nf environnement furniture - meuble-qualite-certifie.fr · if the company does not have an iso 9001...

Siegravege social 10 Rue Galileacutee 77420 Champs-sur-Marne Teacutel +33 (0)1 72 84 97 84 wwwfcbafr

DQ-CERT 17-307 GB ndash reacutevision 12 Cancels and replaces MQ-CERT 15-340 du 21072015

Approved by the General Manager of AFNOR Certification on 17052017 Applicability date 01062017

Organisme Certificateur Mandateacute par Afnor Certification

wwwmarque-nfcom

In case of dispute only the French version will be legally binding

NF ENVIRONNEMENT

FURNITURE

NF 217

GENERAL RULES FOR THE NF ENVIRONNEMENT MARK wwwmarque-nfcom

GENERAL OPERATING RULES FOR FCBA CERTIFICATIONS UNDER THE NF AND NF ENVIRONNEMENT MARKS wwwfcbafr

NF ENVIRONNEMENT BENCHMARK wwwnf-environnement-ameublementcom

QUALITY ASSURANCE BENCHMARK wwwfcbafr

DQ-CERT 17-307 GB ndash reacutevision 12

Cancels and replaces MQ-CERT 15-340 du 21072015 Approved by the General Manager of AFNOR Certification on 17052017 Applicability date 01062017

NF Environnement Furniture Benchmark Page 243

CONTENTS

1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE 5

11 Products concerned 5

12 Definition of the applicant 5

13 The contents of the certification benchmark and related documents 5

14 Eco-labelling and regulations 6

2 CRITERIA TO BE MET FORMS OF PROOF AND QUALITY-RELATED REQUIREMENTS 6

21 Prior description of the product for which the application is being submitted 6

22 The criteria applicable to the product 6

23 Quality-related requirements 6

3 OBTAINING THE CERTIFICATION 7

31 Submitting an application for certification 7

32 Presentation of the application 7

33 Types of certification applications (CA) 8

34 Inspection requirements and the organisation of initial and monitoring audits of the

production unit 8 341 Technical and environmental audit 9 342 Audit of the initial Quality Assurance system 10

35 Evaluation and decision 11

4 DISPLAYING THE CERTIFICATION 11

41 The reproduction of the NF Environnement - Furniture logo on the certified product 12

42 Reproduction of the NF Environnement - Furniture logo on documentation and in

advertising 12

43 De-marking conditions 12

44 Information specific to the certified characteristics of the product 13

45 Marking Model 13

5 CERTIFICATION MAINTENANCE monitoring requirements 14

51 Monitoring requirements 14

52 The organisation of monitoring audits 14


54 The declaration of modifications 15 541 Modifications concerning the holder 15 542 Modifications concerning the production site 16 543 Modifications concerning the quality organisation of the production unit 16 544 Modifications concerning the NF Environnement ndash Furniture certified product and withdrawal of certification 16

6 PARTICIPANTS 16

61 AFNOR Certification 16

62 AUTHORISED ORGANISATION 16

63 THE COMITE FRANCcedilAIS DES ECOLABELS (French eco-label committee) 17

7 THE PRICING SYSTEM 17

71 Investigation costs 17




72 Usage charge 17

73 Operating costs 17

74 Promotional costs 17

75 Charge to use the NF Environnement mark 17

76 Additional inspections 18

77 The recovery of costs 18

78 Revision of the price for the mark 18

8 APPROVAL - REVISION OF THE CERTIFICATION BENCHMARK 19

9 GLOSSARY 20

10 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS ndash CRITERIA APPLICABLE TO THE PRODUCTS 22

101 Criterion 1 criteria concerning the product description 22

102 Criterion 2 Requirements concerning the origin and traceability of the wood used 23

103 Criterion 3 Requirements concerning the use of wood varieties 24

104 Criterion 4 Requirements concerning the non-use of wood from genetically modified

trees 25

105 Criterion 5 requirements concerning ldquoindoor air qualityrdquo 26

106 Criterion 52 Requirements concerning formaldehyde emissions from panels 27 1061 Furniture products containing wood-based panels (excluding mattresses) 27 1062 Mattresses (excluding bed bases) 28 1063 Exclusions 28

