THE REVISION of EU ECOLABEL CRITERIA for Converted Paper Products
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THE REVISION OF EU ECOLABEL CRITERIA for Converted Paper Products Draft Preliminary Report Malgorzata Kowalska, Antonios Konstantas, Oliver Wolf Marzia Traverso, Rose Nangah Mankaa, Sabrina Neugebauer November 2018 EUR xxxxx xx 1 This publication is a Science for Policy report by the Joint Research Centre, the European Commission’s in-house science service. It aims to provide evidence-based scientific support to the European policy-making process. The scientific output expressed does not imply a policy position of the European Commission. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of this publication. Contact information Name: Address: E-mail: Tel.: JRC Science Hub https://ec.europa.eu/jrc JRCxxxxx EUR xxxxx xx PDF ISBN xxx-xx-xx-xxxxx-x ISSN xxxx-xxxx doi:xx.xxxx/xxxxxx XX-NA-xxxxx-EN-N Print ISBN xxx-xx-xx-xxxxx-x ISSN xxxx-xxxx doi:xx.xxxxx/xxxxxx XX-NA-xxxxx-EN-C © European Union, 20xx Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. How to cite: Authors; title; EUR; doi All images © European Union 20xx, except: 2 Table of contents ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................ 3 Executive summary ............................................................................................... 3 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 4 2. Task 1: Scope and definition analysis ................................................................... 5 2.1. Current scope and definition .......................................................................... 5 2.1.1. Envelopes and Paper carrier bags ............................................................. 6 2.1.2. Office stationary products ........................................................................ 8 2.2. Scope of NACE classification .......................................................................... 9 2.3. Existing legislations and standards ................................................................. 9 2.3.1. Legal framework ....................................................................................10 2.3.1.1. EU Ecolabel Regulation .....................................................................10 2.3.1.2. Chemical-based Regulations ..............................................................10 2.3.1.3. Industrial Emissions Directive ............................................................11 2.3.1.4. Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC.............................................12 2.3.1.5. Air Quality framework Directive .........................................................12 2.3.1.6. Timber Regulation ............................................................................13 2.3.1.7. Policy framework .............................................................................13 2.3.2. Paper industry terminology and classifications ...........................................17 2.3.3. Environmental labels and certification schemes .........................................19 2.4. Stakeholders survey – scoping questionnaire ..................................................22 2.5. Concluding remarks on the scope and definition ..............................................26 2.5.1 Interrelation between the criteria for converted and printed paper product groups ...........................................................................................................26 3. Task 2: Market analysis .....................................................................................31 3.1 Methodology ................................................................................................31 3.2 Pulp and Paper Industry: Facts & Figures ........................................................34 3.3 Converted paper products global market structure ...........................................35 3.4 Converted paper products production and demand in Europe .............................37 3.4.1. Envelopes .............................................................................................39 3.4.2. Paper Stationery products .......................................................................41 3.4.3. Paper carrier bags .................................................................................44 3.4.4 Challenges and opportunities ...................................................................45 3.5 Market penetration of the EU Ecolabel for converted paper products ...................47 4. TASK 3: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) evidence for converted paper products ...........49 4.1 Literature review LCA-related information of converted paper products ...............49 4.1.1. LCA Converted paper products: goal and scope definition ...........................51 4.2.1.1 Goal ................................................................................................51 1 4.2.1.2 Scope ..............................................................................................51 4.2.1.3 Key impact categories........................................................................55 4.2.2. Converted paper products: life cycle impact assessment .............................57 4.2.2.1 Paper carrier bag LCIA .......................................................................60 4.2.2.1.1. Material production (Paper making) ..............................................63 4.2.2.2. Stationery products LCIA ..................................................................66 4.2.2.2.1 LCIA Notebook & Paper sheet ........................................................67 4.2.2.2.2 LCIA Filing products .....................................................................72 4.2.2.3. Envelope LCA ..................................................................................75 4.3. LCA of related paper grades .........................................................................78 4.4. Annual impacts at EU level considering a production based approach .................80 4.5. Transferring of LCA findings into the EU Ecolabel criteria ..................................81 4.6. Improvement potential and conclusions .........................................................83 4.6.1. Envelopes. ............................................................................................83 4.6.2. Stationery paper products .......................................................................84 4.6.3. Paper carried bag ..................................................................................85 5. Task 4: Technical analysis ..................................................................................86 5.1 Material resource conservation .......................................................................86 5.1.1 Use of Plastics ........................................................................................86 5.1.1.1 Recycling of plastics ..........................................................................87 5.1.1.2 Bioplastics ........................................................................................88 5.1.2 Adhesives and glues................................................................................88 5.1.3 Use of metals .........................................................................................89 5.2. Printing processes .......................................................................................90 5.2.1. Printing inks ..........................................................................................91 5.3. Finishing ....................................................................................................93 5.4 Recyclability ................................................................................................94 ANNEX I ..............................................................................................................96 References ........................................................................................................ 103 List of abbreviations and definitions ...................................................................... 106 List of figures ..................................................................................................... 107 List of tables ...................................................................................................... 109 2 ABSTRACT The project aims at revising the EU Ecolabel criteria for converted paper products as specified in the Commission Decision 2014/256/EU. The preliminary report provides the background information for the criteria development and address the requirements for technical evidence as requested in the Regulation (EC) No 66/2010. It encompasses: the scope definition together with the description of the legal framework (Task 1); the market analysis (Task 2), an overview of the environmental impacts of the examined products, considering a life cycle approach (Task 3), and analysis of technical aspects that are considered relevant for the criteria revision (Task 4). After bringing together the information identified within this Report, a set of proposed EU Ecolabel criteria will be included in the Technical Reports, together with supporting rationales. Executive summary Policy context This draft Preliminary Report has been produced as one of the first steps in the revision process of EU Ecolabel criteria for converted paper products. It will act as a basic reference