"Blue Angel" Ecolabel

For a successful audit, the organisation has to fill in Annex 1 according to the award criteria for the "Blue Angel", present its raw material procurement based on purchase documents, invoices, receipts etc. and, if relevant, must demonstrate that a specified maximum quantity of fresh pulp is not exceeeded in production. The raw materials delivered must also be sorted to ensure that certain types of recycled paper are excluded or minimised. For the manufacture of thermal paper, various environmental parameters of the incorporated pulp are audited. In addition, some audit requirements require verification of waste water parameters by an external assessor.

The following types of paper that consist in part or completely of recycled paper can be audited: DE-UZ 5 sanitary paper, DE-UZ 14a recovered paper and cardboard, DE-UZ 35 wallpaper and woodchip paper, DE-UZ 65 unbleached filter papers for use with hot and boiling water, DE-UZ 72 printing and publication papers, DE-UZ 217a 100% recycled paper for bags and boxes, as well as thermal papers that according to DE-UZ 223 have to consist of FSC® or PEFC certified pulp.

The audit is primarily directed towards paper factories.

In addition, manufacturers of other products made of wood and wood materials increasingly have to provide proof of certified wood procurement from sustainable forestry in order to gain the “Blue Angel” label, e.g. DE-UZ 38 for low-emission furniture and slatted frames made of wool and wood-based material. Here, the award criteria are being modified step by step. TÜV NORD CERT is prepared to audit for the required FSC® or PEFC certification on site.