Reduce environmental toxins with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel
There is a long way to go to achieve the goal of a toxic-free everyday life. But the Nordic Swan Ecolabel – with its strict chemical requirements – is a good tool for getting started.
The state of the world for the climate and the environment is something that everyone is talking about. There is a climate crisis, an energy crisis and a biodiversity crisis, but our planet is also in a chemical crisis.
The use of chemicals is large and rapidly increasing. There are 100,000 chemicals on the European market alone. We have sufficient knowledge about only on 500 of these, according to the European Environment Agency.
The largest source of emissions of harmful chemicals today is production and consumption. In cosmetics, furniture, electronics, toys, cleaning products, textiles, paper and disposable items, there may be substances
We excludes substances because of their properties
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel excludes environmental toxins, i.e. substances with very harmful properties. This can mean that they are harmful to the environment, are carcinogenic, can alter the cells in our body (mutagenic) or can harm our ability to have children (harmful to reproduction).
Banning the properties of substances is much more effective than excluding individual substances according to their names. By banning all PFAS substances, i.e. highly fluorinated substances or per- and polyfluorinated substances, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel has excluded all 10,000 chemicals in this group since 2003. Not just the few who receive media coverage from time to time.
As far as possible, we exclude substances that do not degrade in nature and that are at the same time toxic to aquatic organisms.
We use test results and various regulations that exist within the EU when we set requirements for chemicals in Nordic Swan Ecolabelled products. We generally ban substances that are on the European Chemicals Agency's (ECHA) list of Substances of very high consern.
Examples of substances that we always have very strict requirements for:
- Siloxane (D4, D5)
- Phtalates
- Musk
- Triclosan
- Nanoparticles
- Halogenated organic compounds (e.g. brominated flame retardants and fluorine compounds)
- Bisphenol A
- Free formaldehyde
- Heavy metals
- Organotin compounds 11. Substances that do not degrade but are stored in organisms and are toxic
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel contributes to an everyday life with fewer environmental toxins
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel, the official Ecolabel of the Nordics, is an important tool for influencing consumer and producer behaviour.
Our experts design stringent environmental requirements for the 2-300 product types we work with. The requirements are decided by an independent Nordic Ecolabelling Board. Manufacturers have to document that they meet our requirements, and we check everything, as the neutral third party that we are.
About every five years, we tighten the requirements, and then all licensees must apply for the Nordic Swan Ecolabel again. To meet the new requirements, they must document improvements.
We set very strict requirements for all substances that are hazardous to health and the environment, and we also exclude substances that are suspected of being harmful, even if they are no proven to be harmfult, i.e. we adhere to the precautionary principle. This means that, where there is not enough information about how a substance affects humans and the environment, we choose to exclude it rather than allow it. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel most often sets stricter requirements than the legislation, and has, for example, banned microplastics in cosmetics for a long time.
By choosing the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, you contribute to reduced climate impact, sustainable use of resources and a non-toxic society.