Ove Jansson updates Nordic Swan developments

October 31, 2012

Following The Recycler’s investigation of recent complaints concerning Version 5.0 Nordic Swan, Product Manager Ove Jansson proposes omitting the mandatory LGA emissions test.

Product Manager for product group Toner Cartridges Ove Jansson has announced a number of proposals in a bid to stem concerns and complaints following an investigation by The Recycler regarding the mandatory inclusion of the LGA emissions test in Version 5.0 of the Nordic White Swan criteria.

The investigation detailed how the inclusion of the test could lead to the environmental standard becoming extremely costly to apply for, and would certainly exclude it from a number of aftermarket companies. LGA are also stated to withhold vital information regarding test procedure, ensuring that LGA maintains a monopoly on the testing.

While Jansson has confirmed that Version 5.0 has now become the official criteria, with the LGA toner emissions test detailed under “R6 Testing for pollutants in toner powder”, he has made a number of proposals to the Nordic Ecolabel board.

“We have now after the [Version 5.0 criteria] publication received new information from ETIRA and toner powder manufacturers that [the test] will mean serious increased costs […] so severe that it will mean that it will be almost impossible to apply for the Nordic Ecolabelling.

“We in the Nordic Ecolabel take this information very seriously and have started an investigation regarding this issue. This investigation has lead us to suggest the following changes of the criteria to our board: Requirements “R6 Testing for pollutants in toner powder” is removed from the criteria version 5.0; “Appendix 1 test methods for pollutants in toner porder” is also removed from the criteria version 5.0; The standards DIN 33870-1 and DIN 33870-2 are inserted into requirements “R15 Print quality” and “R16 Print capacity”.”

Jansson has also recommended that version 4.3 is to be extended by six months and will remain valid until 31 December 2013.

The board is due to meet on 15-16 November, and Jansson has stated that an announcement will be made shortly afterwards.

For more on the inclusion of the LGA emissions test in Version 5.0 of the Nordic Swan criteria, read The Recycler Investigates: LGA emissions test in issue 238.

Categories : World Focus

Tags : Environment Legal Nordic Swan