The Blue Angel Mark is literally the mark of a good product.
For many of us global warming didn’t exist until a few years ago but the folk at ‘Blue Angel’ have been concerned with environmentally friendly products since 1978.
Back then, the German environmental test mark was introduced as the world’s first ecological label. Promoting the concerns of both environmental and consumer protection, the ‘Blue Angel’ is awarded to products and services which are particularly beneficial for the environment in an all-round consideration and which also fulfill high standards of occupational health and safety and fitness for use.
Products bearing the mark range from baby monitors to handkerchiefs and now garden machinery; with the Bosch AXT 2000/2200 HP quiet shredders receiving the award.
The benefits to manufacturers of displaying the mark on products are obvious, as it allows them to document their environmental competence in a simple and inexpensive way, thus giving their goods the edge in a competitive market.
For you as consumers it acts as a practical guide to product selection. Choosing a Blue Angel marked product ensures you get excellent quality and long service life and saves you money in the long-run as all endorsed products are energy efficient.
The label is sponsored and administered by the Federal Environmental Agency who collect and examine applications before forwarding them to the Environmental Label Jury. The jury takes into account several factors such as economical use of raw materials, production, usage, service life and disposal, awarding the mark biannually.
Over 3,600 products and services bear the mark, with the label’s influence constantly expanding as more product categories are introduced. The success of the voluntary scheme is proof of the increased environmental awareness of both consumers and manufacturers.
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