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| COLOMBIAN ENVIRONMENTAL MARK |
The increasing concern about environmental protection has compelled consumers to add environmental requirements to the traditional quality demands for the products and services that they acquire.
This situation represents a new challenge for companies and productive sector: to provide quality products and services having a minimum negative environmental impact.
As an answer, within the frame of the Green Markets National Strategic Plan (Plan Estratégico de Mercados Verdes), the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development (MAVDT) created the Colombian Environmental Mark (Sello Ambiental Colombiano, SAC) and regulated its use through Resolution 1555 of 2005 issued together with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism (MCIT). The objective of this mark is to consolidate the production of sustainable environmental goods and increase the demand of competitive ecological services in national and international markets
This ecological label is a mark which is granted by an independent institution called "certification body", and voluntarily obtained. A product or service fulfilling pre-established requirements for its category can have this label.
The use of this instrument is aimed at providing consumers verifiable, accurate and clear information about the environmental aspects of the product, to enhance the environmental improvement of productive processes, and to promote the supply and demand of products which are the least harmful to environment.
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A product identified with the logo SAC indicates the following, depending on the nature of the product:
- The natural resources for its manufacture are sustainably used (raw materials and input).
- The raw materials used for its manufacture are not harmful to the environment.
- Production processes used require less amount of energy, or renewable energy, or both.
- Recyclability, reutilization or biodegradability are taken into account.
- Packing materials which are preferably recyclable are used, and in minimum amounts.
- Clean technologies or those which generate a less relative impact on the environment are used.
- It indicates to the consumers the best way for its final disposition.
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The use of SAC is voluntary. It means that interested producers, may request this label for their products. To hold the mark must be considered by producers or service providers as a commercial strategy and a competitive advantage; and by consumers as an added value compared to products which do not hold this label.
The structure of the Colombian Environmental Mark is as follows:
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The development of SAC brings interesting economic and environmental benefits to the different sectors involved.
From the industrial point of view, Mark users can obtain the following potential benefits:
- To improve their competitiveness, their situation in the market and the brand or company image.
- To direct their commercial strategy to specialized market niches, and high growing markets.
- To have more efficient process, less use of materials and energy, and reduction of the wastes to be disposed.
- To achieve or exceed customer expectations.
- To improve customer fidelity.
- To attract investors and financing sources, particularly those who are environmentally aware.
- To improve employee motivations.
- To enhance knowledge about the product.
- To reduce liability due to reduction in environmental impacts.
- To improve relationships with regulating bodies.
- To facilitate identification and management of legal requirements.
The following are benefits for consumers:
- Verifiable, accurate and clear information is available; it assures that clever purchase decisions are made from an environmental point of view.
- Personal satisfaction in terms of effective contribution to environmental improvement.
- A higher market availability of products less harmful to the environment.
- From the product environmental information it is possible to get knowledge about the best environmental behavior.
For Colombia and the society, SAC provides opportunities for:
- Improving environmental quality for current and next generations.
- Promoting sustainable development from the economic and environmental point of view.
- Reducing the risks and pressure on environment.
- Positioning Colombia as a country which is provider of green products, by diversifying the potentially exportable products.
- Consolidating an organizational structure for green producers.
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| OPERATION OF COLOMBIAN ENVIRONMENTAL MARK |
SAC operates in three fundamental stages: the first one corresponds to the selection of product categories which will be standardized for the scheme, according to the request received by the interested party; the second is standardization of environmental criteria for granting SAC in the chosen category, and the third one is the voluntary application of these criteria, and the certification.
It is worthwhile to explain that MAVDT, along with the MCIT, through agreements, alliances, or any other instrument considered relevant, will be able to carry out mutual recognition processes or declaring equivalence with technical standards or other schemes which have prestige at a national or international level.
The following are the activities involved in each stage of Mark operation.
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| STANDARDIZED PRODUCT CATEGORIES |
NTC 5131 Type I. Environmental labels. Criteria for cleaning detergent products
NTC 5133 (1st revision) Type I. Environmental labels. Colombian Environmental Mark. Environmental criteria for lodging and accomodation facilities
NTC 5517 Type I. Environmental labels. Colombian Environmental Mark. Environmental criteria for packagings, packings, cords, threads, ropes and fique clothing.
NTC 5585 Type I. Environmental labels. Colombian Environmental Mark. Environmental criteria for lubricating oil for two-cycle gasoline engines.
NTC 5637 Type I. Environmental labels. Colombian Environmental Mark. Environmental criteria for handicrafts, handmade items, threads, fabrics and other design products made in fique fibers using artisanal technology.
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| ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON COLOMBIAN ENVIRONMENTAL MARK |
Additional information on the Colombian Environmental Mark and other eco-industrial products certifiable against this Mark can be found in: Dirección Desarrollo Sectorial Sostenible del Ministerio de Ambiente Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial, or
http://www.minambiente.gov.co/contenido/contenido.aspx?catID=159&conID=294 PBX: 1 -33243434 / 00
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