Type III Ecolabel, also known as Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), is based on ISO14025 Environmental labels and declarations — Type III environmental declarations — Principles and procedures. It provides comprehensive documentation on the environmental impact of products throughout their life cycle, including raw material acquisition, manufacturing, transportation, using and disposal.

To better meet the needs of enterprises' green transformation and development, CEC has initiated research and development on EPD certification since January 2022. A new certification system has been established, developed and released 2 Product Category Rules (PCR) and certification implementation rules for the paint and furniture. In April 2023, Nippon Paint China, the leading paint enterprise, was granted the first Type III ecolabel certificate for its paint products by CEC, which received positive feedback from the industry. 

Awarding certificate to Nippon Paint

Combined with extensive practical experience and technical expertise in the field of ecolabel certification, CEC is undertaking Technical Guidelines for Environmental Product Declaration Certification, which will serve as an industry standard for certification and accreditation. The aim of this standard is to establish a set of unified and standardized technical guidelines for the certification of environmental product claims through the study of scientific modes, methods, and procedures. Going forward, it will serve as a guide for certification bodies in China to conduct third-party certification activities related to environmental product claims. At the same time, it’ll enhance the standardization, comparability and impartiality of environmental product claims made by enterprises, thereby facilitate their entry into green markets and promote their transition towards sustainability.