1999D0179 — EN — 01.04.2002 — 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
of17February1999
establishingtheecological criteria fortheawardoftheCommunityeco-label tofootwear
(notified under document number C(1999) 340)
(TextwithEEArelevance)
(1999/179/EC)
(OJ L 57, 5.3.1999, p. 31)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Commission Decision 2002/231/EC of 18 March2002 L 77 50 20.3.2002
▼B
COMMISSIONDECISION
of17February1999
establishingtheecologicalcriteriafortheawardoftheCommunity
eco-label tofootwear
(notified under document number C(1999) 340)
(TextwithEEArelevance)
(1999/179/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 880/92 of 23 March
1992 on a Community eco-label award scheme(
1), and in particular
the second subparagraph of Article 5(1) thereof,
Whereas the first subparagraph of Article 5(1) of Regulation (EEC) No
880/92 provides that the conditions for the award of the Communityeco-label shall be defined by product group;
Whereas Article 10(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 880/92 states that the
environmental performance of a product shall be assessed by reference
to the specific criteria for product groups;
Whereas in accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EEC) No 880/92,
the Commission has consulted the principal interest groups within aconsultation forum;
Whereas the measures set out in this Decision are in accordance with
the opinion of the committee set up pursuant to Article 7 of Regulation(EEC) No 880/92,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The product group ‘footwear’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘the product
group’) shall mean: ‘All articles of clothing designed to protect or
cover the foot, with a fixed outer sole which comes into contact with
the ground’.
Article 2
The environmental performance and the fitness for use of the product
group shall be assessed by reference to the specific ecological andfitness for use criteria set out in the Annex.
Article 3
The product group definition and the specific ecological criteria for the
product group shall be valid until 31 March 2003.
Article 4
For administrative purposes the product group code No assigned to this
product group shall be ‘017’.
Article 5
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.1999D0179 — EN — 01.04.2002 — 001.001 — 2
(1) OJ L 99, 11. 4. 1992, p. 1.▼M1
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ANNEX
In order to qualify for an eco-label, the product as defined in Article 1 must
comply with the criteria of this Annex, with tests carried out on application as
indicated in the criteria. Where appropriate, other test methods may be used if
their equivalence is accepted by the competent body assessing the application.
Where no tests are mentioned, or are mentioned as being for use in verification
or monitoring, competent bodies should rely as appropriate on declarations and
documentation provided by the applicant and/or independent verifications.
The competent bodies are recommended to take into account the implementation
of recognised environmental management schemes, such as EMAS or ISO
14001, when assessing applications and monitoring compliance with the criteria
in this Annex.
These criteria aim in particular at limiting the levels of toxic residues and the
emissions of volatile organic compounds, and at promoting a more durable
product.
The functional unit is one pair of shoes. Requirements are based on shoe size 40
Paris point. For children's shoes the requirements apply for a size 32 Paris point
(or the largest size in the case of maximum sizes smaller than 32 Paris point).
ECOLOGICALCRITERIA
1.Residuesinthefinalproduct
(a) The average concentration of residues in the final product shall not
exceed the following:
— chromium (VI): 10 ppm,
— arsenic: 10 ppm,
— cadmium: 10 ppm,
— lead: 10 ppm.
Test methods (test report required on application)
— Cr (VI): standard EN 420 (note that difficulties in measurement due
to interferences may be encountered when analysing certain coloured
leathers),
— Cd, Pb, As: analyses by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS)
following digestion by strong acid.
Sample preparation:
(1) Separate the upper components from the bottom components,
(2) grind completely the upper components and the bottom compo-
nents, keeping bothseparate,
(3) analyse a sample of eachof th ese two preparations,(4) the concentrations of the above substances in each of these two
samples shall not exceed the above values.
(b) The amount of free and partially hydrolysable formaldehyde of the
textile components of the footwear shall not exceed 75 ppm and of the
leather components shall not exceed 150 ppm.
Test methods (test report required on application)— textiles: Japan Law 112, SFS 4996 or Preniso 14184-1
— leather: IUC 94.50001 a or DIN 53315
2.Emissionsfromtheproductionofmaterial
The waste water from leather tanning sites shall be treated, either by an in-
house or municipal waste water treatment plant/facility, so as to achieve a
reduction of the COD content of at least 75 %.
