1999D0010—EN—01.09.2002—001.001—1
This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
►B COMMISSIONDECISION
of18December 1998
establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to paints and
varnishes
(notified under document number C(1998) 4257)
(TextwithEEArelevance)
(1999/10/EC)
(OJL5,9.1.1999,p.77)
Amendedby:
OfficialJournal
No page date
►M1CommissionDecision2002/739/ECof3September2002 L236 4 4.9.2002
▼B
COMMISSIONDECISION
of18December 1998
establishingtheecologicalcriteriafortheawardoftheCommunity
eco-label topaintsandvarnishes
(notified under document number C(1998) 4257)
(TextwithEEArelevance)
(1999/10/EC)
THECOMMISSIONOFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanCommunity,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 880/92 of 23 March
1992 on a Community eco-label award scheme(1), and in particular
thesecondsubparagraphofArticle5(1)thereof,
Whereas, by Decision 96/13/EEC(2), the Commission established
ecological criteria fortheawardoftheCommunity eco-label topaints
and varnishes, which, according to Article 3 thereof, expire 14December1998;
Whereas it is appropriate to adopt a new decision establishing criteria
forthisproductgroup,whichwillbevalidforafurtherperiodofthree
yearsaftertheexpiryoftheperiodofvalidityofthepreviouscriteria;
Whereasitisappropriatetorevisethecriteriathatwereestablishedby
Decision96/13/EECinordertoreflectthedevelopmentsinthemarket;
Whereas the first subparagraph of Article 5(1) of Regulation (EEC)
No 880/92 provides that the conditions for the award of the Commu-
nityeco-labelshallbedefinedbyproductgroup;
Whereas Article 10(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 880/92 states that the
environmentalperformanceofaproductshallbeassessedbyreferencetothespecificcriteriaforproductgroups;
Whereas Article 4(2)(a)ofRegulation (EEC)No880/92statesthat an
eco-label may not be awarded to products which are substances or
preparationsclassifiedasdangerousinaccordancewithCouncilDirec-tive 67/548/EEC(
3), as last amended by Commission Directive 97/69/
EC(4) and Council Directive 88/379/EEC(5), as last amended by
Commission Directive 93/18/EEC(6), but that it may be awarded to
products containing such substances or preparations in so far as they
meettheobjectivesoftheCommunityeco-labelawardscheme;
Whereaspaintsandvarnishescontainsubstancesorpreparationsclassi-
fiedasdangerousundertheDirectivesmentionedabove;
Whereas the ecological criteria established by this Decision include
restrictions limiting to a minimum the content of substances and
preparations classified as dangerous in paints and varnishes which
maybeawardedoneco-label;
Whereas paints and varnishes fulfilling these criteria have therefore
reducedenvironmentalimpactandmeettheobjectivesoftheCommu-nityeco-labelawardscheme;
WhereasinaccordancewithArticle6ofRegulation(EEC)No880/92,
the Commission has consulted the principal interest groups within aconsultationforum;1999D0010—EN—01.09.2002—001.001—2
(1) OJL99,11.4.1992,p.1.
(2) OJL4,6.1.1996,p.8.
(3) OJL196,16.8.1967,p.1.
(4) OJL343,13.12.1997,p.19.
(5) OJL187,16.7.1988,p.14.
(6) OJL104,29.4.1993,p.46.
▼B
Whereas the measures set out in this Decision are in accordance with
the opinion of the committee set up under Article 7 of Regulation(EEC)No880/92,
HASADOPTEDTHISDECISION:
Article 1
Theproductgroup‘indoorpaintsandvarnishes’shallmean:
‘Indoor paints and varnishes for do-it-yourself and professional
users’.
Article 2
The environmental performance and the fitness for use of the product
group as defined in Article 1 shall be assessed by reference to the
specificecologicalandfitness-for-usecriteriasetoutintheAnnex.
Article 3
Theproductgroupdefinitionandthespecificecologicalcriteriaforthe
productgroupshallbevaliduntil31August2003.
Article 4
For administrative purposes, the code number assigned to the product
groupasdefinedinArticle1shallbe‘007’.
Article 5
ThisDecisionisaddressedtotheMemberStates.1999D0010—EN—01.09.2002—001.001—3
▼M1
▼B
▼B
ANNEX
A.FRAMEWORK
Inordertobeawardedaneco-label,paintsandvarnishesshallcomplywiththe
criteriaofthisdocument,whichareaimedatpromoting:
— reduction of discharges of toxic or otherwise polluting substances into
waters,
— reductionofenvironmentaldamageorrisksbyreducingairemissions,— efficientuseoftheproductandtheminimisationofwaste.
