COMMISSION DECISION
of 7 November 2013
establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the EU Ecolabel for flushing toilets and urinals
(notified under document C(2013) 7317)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2013/641/EU)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the EU Ecolabel (1), and in particular Article 8(2) thereof,
After consulting the European Union Ecolabelling Board,
Whereas:
(1)
Under Regulation (EC) No 66/2010, the EU Ecolabel may be awarded to products which have a reduced environmental impact during their entire life cycle.
(2)
Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 provides that specific EU Ecolabel criteria are to be established according to product groups.
(3)
Since the consumption of water contributes significantly to the overall environmental impacts of domestic and non-domestic buildings, it is appropriate to establish EU Ecolabel criteria for the product group of ‘flushing toilets and urinals’. The criteria should, in particular, promote water-efficient products which contribute to a reduction in the consumption of water and associated other benefits such as reduction of energy consumption.
(4)
The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 66/2010,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
1. The product group ‘flushing toilets and urinals’ shall comprise: flushing toilet equipment and urinal equipment as defined in Article 2. The product group shall cover products for domestic and non-domestic use.
2. The following products shall be excluded from the product group ‘flushing toilets and urinals’:
(a)
toilet seats and covers, only when placed on the market or marketed independently from a flushing toilet or urinal equipment;
(b)
toilet equipment which do not use water, use chemical and water for flushing and toilets that require energy to aid the the flushing system.
Article 2
For the purpose of this Decision, the following definitions shall apply:
(1)
‘flushing toilet equipment’ means either a toilet suite, a toilet receptacle or a toilet flushing system;
(2)
‘toilet suite’ means a sanitary appliance combining into a functioning unit a flushing system and a toilet receptacle for receiving and flushing away human urine and faeces and directing it into a drainage system;
(3)
‘toilet receptacle’ means a sanitary appliance for receiving and flushing away human urine and faeces and directing it into a drainage system;
(4)
‘urinal equipment’ means either a urinal suite, a urinal, a flush-free urinal or a urinal flushing system;
(5)
‘flushing urinal equipment’ means either a urinal suite, a urinal or a urinal flushing system;
(6)
‘urinal suite’ means a sanitary appliance combining into a functioning unit a flushing system and a urinal for receiving and flushing away urine and directing it into a drainage system;
(7)
‘urinal’ means a sanitary appliance for receiving urine and water used for flushing and directing both into a drainage system;
(8)
‘slab urinal’ means a sanitary appliance with or without flushing system comprising a floor channel and a slab or sheet fixed to a wall, for receiving urine and water used for flushing and directing both into a drainage system;
(9)
‘flush-free urinal’ means a sanitary appliance for receiving urine and directing it into a drainage system, which functions without water;
(10)
‘flushing system’ means, for both flushing toilet and flushing urinal equipment, either a flushing cistern with integral warning pipe connection - or a device deemed to be a no less effective device and inlet/outlet devices, or a pressure flush valve;
(11)
‘water-saving device’ means a flushing device that permits a part of the full flush volume to be delivered either as double-action mechanisms (interruptible) or double-control mechanisms (dual flush);
(12)
‘full flush volume’ means the total volume of water discharged from the flushing system during a flush cycle;
(13)
‘reduced flush volume’ means the part of the full flush volume of water discharged by a water-saving device during a flush cycle no greater than two thirds of the full flush volume;
(14)
‘average flush volume’ means the arithmetic average of one full flush volume and three reduced flush volumes calculated by following the methodology set out in Appendix 1 to the Annex;
(15)
‘on-demand flush control’ means a flushing device of a sanitary appliance, which can be operated either manually by the user through a handle, lever, button, foot pedal or any equivalent flush actuator, or by a sensor detecting the use of the sanitary appliance;
(16)
‘adjusting device’ means a device which allows the full flush volume and, if relevant, the reduced flush volume of a flushing system to be adjusted.
Article 3
The criteria for awarding the EU Ecolabel under Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 for a product falling within the product group ‘flushing toilets and urinals’ defined in Article 1 of this Decision as well as the related assessment and verification requirements are set out in the Annex.
Article 4
The criteria and the related assessment and verification requirements set out in the Annex shall be valid for four years from 7 November 2013.
Article 5
For administrative purposes, the code number assigned to the product group ‘flushing toilets and urinals’ shall be 41.
Article 6
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 7 November 2013.