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Q1.What’s Eco Mark ? |
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It is the mark that is attached on a product which is available in our daily lives as well as certified as contributing to environmental preservation in terms of less environmental burden. It is also aimed for the consumers to make an environmental - friendly product choice, and also to consider the relation of life and environment. |
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Q2.Is it required to obtain a special permission to indicate Eco Mark ? |
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Indicating Eco Mark, products must meet the necessary criteria that comply with the products categories. Precisely, it needs to be applied for formal qualification examination which a product is subject to, then certified by Eco Mark Committee for Product Certification.
(note) As for a name and logo of Eco Mark, Japan Environment Association holds the trademark right. Unauthorized use of Eco Mark may be set as the objects, such as a wrong use that corresponds to legislative action and contains criminal penalty. It is prohibited to use and display Eco Mark except the user who concluded Eco Mark Contract of Utilization. |
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Q3.Please tell me
how to check whether the product is certified as Eco Mark
product or not. |
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All Eco Mark products can be searched in the database on
our website. In the database, we provide environmental attributes
of the products as well. |
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Q4.I would like to
apply for Eco Mark, however the products seems to be not eligible
for ? |
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It cannot be applied for examination for product certification if the product does not meet the necessary criteria to comply with the current products categories. In this case, it is allowed to propose a new product category. (it may not be selected as a result of deliberations)
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further information, please visit our website at http://www.ecomark.jp/teianhouhou.html(Japanese) |
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Q5.I think the product
is subject to Eco Mark. How can I check whether it is suited
to criteria or not ? |
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For the latest product category and certification criteria documents, please refer the homepage for the introduction of product category. Please contact the office if you wish to obtain the booklet.
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Q6.What is the cost
for indicating Eco Mark ? |
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To apply for examination for product certification, 21,600
yen (including consumption tax) will incur as Application
Fee. Eco Mark Annual Fee will incur additionally once a product
was certified as well as to conclude Eco Mark Contract of
Utilization.
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Q7.How long can Eco
Mark be indicated after the conclusion of Eco Mark contract
? |
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Eco Mark Utilization Contract will be renewed automatically for every single year by payment of an Annual Fee till the expiry date set for every Certification Criteria.(no renewal procedure are required) Therefore, using and displaying Eco Mark is accepted for the certified product concerned until the expiry date concerned. (it is the date for the extension according to the regulation) Also, the use, the indication, etc. of Eco Mark is successfully attained until the expiry date of the new version of Certification Criteria documents after the next day of expiry date, by obtaining a new certification subject to the new version of the Certification Criteria newly enacted before the expiry date.
(note) When an certification cannot be regained anew such as subjected to a new version of Certification Criteria etc., please keep in mind that the distribution of the certified products concerned which use and indication Eco Mark is terminated as of the expiry date of product certification.
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Q8.When Eco Mark
Certification Criteria is reviewed and term of validity, if
any ? What is the New Version ? |
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Based on Guidelines for Eco Mark Program Implementation,
as a principle, Eco Mark Certification Criteria is valid for
5 (five) years since it is enacted in the term of validity.
The Certification Criteria concerned is cancelled at the expiry
date set for each Certification Criteria documents (if this
is extended in accordance with the regulation, it is the date
extended).
A Certification Criteria is revised partially if necessary
(slight amendment), responding to the reasons of change of
quality standards etc. after its establishment. The revision
is carried out completely 1 (one) year before the expiry date
by considering the technical development and the social situation,
decision of the new Certification Criteria in place of the
Certification Criteria which is discontinued (Current Version)
is considered, then the Certification Criteria of New Version
will be established, if necessary.
(note) The result from revising Old Version, there is a case that it may not possible for the certification product of Old Version to regain an certification by New Version due to the raise of threshold or the additional criteria items. |
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Q9.After the conclusion
of Eco Mark Utilization Contract, in the case that a partial
revision of Certification Criteria (slight amendment) was
carried out, is there any effect on previously certified product
? |
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The Eco Mark Utilization Contract, even when amendment
of the Certification Criteria concerned is performed during
the term of validity of certification, it does not affect
the already certified products, and certification for recognized
products is effective to the term of validity of the Certification
Criteria concerned. |
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Q10.I would like
to introduce Eco Mark as an article. |
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Please send contents of an article etc. to the Eco Mark Office Promotion Section by FAX etc. The office will confirm that Eco Mark is used appropriately by checking the written contents. |
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Q11.How to indicate
Eco Mark on printed materials ? |
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It is required to apply for Eco Mark Product Certification by Statement of Certification Criteria of the product category No. 120 “Paper Printed Matter E Eco Mark can be used and indicated by concluding the Eco Mark Utilization Contract with the association concerned after the certification Examination of Eco Mark Products was performed.