General
ProductsshallbeinaccordancewithCouncilRegulation(EEC)No880/92ona
Community eco-label award scheme and with the following criteria during the
entireperiodcoveredbythecontractwiththecompetentbodyfortheawardof
thelabel.
Someofthecriteriaoutlinedbelowaredependenton:
— thekindofproduct:paintorvarnishasdefinedinAppendix1,
— theclassofpaint:class1orclass2,asdefinedbelow.
Fieldofapplication
As far as paints are concerned the following, in particular, are included in the
fieldofapplication:
— decorative indoor paints in liquid or paste formulas which may have been
pre-conditioned, tinted or prepared by the manufacturer to meet the consu-
mer'sneeds,
— productswhicharetintedbydistributorsattherequestofamateurorprofes-
sionaldecorators.
Thefollowingproductsareexcludedfromthefieldofapplication:
— floorcoatings,
— anti-corrosioncoatings,— anti-foulingcoatings,— woodpreservationproducts,
— woodstains,
— coatingforparticularindustrialuses,— facadecoatings.
Classificationofproducts
Paintsareclassifiedaccordingtotheirspeculargloss.Twoclassesaredefined:
— class1:paintswithaspecularglossbeloworequalto45unitsat α=60º(
1),
— class2:paintswithaspecularglossabove45unitsat α=60º(1).
Criteria applicable to class 2 paints are also applicable to varnishes.
Community eco-label requirements on paints and varnishes take into account
this classification, particularly for criteria No 2 (volatile organic compounds
content),No3(volatile aromatic hydrocarbonscontent),No6A(hidingpower)
andNo6B(resistancetoliquids).
B.ENVIRONMENTALCRITERIA
Criterion No 1: Whitepigments (seedefinition2inAppendix1)(applicableto
paints)
Thepaintwillhaveawhitepigmentscontentlowerorequalto40gperm2of
dryfilm,with98%opacity.
Measurementofproductnecessarytocover1m2areawitha98%opacitywill
bemadeinaccordancewithISO6504/1method(seealsocriterionNo6A).
Three types of white pigments consistent with the definition 2 given in
Appendix 1 are usually used for the product group: titaniumdioxide (TiO2),
lithoponeandzincoxide.1999D0010—EN—01.09.2002—001.001—4
(1) SpecularglossmeasurementsarecarriedoutinaccordancewiththeISO2813method.
▼B
In the case of TiO2, the following criteria will apply for emissions and
dischargesofwastesrelatedtotheproductionofwhitepigments:
—S Oxemissions (expressed as SO2) lower than 300 mg per m2of dry film
(98%opacity),
— sulphatewasteslowerthan20gperm2ofdryfilm(98%opacity),
— chlorinewasteslowerthan5,9and18gperm2ofdryfilm(98%opacity)
respectivelyforneutralrutile,syntheticrutileandslagores.
Criterion No 2: Volatile organic compounds content (VOC) (definition 3 in
Appendix1)
Maximumvolatileorganiccompoundscontentdependsontheproduct:
2A. For class 1 paints:
VOCcontentwillbelowerorequalto30g/l(minuswater).
2B. For varnishes and class 2 paints:
VOCcontentwillbelowerorequalto200g/l(minuswater)(1).
VOCcontentunitusedis‘massingramsofVOCperlitreofproduct(g/lminus
water)’.
Criterion No 3: Volatile aromatic hydrocarbons (applicable to all products)
(seedefinition4inAppendix1)
Maximumaromaticcontentdependsontheproduct:
3A. For class 1 paints:
Volatilearomaticcontentwillbelowerorequalto0,2%oftheproduct(m/m).
3B. For varnishes and class 2 paints:
Volatilearomaticcontentwillbelowerorequalto0,5%oftheproduct(m/m).
Criterion No 4: Absenceofheavymetals (applicabletoallproducts)
Ingredients(substancesorpreparations)usedintheformulashallnotcontainthe
followingheavymetals:
— cadmium,
— lead,— chromiumVI,
— mercury,
— arsenic.
Ingredients may however contain impurities or traces deriving from raw mate-
rials. Those shall not be considered when assessing an application for the
awardoftheeco-label.
Criterion No 5: Dangeroussubstances (applicabletoallproducts)
Ingredients(substancesorpreparations)usedinpaintsandvarnishesshallnotbe
classifiedas:
— carcinogenic,
— mutagenic,— toxicforreproduction,
— toxic(
2),
— verytoxic(2).
Furthermoretheproductshallnotcontainplasticisersclassifiedasdangerousfor
the environment, as defined in Council Directive 67/548/EEC(3), as last
amendedbyCommissionDirective97/69/EC(4).1999D0010—EN—01.09.2002—001.001—5
(1) In the case of paints for which the manufacturer demonstrates, using ISO test 6504/1
method,thatthepainthasasuperiorcoveringperformanceofatleast15m2/lat98%
opacity, then upto250g/l(minus water) ofVOCcontent ispermitted. The manufac-
turershouldexplainanddrawattentiontothissuperiorperformanceonthecan.
