When is a product considered low-polluting and low-emissions? What other environmental properties should a product have? Various evaluation methods are used to answer these questions.
Carpets, notebooks or rubber boots: toxic substances can be found in almost everything. The purpose of environmental and health protection is to steadily reduce the number of toxic substances in products as well as their release from products.
Products used in construction contain many organic and inorganic substances. If they are released into the indoor air of buildings, or into the soil and groundwater, they can pose a risk to the environment and human health. Sofar these inputs of contaminants from building products have been quantified only sporadically.
As the UBA had proposed, nine chemicals have been added to list of Substances of Very High Concern in accordance with the European Chemicals Regulation (REACH)
The EU Construction Products Regulation requires from 1st July 2013 new complementary data to accompany construction products with CE marking. If the construction product contains substances of very high concern, these must be declared. Alternatively - if available - a safety data sheet must be enclosed. The Federal Environment Agency hands out advice for the format of the mandatory data.
