containers or exterior packaging, recycled plastics or bio-based
plastics, etc. shall be used and those percentage of mixing is indicated

6. Product Classification, Indication and Others(1) Product shall be applied by brand name and by type of replaceable container (plasticpackage and container / paper package and container).
(2) When indicating the Eco Mark on the packaging or container, it should be indicatedso as to clearly show that replaceable containers or product containers are the Eco
Mark certified products and also show that the product content has nothing to dowith the Eco Mark(3) In principle, the Eco Mark shall be indicated on the product, the catalog, etc. The
licensees of Eco Mark Utilization Contract who own the Eco Mark products shall also
be allowed to use the indication and the certification number as before.

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Criteria 140V1 A-2Example)

エコマーク認定
付け替え容器

Eco Mark Certified(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 Guideto Eco Mark Usage.
“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/)

November 1, 2020

Addition of A-2, I. and J.(Version1.13), Extension ofExpiration

December 15, 2022

Revised (Version1.14)

February 1, 2023

Revised (Version1.15, Category K added, I, J, etc. revised)

August 1, 2024

Revised (Version1.16, Category A-1:4-2(8), A-2:4-1(8), B:42(12), C:4-1(7), D:4-1-2(6), G, I and J:4-1(6)June 30,2027

Expiration

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

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