Test method (test report and appropriate complementary data required on
application)
COD: ISO 6060 water quality, determination of chemical oxygen demand
3.Useofharmfulsubstances(upuntilpurchase)
(a) Pentachlorphenol (PCP) and its salts and esters shall not be used.
Test method (for purposes of verification)1999D0179 — EN — 01.04.2002 — 001.001 — 3
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— textiles: gas chromatography (GC) with electron capture
detection (ECD), limit value 0,05 ppm
— leather: analyses should be carried out by DIN 53313 with
(a) mass spectrometry (MS) or
(b) electron capture detection (ECD); limit value
5 ppm.
(b) No azo dyes shall be used that may cleave to any of the following
aromatic amines:
4-aminodiphenyl (92-67-1)
benzidine (92-87-5)4-chloro-o-toluidine (95-69-2)
2-naphthylamine (91-59-8)
o-amino-azotoluene (97-56-3)2-amino-4-nitrotoluene (99-55-8)p-chloroaniline (106-47-8)
2,4-diaminoanisol (615-05-4)
4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (101-77-9)
3,3′-dichlorobenzidine (91-94-1)
3,3′-dimethoxybenzidine (119-90-4)
3,3′-dimethylbenzidine (119-93-7)
3,3′-dimethyl-4,4 ′-diaminodiphenylmethane (838-88-0)
p-cresidine (120-71-8)
4,4′-methylene-bis-(2-chloraniline) (101-14-4)
4,4′-oxydianiline (101-80-4)
4,4′-thiodianiline (139-65-1)
o-toluidine (95-53-4)
2,4-diaminotoluene (95-80-7)2,4,5-trimethylaniline (137-17-7)4-aminoazobenzene (60-09-3)
o-anisidine (90-04-0)
Test method (for purposes of verification)
— textiles: German method B-82.02 or equivalent, limit 30 ppm. (Note
that false positives are possible for 4-aminoazobenzene and confirma-
tion is therefore recommended),
— leather: standard DIN 53316, limit 30 ppm. (Note that false positives
are possible for 4-aminoazobenzene, 4-aminodiphenyl and 2-naphthy-
lamine and confirmation is therefore recommended).
4.Useofvolatileorganiccompounds(VOCs)duringfinalassemblyofshoes
The total use of VOCs during final footwear production, for the following
categories, shall not exceed on average:
— general sports, children, occupational, men's
town, specialist cold: 30 gr VOC/pair,
— casual, women's town: 25 gr VOC/pair,
— fashion, infants, indoor: 20 gr VOC/pair.
VOCs are any organic compound having at 293,15 K a vapour pressure of
0,01 kPa or more, or having a corresponding volatility under the particular
conditions of use.
The total use of VOCs during final shoe production shall be calculated as
follows:
M
(VOCtotal)=Σ(M(adhesives)×C(VOCa))+Σ(A(finishes)×M(finishes)×C(VOCf))
Where:
M(VOCtotal)= the total use of VOCs in the production of the pair of shoes
(g),1999D0179 — EN — 01.04.2002 — 001.001 — 4
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M(adhesives)= the amount of adhesives (1) applied to the pair of shoes
considered (g),
C(VOCa)= the VOC content of the adhesives applied (index: g VOCs
per g adhesive),
A(finishes)= the area of the pair of shoes onto which the finish (2)i s
applied (m2),
M(finishes)= the amount of finish applied per metre square (g/m2),
C(VOCf)= the VOC content of the finishes applied (index: g VOCs per
g finish),
and:
(1) only adhesives with solvents have to be taken into account. Water based
and hot melt adhesives are exempted;
(2) finishes: base coats, top coats and repair coats, (upper) finish layers of
leather, synthetics upper, lining, cotton, etc. only when based on solvents.
Registration of purchased leather, adhesives, finishes and production of foot-
wear over at least the last six months is required.
5.Electric components
The footwear shall not contain any electric or electronic components.
