EU Ecolabel criteria for Graphic Paper, Tissue Paper and Tissue Products

This Technical Report presents the EU Ecolabel criteria for Graphic Paper, Tissue Paper and Tissue Products, as published in Commission Decision (EU) 2019/70, and provides supporting rationale and background research for each criterion. The final criteria are the result of a broad consultation exercise including stakeholder interaction at two Ad-Hoc Working Group meetings (one in Seville and one in Brussels), discussions with specialised stakeholders in particular sub-groups (for emissions, for energy and for hazardous substances) as well as dialogue with Commission colleagues and EU Ecolabel Board members. The four main criteria are split into: • Emissions to air and water (CO2, NOx and S emitted to air and COD, P and AOX emitted to water). • Energy consumption (fuel and electricity).• Fibre sourcing (minimum sustainable virgin and/or recycled fibre content).• Hazardous substances (horizontal restrictions for SVHCs and substances with certain CLP classifications plus specific restrictions for chlorine, APEOs, surfactants, biocidal products, azo dyes, metal-complex dye stuffs and pigments and lotions in defined circumstances).Decision (EU) 2019/70 effectively combines the revision of previous criteria from three different Commission Decisions. The revision of criteria in Decision 2011/332/EU for Copying and Graphic Paper and Decision 2012/448/EU for Newsprint Paper were merged under Annex I of the new Decision while the revision of criteria in Decision 2009/568/EC for Tissue Paper is contained in Annex II of Decision (EU) 2019/70. Some of the main changes that have occurred to the criteria content are as follows:• Emission values for P, COD, AOX, S and NOx have been updated based predominantly on data available following the BREF exercise for pulp, paper and board production.• Emission values for CO2 have been updated based on data provided by stakeholders and on approaches taken by the Nordic Ecolabel scheme.• Specific energy consumption values have been updated based on data available in the literature and data provided by stakeholders. A new threshold has also been set for higher performance "structured" tissue paper products.• There is no longer any distinction between recycled fibres and sustainable virgin fibres for EU Ecolabel criteria. This approach is now better aligned with the "FSC mix" and "PEFC certified" approaches. The minimum "sustainable fibre" content (i.e. sum of sustainable virgin and any recycled fibre) has increased from 50% to 70%.• Fragrances are now banned in Tissue Paper products. The horizontal SVHC and CLP restrictions now apply to Tissue Paper and Tissue Products as well. The criteria development process is reflected in the evolution of earlier draft versions of the Technical Report, which are all publically available at the following webpage: http://susproc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/Paper_products/