98/634/EC: Commission Decision of 2 October 1998 establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to bed mattresses (notified under document number C(1998) 2919) (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 1998-10-02
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European standard, European symbol, eco-label, furniture industry, product quality, textile industry

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(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 2 October 1998

establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to
bed mattresses

(notified under document number C(1998) 2919)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(98/634/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Article 1

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 Regula-
tion (EEC) No 880/92 provides that the conditions for the
award of the Community eco-label shall be defined by
product groups;

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 a consultation forum;

The product group ‘bed mattresses' (hereinafter referred to
as ‘the product group') shall mean:

Products providing a surface to sleep or rest upon,
consisting of a strong cloth cover filled with materials,
and that can be placed on an existing supporting bed
structure.

This includes framed sprung mattresses, which are
defined as an upholstered bed case consisting of
springs, topped with fillings, on a rigid frame to be
used in a bed frame or free standing, combined with a
mattress pad which is not intended to be used sep-
arately.

Inflatable mattresses
excluded.

and water mattresses

are

Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in
accordance with the opinion of the committee set up
pursuant to Article 7 of Regulation (EEC) No 880/92,

(1) OJ L 99, 11. 4. 1992, p. 1.

The enviromental performance and the fitness for use of
the product group as defined in Article 1 shall be assessed
by reference to the specific ecological and fitness-for-use
criteria set out in the Annex.

Article 2

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Article 3

Article 5

The product group definition and the criteria for the
product group shall be valid for a period of three years
from the date on which this Decision takes effect.

Article 4

For administrative purposes the code number assigned to
the product group shall be ‘014'.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 2 October 1998.

For the Commission

Ritt BJERREGAARD

Member of the Commission

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ANNEX

In order to qualify for an eco-label, the product in the product group 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 no tests are
mentioned, competent bodies should rely as appropriate on declarations and documentation provided by the
applicant and/or independent verifications.

The competent bodies are recommened 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.

Functional unit

The functional unit, to which inputs and outputs should be related, is:

1 m2 of mattress

A. ECOLOGICAL CRITERIA

A1. MATERIALS

Specific criteria are set in this section A1 for latex foam, polyurethane foam, wire and springs, coconut fibres
and wood. Other materials for which no material-specific criteria are set are allowed. All of the materials used
must comply with the criteria in section A2 on the use of dyes, pigments and flame retardants. The applicant
shall supply detailed information as to the material composition of the mattresses.

The criteria specific for latex foam, polyurethane foam, or coconut fibres set in this section A1 need only be
met if that material contributes to more than 5 % of the total weight of the mattress.

Latex foam

1.

The concentrations in latex foam of the following substances must be less than the limit values
indicated below:

1(a) pentachlorophenol (its salts and esters): 0,1 ppm

Test method: Milling of 5 g sample, extraction of PCP or sodium salt.

Analysis by means of gas chromatography (GC), detection with mass spectrometer or
ECD.

1(b) extractable heavy metals:

arsenic

lead

cadmium

chromium (total)

cobalt

copper

nickel

mercury

0,5 ppm

0,5 ppm

0,1 ppm

1,0 ppm

0,5 ppm

2,0 ppm

1,0 ppm

0,02 ppm

Test method: Milled sample extracted according to DIN 38414-S4, L/S=10.

Filtration with 0,45 lm membrane filter.

Analysis by means of atomic emission spectroscopy with inductive coupled plasma
(ICP-AES) or with hydrid or cold vapour technique.

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1(c) extractable formaldehyde: 50 ppm

Test method: According to Japan Law 112 (1973) or PRENISO 14184-1.

Sample of 1 g with 100 g water heated to 40 (cid:190)C for one hour.
Formaldehyde in extract analysed with acetylacetone, photometric.

1(d) butadiene: 1 ppm

Test method: Milling and weighing of sample.

Sampling by headspace sampler.

Analysis by gas chromatography, detection by flame-ionisation detector.

Polyurethane (PUR) foam

2.

The concentrations in PUR foam of the following substances must be less than the limit values
indicated below:

2(a) extractable heavy metals:

arsenic

lead

cadmium

chromium (total)

cobalt

copper

nickel

mercury

0,5 ppm

0,5 ppm

0,1 ppm

1,0 ppm

0,5 ppm

2,0 ppm

1,0 ppm

0,02 ppm

Test method: Milled sample extracted according to DIN 38414-S4, L/S=10.

Filtration with 0,45 lm membrane filter.

Analysis by means of atomic emission spectroscopy with inductive coupled plasma
(ICP-AES) or with hydrid or cold vapour technique.

2(b) The concentration of tin (in organic form) must not exceed 900 ppm.

Test method: Sample treatment according to NEN 6465 or ISO-DIS (draft international standard) 11466
or equivalent (grinding of sample, followed by treatment for two hours with boiling
HCl/HNO3

(aqua regia)).

Analysis according to NEN 6465 or ISO-DIS (draft internationl standard) 11466 or
equivalent, by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), cold vapour (CVAAS) for Hg; atomic
emission spectroscopy with inductive coupled plasma (ICP-AES) for other heavy metals.

3. CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs or methylene chloride shall not be used as blowing agents or as auxiliary blowing
agents. The use of methylene chloride as an auxiliary blowing agent is nevertheless allowed in
conjunction with the application of powdered flame retardants.

Wire and springs

4.

If degreasing and/or cleaning of wire and/or springs is carried out with organic solvents, use must be
made of a closed cleaning/degreasing system.

5.

The surface of springs must not be covered with a galvanic metallic layer.

Coconut fibres

6.

If the coconut fibre material is rubberised, the latex used must comply with the criteria applicable to
latex foam.

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Wooden material

7. Any particle board used must be of class 1 quality with respect to formaldehyde as defined in EN 312-1.

Any fibreboard used must be of class A quality with respect to formaldehyde as defined in EN 622-1.

A2. CHEMICALS AND PREPARATIONS

Glues

8. Any glues used must contain less than 10 % by weight of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This

criterion does not apply to glues used for occasional repairs.

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.

9. Any glues used must be free of benzene and chlorobenzenes.

Dyes and pigments

10. No azo dyes shall be used that may cleave to any of the following aromatic amines:

4-aminodiphenyl

benzidine

4-chloro-o-toluidine

2-naphthylamine

o-amino-azotoluene

2-amino-4-nitrotoluene

p-chloroaniline

2,4-diaminoanisol

4,4’-diaminodiphenylmethane

3,3’-dichlorobenzidine

3,3’-dimethoxybenzidine

3,3’-dimethylbenzidine

(92-67-1)

(92-87-5)

(95-69-2)

(91-59-8)

(97-56-3)

(99-55-8)

(106-47-8)

(615-05-4)

(101-77-9)

(91-94-1)

(119-90-4)

(119-93-7)

3,3’-dimethyl-4,4’-diaminodiphenylmethane (838-88-0)

p-cresidine

4,4’-methylene-bis-(2-chloraniline)

4,4’-oxydianiline

4,4’-thiodianiline

o-toluidine

2,4-diaminotoluene

2,4,5-trimethylaniline

4-aminoazobenzene

o-anisidine

(120-71-8)

(101-14-4)

(101-80-4)

(139-65-1)

(95-53-4)

(95-80-7)

(137-17-7)

(60-09-3)

(90-04-0)

11. None of the following dyes that are carcinogenic (category 2 as defined in Council Directive 67/

548/EEC (1), as last amended by Commission Directive 97/69/EEC (2)) shall be used:

C.I. Solvent Yellow 1

C.I. Solvent Yellow 2

C.I. Solvent Yellow 3

C.I. Basic Red 9

C.I. Disperse Blue 1

(1) OJ 196, 16. 8. 1967, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 343, 13. 12. 1997, p. 19.

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12.

The following potentially sensitising dyes shall only be used if the fastness to perspiration (acid and
alkaline) is at least 4:

C.I. Disperse Blue 3
C.I. Disperse Blue 35
C.I. Disperse Blue 106
C.I. Disperse Blue 124
C.I. Disperse Yellow 3
C.I. Disperse Orange 3
C.I. Disperse Orange 37/76
C.I. Disperse Red 1

Test method: ISO 105-E04: Colour fastness to perspiration (acid and alkaline), minimum level 4. Testing

only required if these dyes are used.

13. No dyes or pigments shall be used that are based on chromium, copper, nickel or lead. Chrome

mordant dyeing is not allowed.

14.

The levels of ionic impurities in the dyes used must not exceed the following:

Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Mercury
Nickel
Lead
Antimony
Tin
Zinc

50 ppm
20 ppm
100 ppm
250 ppm
4 ppm
200 ppm
100 ppm
50 ppm
250 ppm
1 500 ppm

15.

The levels of ionic impurities in the pigments used must not exceed the following:

Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Mercury
Lead
Antimony
Zinc

250 ppm
50 ppm
100 ppm
25 ppm
100 ppm
250 ppm
1 000 ppm

NB: All of the materials used in the mattress must comply with the criteria on dyes and pigments (criteria 10,
11, 12, 13, 14 and 15). Recycled materials used in the mattress may nevertheless contain the dyes and
pigments excluded here, but only if added in the previous life-cycle of the material.

Flame retardants

16. No use is allowed of flame retardant substances or preparations containing substances that are classified
or can be classified as dangerous for the environment according to Council Directive 67/548/EEC (1), as
last amended by Commission Directive 97/69/EEC (2).

NB: All of the materials used in the mattress must comply with this criterion. Recycled materials used in the
mattress may nevertheless contain the flame retardants excluded here, but only if added in their previous
life-cycle.

B. FITNESS FOR USE CRITERIA

Durability

17.

The loss of height must be less than 20 mm.

) must be less than 20 %.

The loss of firmness (Hs
Test method: prEN 1957 (final draft January 1997). The losses of height and firmness refer to the
difference between the measurements made initially (at 100 cycles) and after the comple-
tion (30 000 cycles) of the durability test.

(1) OJ 196, 16. 8. 1967, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 343, 13. 12. 1997, p. 19.