Product label: Blue Angel
Find out more about the Blue Angel product label here
Blue Angel eco-label
The Blue Angel is a so-called TYPE I ecolabel, which is based on the international standard DIN EN ISO 14024 “Environmental labels and declarations – Type I environmental labeling – Principles and procedures (ISO 14024:2018)”. It distinguishes itself from product labels that only consider one criterion or are awarded by manufacturers themselves, for example, by providing a comprehensive and independent label for the better products in a product group.
The Blue Angel eco-label is suitable for the following product groups:
- Floor coverings, panels, doors made of wood (materials) (DE-UZ 176)
- Resilient floor coverings (DE-UZ 120)
- Textile floor coverings (DE-UZ 128)
- Floor covering adhesives (DE-UZ 113)
- Installation underlays (DE-UZ 156)
- Panel-shaped materials (UZ 76): low-emission, wood from sustainable forestry, harmless to health in the living environment
- Sealants (DE-UZ 123)
- Interior plasters (DE-UZ 198)
- Wallpaper (DE-UZ 35): produced in an energy and water-saving way, mainly from recycled paper, particularly low in harmful substances
- Wall paints (DE-UZ 102): low-emission, low-pollutant
- Coatings (DE-UZ 12a): low pollutant content, low solvent content
- Thermal insulation (interior) and suspended ceilings (DE-UZ 132)
- External thermal insulation composite systems (DE-UZ 140)
- Mechanical frame fixings for room doors without construction foam (DE-UZ 218)*
- Concrete products with recycled aggregates for outdoor flooring (DE-UZ 216)*
Award criteria for the Blue Angel eco-label
What does the Blue Angel look for in the award criteria?
- Resource-saving production (water, energy, (recycled) materials)
- Sustainable production of raw materials
- Reduced emissions of harmful substances into the soil, air, water and indoor air
- Reduction of noise and electromagnetic radiation
- efficient use, e.g. energy- or water-saving products
- Durability, repairability and recyclability
- Good usability
- Compliance with international occupational health and safety standards
- Take-back systems and services with shared use, e.g. Car sharing
- Avoidance of harmful substances in the product:
For some product groups, special requirements regarding VOC content and emissions are defined that must be met in order to be awarded the Blue Angel ecolabel. The Blue Angel eco-label can only be awarded to products that meet the requirements of the VOC formulation test, emission measurement and other special material requirements. Below you will find further information on the relevant product groups:
VOC requirements: Blue Angel eco-label for paints (DE-UZ 12a)
VOC requirements Blue Angel for paints (DE-UZ 12a) | Non-volatile portion (nfA) | max. VOC content |
|---|---|---|
Group I | < 20 % | 2 Mass % |
Group II | ≥ 20 % to < 30 % | 8 Mass % |
Group III | ≥ 30 % | 10 mass % |
Requirements for measuring emissions: Blue Angel ecolabel for paints (DE-UZ 12a)
Substance | Day 3 | Final value (28th day) |
|---|---|---|
Sum of organic compounds in the retention range C6-C16 (TVOCspec) | < 3mg/m3 | < 0.3 mg/m3 |
Sum of organic compounds in the retention area > C16-C22 (TSVOC) | - | < 0.1 mg/m3 |
C-substances | < 0.01 mg/m3 Total | < 0.001 mg/m3 per individual value |
Total VOC without NIK | < 0.04 mg/m3 | |
R-value | ≤ 1,0 | |
Formaldehyde (in addition to consideration for R-value) | < 0.02 mg/m3 |
You can find out more about the award criteria for the Blue Angel product label for low-emission and low-pollutant paints here.
Requirements for emission values: Blue Angel eco-label for panel-shaped materials (DE-UZ 76)
Parameter or substance | Day 3 | Final value (28th day) |
|---|---|---|
Sum of organic compounds in the retention range C6-C16 (TVOC) | ≤ 3mg/m3 | ≤ 0.8 mg/m3 Wood-based panels ≤ 0.3 mg/m3 other plates |
Sum of organic compounds in the retention area > C16-C22 (TSVOC) | - | ≤ 0.1 mg/m3 |
carcinogenic substances | ≤ 0.01 μg/m3 Sum | ≤ 1 μg/m3 per individual value |
Sum of all VOCs without NIK | - | ≤ 0.1 mg/m3 |
R-value | - | ≤ 1 |
Formaldehyde (in addition to consideration for R-value) | - | ≤ 80 μg/m3 |
You can find out more about the award criteria for the Blue Angel product label for low-emission panel-shaped materials for interior fittings here.
VOC requirements: Blue Angel eco-label for wall paints (DE-UZ 102)
The VOC content must not exceed the maximum value of 700 ppm. The SVOC content must not exceed the maximum value of 500 ppm.
You can find out more about the award criteria for the Blue Angel product label for low-emission interior wall paints here.
Blue Angel: Certification body
The Blue Angel is an impartial and economically independent, voluntary product label.
The owner of the label is the Federal Ministry for the Environment, the scientific development of the award criteria was carried out by the Federal Environment Agency, the “Environmental Label Jury” acts as the decision-making body, and RAL gGmbH as the independent certification organization.
Costs for the Blue Angel eco-label
If you apply for the Blue Angel eco-label, the label awarding body RAL gGmbH will charge a one-off processing fee of €400.
If permission is requested to use the environmental label for products or services under a different brand name and/or a different sales organization, a processing fee of € 200 (plus VAT) must be paid to RAL gGmbH for each extension agreement. Certificates can be issued in German or English and the processing fee is 25 euros per copy plus VAT.
In addition, an annual fee must be paid to RAL gGmbH for the continued right to use the Blue Angel eco-label. This is based on § 3 Annual fee – Schedule of fees for the Blue Angel eco-label, a tabular overview of the costs can be found here.
Is the Blue Angel eco-label mandatory?
The use of the Blue Angel eco-label is voluntary, but offers you the opportunity to communicate your company’s pioneering role to the outside world.
Recognition of the Blue Angel eco-label for certification systems
Source: Blue Angel