On May 2nd, 2018 the European Commission adopted a new set of criteria for the EU Ecolabel service group “Cleaning Services” that will be published in the Official Journal. The new criteria focus on addressing present-day environmental hotspots present for cleaning services and will be valid for a period of five years.
Companies providing cleaning services are facing growing pressure to align their commercial, social and environmental practices. The brand new EU Ecolabel criteria on indoor cleaning services address the most critical hotspots of cleaning processes and help businesses take real action towards sustainable cleaning.
As of now, cleaning service companies that hold EU Ecolabel certificates are able to prove the efficiency of their environmental practices during green public procurement tenders. The label also demonstrates the companies’ commitment to the well-being and safety of their employees by decreasing their exposure to toxic substances.
The criteria prioritize the cleaning products that are ISO Type I labels like the EU Ecolabel, but also Nordic Swan and Blue Angel.
Price is no longer the primary differentiator when selecting amongst providers of cleaning services, as social and environmental aspects are increasingly becoming important.
Background
The EU Ecolabel is a voluntary ecolabelling scheme established in 1992 and a component of the European Commission’s action plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy.
It encourages manufacturers to produce goods and services that are more environmentally friendly. Any good or service that has been awarded the EU Ecolabel meets a set of high environmental and performance standards.
Today, nearly 54100 products and services bearing the EU Ecolabel are available on the market. The adoption of these new EU Ecolabel criteria contributes to the continued efforts of providing companies and consumers with a credible ecolabel to promote sustainable consumption and production, enhancing circular economy within Europe.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/
