[caption id="attachment_47081" align="alignnone" width="475"] Anna Norberg and Anders Jacobsson at Ecolabelling Sweden responding to Laurel Brunners criticism.[/caption]Laurel Brunner skriver i en krönika att miljömärkningen Svanen "måste anpassa sig till verkligheten". Nu svarar Svanen att Laurel har fel fakta och att ständiga förbättringar finns i Svanens DNA. "Vi kan försäkra Laurel Brunner om att syftet med att presentera nya kriterier gradvis är ett försök att följa med industrins utveckling", skriver Anna Norberg and Anders Jacobsson på Svanen.Below is the reply from Ecolabelling Sweden. You can read Laurel Brunners text here: Laurel Brunner on Eco Labels

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Reply: Continuous improvements are in our ecolabels’ DNA

First, we’d like to thank Laurel Brunner for her insightful comments in her blog “Ecolabels” (Verdigris, May 2017). Some of them will be of great use in the next revision turn of the Criteria for printers when we will elaborate new tougher criteria. Continuous improvements are in our ecolabels’ DNA.As one of the most recognized and respected ecolabels in the world for print shops we have gained our credibility by working in a way that is stated as Type 1 (ISO 14024) Ecolabel. This way of working is to ensure that an ecolabelled print shop is one of the best choices for the environment. The Nordic Swan label has a wide range of requirements for print shops, as they are elaborated from a lifecycle perspective. Shortly:  The print shop requirements focus on the printing process, paper consumption, and the paper and chemicals used by the printers.  All criteria are monitored and checked by a third part control. Applying the requirements will help the printing company to control its general environmental impact. The aim is to exploit resources as efficiently as possible and to replace substances that are harmful to health and the environment with better alternatives.First: unfortunately some of Laurel Brunner’s comments seem to be coming from an earlier version of the criteria. The latest criteria document  is valid until June 2019, not December 2017 as Laurel Brunner wrote.  Digital print is also scoring points e.g. for printing direct to press, see also chapter 5 “Counting-up of points” (where digital printing shall gain at least 79 points).Secondly: when we calculate the points we do it from an LCA perspective- that is why taking point for the best choice of paper is very crucial, seen from environmental point of view.Thirdly: we definitely try to cover the waste issue in the first place by demanding a waste plan and giving points for minimizing waste, from printing paper, printing ink, ink, toner, dampening solutions, washing agents, just to mention some sources of waste.Laurel Brunner, who is a representative for the digital print industry, writes that we are not “aware of industrial realities”. We can assure Laurel Brunner that the purpose of presenting new criteria gradually is an attempt to be updated about industry realties as well as new expertise from other sources such as from the science/or latest developments. The Ecolabel criteria are revised regularly, evaluated and re-written due to new knowledge, technical advancements, expertise and experience. Thereafter they are sent out on an open consultation.We try to be open and nuanced to any technic that is beneficiary for environment.  So finally, we are looking forward to more insightful comments after Laurel Brunner has gone through the latest version of our requirements, as she was not taking facts from the last version of the print shops criteria. We also welcome her to take part in our next revision turn of the criteria that is due to start during autumn 2017.– Anna Norberg, Ecolabelling Sweden– Anders Jacobson, Ecolabelling Sweden

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Read Laurel Brunners view:

The original article from Laurel Brunner and the Verdigris projekt: Laurel Brunner on Eco Labels