Duracell satisfies Nordic green scheme

Duracell has been awarded the White Swan environmental label in Scandinavia after successfully meeting stringent new criteria set forth by the Nordic Ecolabelling Board.

Duracell has been awarded the White Swan environmental label in Scandinavia after successfully meeting stringent new criteria set forth by the Nordic Ecolabelling Board.

Duracell is the first battery manufacturer to pass these new tests and earn this distinction.

Although the White Swan environmental label has been used by qualifying manufacturers - including Duracell - since 1996, new stricter International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) criteria put into effect from 15th September 2003 require that products are re-appraised.

By passing these tests, Duracell can continue to display the White Swan label on its packaging of its AAA, AA, C, D and 9V batteries.

This label appears on a variety of packaged goods in the Nordic region.

It enables consumers to identify and purchase products that have a reduced environmental impact and addresses public concerns about pollutants on the air and water, recycling of product and packaging waste and standards of product performance.

Securing the new White Swan qualification is the latest accomplishment in Duracell's continued efforts to reduce the impact of its products and packaging on the environment.

Since 1992, Duracell has eliminated mercury and lead from its batteries, introduced card packaging, increased the use of recycled materials and registered its manufacturing operations under the ISO14000 environmental management system.

"For years, Duracell has used advanced technology and specialist knowhow to pioneer environmental compliance innovations in the battery sector.

We take this very seriously and it's an intrinsic part of our business", said Hans Korfmacher, Director Environmental Affairs at Duracell Europe.

"Nordic consumers have traditionally lead the way in environmental issues, and this rigorous new certification sets the global standard in the way batteries are manufactured.

We are delighted to be the first to fully comply with the new criteria".

White Swan environmental labelling was adopted by the Nordic Council of Ministers in November 1989 and is administered by the Nordic Ecolabelling Board.

The board, among other things, chooses product groups and lays down the final criteria based on evaluation of the environmental impacts during the actual products' life cycle.

The objective of ecolabelling is to provide information to consumers to enable them to select products that are the least harmful to the environment.

Ecolabelling is intended to stimulate environmental concern in product development and a sustainable society, and participation is entirely voluntary for producers.

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