(note) It is not permitted to indicate Eco Mark on printed matters unless the Eco Mark Utilization Contract to the printed matter itself is concluded in spite of Eco Mark certified “printing paper Eand “printing ink Eare used. |
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Q12.How to indicate
Eco Mark for business card, envelope and paper bag etc ? |
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There are 2 (two) ways of indicating Eco Mark as follows.
(1) In the case that business - card - mount, envelope and paper bag etc. which are recognized as Eco Mark Certification.
If you purchase the Eco Mark certified Products which Eco Mark is printed individually for each item and print the name, there is not necessary to specially apply to the Eco Mark Office.
In addition, even if it is business - card - mount, envelope and paper bag etc., in the case the Eco Mark Utilization Contractor is not indicating the Eco Mark on each articles, other users are not permitted to print Eco Mark freely. It is required to make the application similar to (2) in this case.
(2) In the case of using business - card - mount, envelope and paper bag etc. which is not recognized as Eco Mark Certification.
It is required to apply for Eco Mark Product Certification as a manufacturer, a distribution company or a user. |
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Q13.What is the relation
between Eco Mark and ISO ? |
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Eco Mark Program which is operated by the Japan Environment
Association is managed according to ISO14020 (environmental
labels and declaration - general principles) as well as ISO14024
(environmental labels and declarations - Type I environmental
labelling - Principle and Procedure). At present, type I environmental
labelling program is introduced at around 45 countries in
the world. Organizations which manages Type I environmental
labelling in 25 or more countries and regions participate
in GEN (Global Ecolabelling Network).
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Q14.Can Eco Mark
be used overseas ? |
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It is possible to use the mark as long as the products are distributed domestically.
However, the application of Eco Mark Product Certification cannot be performed regarding to products which are distributed only overseas. |
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Q15.What is Mutual
Recognition? |
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Mutual recognition is the Certification Criteria, based on communalization of an Certification Criteria and mutual recognition about products certification examination which act over examination service. Since April, 2004, between the Nordic Swan which the Nordic Ecolabelling Board manages and Eco Mark, mutual recognition of copiers was started, and later the South Korean Eco-label was added in Dec. 2003. And February 2005, between New Zealand Environmental Choice, the partial mutual recognition of copiers was started as well.
On the other hand, regarding the examination service, the mutual recognition has been commenced for each product certification for Korean Environmental Label Association (now, Korea Eco - products Institute) (Korean Eco - label) in December, 2003, Thai Environmental Institute (Green Label) in February, 2004, Environmental and Development Fundation in Taiwan (Green Mark) in July, 2004 and New Zealand Ecolabeling Trust (Environment Choice) in February, 2005.
By introducing above - mentioned mutual recognition, it is ensured that simplification of the examination and the examination procedure, certification speed - up, and reduction of the examination related cost etc. An enormous benefit is expected for the company which desires acquisition of both environmental labels.
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Q16.How are Eco Mark
Annual Fee / Application Fee spent ? |
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All the activity budgets of Eco Mark are provided with Eco Mark Annual Fee and the charge of Application Fee. The budget and the income / expense budget specification are released also by Eco Mark News or the homepage. |
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Q17.How to obtain
the information about Eco Mark ? |
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Regarding application procedure, please visit our web site or refer to the booklet. Regarding the latest information of Eco Mark, the information is provided at our web site http://www.ecomark.jp and “Eco Mark News Eas needed.
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Q18.Is there any
Eco Mark Office apart from Tokyo ? |
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Eco Mark Office is only in Tokyo. Any concerns for an application of Product Certification Examination etc., you may contact us via telephone or Email, or please visit the secretariat with prior notice. Including Green Eco Plaza at ATC (Asia Pacific Trade Center) in Osaka, the acquisition consultation meeting is carried out several times per year (please check with the homepage etc). |
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