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

C. Container for Sterile-Packed Cooked Rice
Japan Environment Association
Eco Mark Office
1. Purpose of establishing criteria
Omitted2. Applicable Scope
Plastic containers and packages for sterile-packed cooked rice

3. Terminology
Omitted4. Certification Criteria and Certification ProceduresWith respect to Certification Procedures to criteria items, the AttachedCertificates and related documents shall be submitted.
4-1. Environmental Common Criteria and Certification Procedures(1) In one packing unit (a packing unit capable of storing at normal temperature for along period (around 6 months)), weight of a container/package for 100 g of cooked rice
shall be 5.0 g or less.
[Certification Procedures]
The Attached Certificate shall contain the number of packed products A (meals),weight of cooked rice per meal: B (g), total weight of tray/lid/deoxidizer (If anouter bag is to function to maintain a storage period, total weight oftray/lid/deoxidizer/outer bag): C (g), and weight of one packing unit per 100g ofcooked rice (C/B x 100).
(2) In the case of a product for multiple meals sold in an outer bag, weight of the outerbag for 100g of cooked rice shall be 1.0 g or less. Note, however, that this section shallnot apply to an outer bag contained in one packing unit.

Criteria 140C_V1[Certification Procedures]
The Attached Certificate shall contain the number of packed products: A (meals),weight of outer bag D (g), and weight of an outer bag for 100g of cooked rice (D/A)(3) In manufacturing the applying product, related environmental laws andregulations and pollution control agreement (hereinafter referred to as the“Environmental Laws, etc.”) must be followed with respect to air pollution, watercontamination, 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 bereported. 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
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).

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Criteria 140C_V1(4) Substances regulated by "Self-imposed Controls on Printing Ink (NL regulations)by the Japan Printing Ink Makers Association shall not be added in the printing ink
used for the product (labels, etc.) as a prescribed constituent.
[Certification Procedures]
Compliance with the NL regulations shall be indicated in the AttachedCertificate.
(5) Plastic materials used in the package and container for one packaging unit shallnot be added with plastics that contain halogen in polymer backbone as a prescribed
constituent.
[Certification Procedures]
Whether any halogen element is added or not in polymer backbone shall beindicted in the Attached Certificate.
(6) Plastics additives such as the plasticizers, color materials, stabilizers, lubricants,etc. used in the plastic materials for one packaging unit shall conform to the positive
list system of food utensils, containers and packaging, 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.
(7) If recycled plastic materials are used in food containers, the measures to ensure
the safety 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 and Containers/Packaging”” (issued on March 28, 2024 as Food Safety
Standards and Evaluation Division 0328 No.7 and Food Inspection and Safety
Division 0328 No.7 under the joint names of chiefs of above both divisions ofPharmaceutical Safety and Environmental Health Bureau, the MHLW) of Ministry ofHealth, Labour and Welfare.
[Certification Procedure] Certifier: Applicant
The written document shall be submitted which shows the ensuring the safety
based on “Guideline for the Use of Recycled Materials as Raw Materials forSynthetic Resins Used in the Manufacture of Food Utensils and Containers/Packaging” of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
(8) Adhesives used in the packaging and containers for one packaging unit shall

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Criteria 140C_V1

conform to “Voluntary Regulation on Adhesive for Food Packaging Materials (NLregulations)” by the Japan Adhesive Industry Association as Prescription constituents.
[Certification Procedures] Compliance with the Negative List regulations shallbe indicated in the Attached Certificate.
(9) The containers and packaging in one packaging unit shall meet the requirement
described in “the Standards and Criteria for Foods, Food Additives, etc. (Ministry ofHealth and Welfare Notice No. 370, 1959)”.
[Certification Procedures]
The Applicant shall submit test results to certifying that the products meet thecorresponding requirements.
4-2. Quality Criteria and Certification Procedures(10) Quality of containers shall conform to the industrial voluntary standards or themanufacturer’s own standards.
[Certification Procedures]
A certificate to show the compliance with the appropriate standards shall besubmitted.

5. Considerations
In manufacturing products, it is desirable to consider the following, although they are
not requirements for certification. The conformance to the individual criteria item shallbe indicated in Attached Certificates.
(1) Volume reduction of a tray for a container/package shall be possible at the time ofdisposal.
(2) Plastic materials used for containers and packaging shall be composed of a single
resin or otherwise shall not inhibit recycling after use.
(3) For containers for food per one packing unit, recycled plastics or bio-based plastics,etc. shall be used and those percentage of mixing shall be indicated.

6. Product Classification, Indication and Others(1) A product classification (application unit) shall be by a brand name. It is also
possible to apply at one time even if the weight of cooked rice or the number of

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Criteria 140C_V1

products in the package is different among each application unit. If the same
product is sold as a single product for one-time meal and as a number of products
packed in an outer package for multiple meals, both of them shall meet therequirements of the Certification Criteria.
(2) When indicating the Eco Mark on the packaging, it should be indicated so as toclearly show that the product packaging or container is the Eco Mark certified
products and also show that the product content has nothing to do with the EcoMark(3) In principle, Eco Mark shall be indicated on the body of the container andpackaging, etc.
Example)エコマーク認定容器

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/)

October 1, 2013

Addition of Category C, D and E (Version 1.7)

June 1, 2015

Revised (Category A-D) Version1.8

June 1, 2016

Addition of Category G and H (Version 1.9)

September 16, 2016

Addition of Category F (Version1.10)

February 1, 2017

Revised (Category D 4-1-1(1) and 5, Category E 5, andCategory H 3: Version.11)

April 1, 2019

Revised (6.(2)(3))

November 28, 2019

Revised (Category A, 4-2.(18) added Version1.12)

November 1, 2020

Revised (Version1.13), Extension of Expiration

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Criteria 140C_V1

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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