6.Packagingofthefinalproduct
(a) Where cardboard boxes are used for the final packaging of footwear,
they shall be made from a minimum of 80 % recycled material.
(b) Where plastic bags are used for the final packaging of footwear, they
shall be made from recycled material.
CONSUMERINFORMATION
7.Userinstructions
The following information shall be supplied with the product:
— these shoes have been treated to improve their water resistance. They do
not require further treatment. (This criterion is applicable only to foot-
wear that has been water-resistant treated),
— where possible repair your footwear rather than throw them away. This is
less damaging to the environment.
FITNESSFORUSECRITERIA
8.Parameters contributingtodurability
Occupational and safety footwear must carry the CE mark (in accordance
withCouncil Directive 89/686/EEC(1) on the approximation of the laws of
the Member States relating to personal protective equipment). All other foot-
wear must meet the requirements indicated in the table below (test report
required on application) . The parameters referred to are measured according
to the following test methods:
— uppers flex resistance: Document CEN/TC 309 N 113
— uppers tear strength: Document CEN/TC 309 N 115
— uppers bondability: EN 1392
— outersoles flex resistance: prEN 12769
— outersoles abrasion resistance: prEN 12770
— outersoles bondability: EN 1392
— insoles water absorption and desorption: prEN 12746
— uppers water resistance: Document CEN/TC 309 N 121
— outersoles water resistance: prEN 13072.1999D0179 — EN — 01.04.2002 — 001.001 — 5
(1) OJ L 399, 30. 12. 1989, p. 18.
Parameters contributingtodurability
General sports Children's Casual Men's town Specialist cold Women's town Fashion Infants Indoor
Uppers flex resistance: (kc without visible
damage)Dry = 100
Wet= 20Dry = 100
Wet= 20Dry = 80
Wet= 20Dry = 80
Wet= 20Dry = 100
Wet= 20
−2 0º C=3 0Dry = 50
Wet= 10Dry = 15 Dry = 15 Dry = 15
Uppers tear strength:
(Average tear force, N)
— leather ≥80 ≥60 ≥60 ≥60 ≥60 ≥40 ≥30 ≥30 ≥30
— other materials ≥40 ≥40 ≥40 ≥40 ≥40 ≥40 ≥30 ≥30 ≥30
Uppers bondability: (N/mm) ≥4,0 ≥4,0 ≥3,0 ≥3,5 ≥4,0 ≥3,0 ≥2,5 ≥3,0 ≥2,5
Outersoles flex resistance:
Cut growth(mm) ≤4 ≤4 ≤5 ≤6 ≤6 ≤8 ≤12 ≤12
Nsc = no spontaneous crack nsc nsc nsc nsc nsc at − 10 ºC nsc nsc nsc
Outersoles abrasion resistance:
D≥0,9 g/cm3(mm3) ≤200 ≤250 ≤200 ≤350 ≤200 ≤400 ≤450 ≤400 ≤450
D < 0,9 g/cm3(mg) ≤150 ≤170 ≤150 ≤200 ≤150 ≤250 ≤300 ≤250 ≤300
Outersoles bondability:
(N/mm)
D≥0,9 g/cm3≥4,0 ≥4,0 ≥3,5 ≥3,5 ≥3,5 ≥3,0 ≥2,5 ≥3,0 ≥2,5
D < 0,9 g/cm3≥3,0 ≥3,0 ≥3,0 ≥3,0 ≥3,0 ≥3,0 ≥2,5 ≥3,0 ≥2,5
Insoles water absorption and desorption:
abs (mg/cm2)
≥90 ≥90 ≥90 ≥90 ≥90 ≥90 ≥90 ≥90 ≥90
des (%) ≥60 ≥60 ≥60 ≥60 ≥60 ≥60 ≥60 ≥60 ≥60
In addition, specialist cold footwear shall meet the following requirements for water resistance:
— uppers: penetration time ≥240 min, absorption < 25 %,
— outersoles: penetration time ≥60 min and afer two hours water absorption < 20 % (highly water resistant — applicable only to certain soling material).▼B1999D0179 — EN — 01.04.2002 — 001.001 — 6