(2) Ingredients used as preservatives in the formula may contain substances classified as
dangerous for the environment, toxic or very toxic for human health up to a limit of0,1%ofthetotalpaintformulation.
(
3) OJ196,16.8.1967,p.1.
(4) OJL343,13.12.1997,p.19.
▼B
C.FITNESS-FOR-USECRITERIA
Eco-label requirements may not ‘compromise product or workers’ safety or
significantly affect the properties which make a product fit for use' (Council
Regulation (EEC) No 880/92). The following fitness-for-use criteria are
intended to guarantee to the consumer that awarded products have as satisfac-
tory qualities fromthe point of view of fitness for use as other products from
thesamegroup.
Criterion No 6: Fitnessforuse
Fitness-for-usecriteriadifferaccordingtothekindofproduct:paint(class1and
2)orvarnish.
6A. For paints (class 1 and 2): hiding power
Paints shall have a hiding power (area to be covered) greater than or equal to
7m2tobeachievedbyonelitreofproduct(1).
6B. For varnishes: resistance to liquid
Varnishes shall have satisfactory resistance to water for one hour at ambient
temperature(2).
D.CONSUMERINFORMATION
Criterion No 7: Useoftheproduct (applicabletoallproducts)
Thepackagingshouldstateclearlythattheproductisintendedforindooruse.
Criterion No 8: Water pollution coming from the cleaning of application
tools(applicabletoallproducts)
Thepackagingshoulddisplayrecommendationsforcleaningoftoolsinorderto
limit water pollution. These recommendations will be adapted by the paint
manufacturertothetypeofproductinquestion.
Criterion No 9: Solidwaste(applicabletoallproducts)
In order to limit solid waste (residues and can), the packaging shall display
recommendationsconcerningproductstorageconditionsafteropening.
Theproductmustbearthefollowinginformationonthepackaging:This product qualifies for the EU eco-label, because: it contributes to the
reductionofwaterpollution,airpollutionandwaste.1999D0010—EN—01.09.2002—001.001—6
(1) HidingpowermeasurementsarecarriedoutfollowingtheISO6504/1method.
(2) Resistance to liquid measurements are carried out in accordance with ISO 2812/1 —
method3.
▼B
Appendix 1
DEFINITIONS
Thefollowingdefinitionsapplywithinthescopeofthepresentproductgroup:
1.Paintsandvarnishes
Paintsandvarnishesaredefinedasproducts,whichareappliedinthincovering
layersontoasurfaceofwood,stone,metalorothermaterialforthepurposeof
protectingand/orbeautifyingthatsurface.Afterapplication, thepaintorvanish
driestoasolid,adherentandprotectivecoating.
Paintsarecharacterisedbytheirhidingpower.Varnishesarecharacterisedbytheirlackofhidingpower:theyaretransparent.
2.Whitepigments
Whiteinorganicpigmentswitharefractiveindexhigherthan1,8.
3.Volatile organiccompound(VOC)
Anyorganiccompoundwith,atnormalconditionsforpressure,aboiling point
(orinitialboilingpoint)lowerthanorequalto250ºC.
4.Volatile aromatichydrocarbon
Anyhydrocarbonwith,atstandardconditionsforpressure,aboilingpointlower
or equal to 250 ºC and having at least one aromatic nucleus in its developed
structuralformula.
5.Substances
Means chemical elements and their compounds, as they occur in the natural
stateorasproducedbyindustry,whetherinsolidorliquidorgaseousform.
6.Preparation
Meansmixturesorsolutionscomposedoftwoormoresubstances.
7.Product/productrange
The product is understood as paint or a varnish, to be submitted to the whole
assessmentprocedure.
Theproductrangeincludesthebaseandtheproductbasedonit.
8.Tintingsystem
A tinting system is made up of a white, medium or neutral base and coloured
pasteswithwhich,bymeansofpre-programmedmixing,itispossibletoobtain
alltheshadesofcolourspecifictothatbrandofproductandrange.1999D0010—EN—01.09.2002—001.001—7
▼B
Appendix 2
STANDARDREFERENCES
ISO 2812-1 ‘Paints and varnishes — determination of resistance to liquids —
Part1:generalmethods’.
ISO 2813 ‘Paints and varnishes — measurement of specular gloss of non-
metallicpaintfilmsat20degrees,60degreesand85degrees’.
ISO 6504/1 ‘Paints and varnishes — determination of hiding power — Part 1:
Kubelka-Muntmethodforwhiteandlight-colouredpaints’.1999D0010—EN—01.09.2002—001.001—8