107 Criterion 6 Requirements concerning plastic components 29

108 Criterion 7 Requirements concerning textile supplies 30

109 Criterion 8 Requirements concerning stuffing foam supplies 30

1010 Criterion 9 Requirements concerning the use of flame retardants 31

1011 Criterion 10 Requirements concerning the use of phthalates 32

1012 Criterion 11 Requirements concerning the use of nanomaterials 33

1013 Criterion 12 Requirements concerning glass and mirrors 34

1014 Criterion 13 Requirements concerning the packaging system for the finished

product 35

1015 Criterion 14 Requirements concerning bulk-optimisation during downstream

transport 36

1016 Criterion 15 Requirements concerning the productrsquos fitness for purpose 37

1017 Criterion 16 Requirements concerning the controlled energy consumption of

lighting features incorporated within the product 37

1018 Criterion 17 Requirements concerning information to be supplied to the user 38

1019 Criterion 18 Requirements concerning user services 39

1020 Criterion 19 The separability of materials 39

1021 Thoughts on the inclusion of other criteria 39

11 APPENDIX 40

APPENDIX 1 appendix to criterion 5 - Formaldehyde 40 Furniture (excluding Mattress) 40 Mattress (excluding bed base) 42




APPENDIX 2 proposed declaration template for the applicantholderrsquos

subcontractorssuppliers 43




1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

11 Products concerned

The NF Environnement - Furniture mark is issued for products having a reduced impact on the environment while at the same time guaranteeing the same fitness for purpose as the other products on the market This benchmark which concerns the application of the General Rules for the NF Environnement mark and the General Operating Rules for FCBA certifications under the NF and NF Environnement mark applies to furniture products for domestic and professional use

The 19 certified characteristics address issues related to - The quality and durability of the product

- The health and safety of the user

- The environment

12 Definition of the applicant

The applicant is the legal entity of any company proposing products or collections of products which fall within the scope of the present benchmark as defined in the preceding paragraph submitting a request for NF ENVIRONNEMENT FURNITURE certification for products falling within this perimeter The applicantholder must fulfil and be responsible for all of the requirements defined in the certification benchmark for the NF ENVIRONNEMENT FURNITURE mark When this certification is granted the applicant then becomes the holder The maintenance of this certification is subject to the results of the monitoring audits defined in the present benchmark

13 The contents of the certification benchmark and related documents

The certification benchmark for the NF ENVIRONNEMENT FURNITURE mark is comprised of

‒ The General Rules for the NF Environnement mark drafted and managed by AFNOR which define the usage conditions for the NF collective certification mark

‒ The General Operation Rules for FCBA certifications under the NF and NF Environnement Marks drafted and managed by FCBA which govern the general operating requirements for the certification

‒ The present benchmark and the standards referred to therein ‒ The fitness for purpose criteria defined in the technical recommendations for the NF furniture

products mark concerned ‒ The Quality Assurance benchmark for the NF furniture products marks

The certification benchmark for the NF ENVIRONNEMENT - FURNITURE mark is established in accordance with the requirements of Standard NF EN ISOCEI 17065 2012 and the national regulatory requirements defined by the French Consumer Code

The NF Environnement certification is granted based on a series of requirements defined in the certification benchmark for a product from a specific manufacturer and production unit




14 Eco-labelling and regulations

Compliance with the regulations is a prerequisite for the certification of products with the NF Environnement - Furniture mark

The legally responsible person for the company agrees to ensure full compliance with the applicable regulation when signing the Application for NF Environnement - Furniture certification form

It is not the purpose of the FCBA to replace the relevant market monitoring authorities and it is therefore not authorised to verify compliance vis-a-vis regulations during its monitoring activities Nevertheless if regulatory nonconformities are discovered during the inspections the FCBA reserves the right to apply sanctions with regard to the certification based on non-conformity vis-a-vis the prerequisites with which the holders have agreed to comply

2 CRITERIA TO BE MET FORMS OF PROOF AND QUALITY-RELATED REQUIREMENTS

21 Prior description of the product for which the application is being submitted

Along with his certification application (please see chapter 3) the applicant must enclose a description of the product using the template proposed in Criterion 1 Criteria concerning the product description This document enables the auditor to have a clear overview of all constituent parts of the product and to assess the risks of pollution migrating as a result of the possible subcontracting of one or several parts

Where necessary the certification manager may schedule audits of the subcontractor(s) concerned

22 The criteria applicable to the product

In addition to the regulatory requirements applicable to them the products covered by an eco-labelling application must meet the ecological and fitness for purpose criteria detailed in the technical requirements of the product certification mark to be considered and those shown in part 10 The applicant must provide the necessary proof for each criterion when preparing his application and during the on-site inspections

The applicant is required to file appropriate evidence for each criterion to support the dossier for application and on-site audits

The test reports for the admission application are to be carried out by an independent laboratory with ISO 17025 accreditation awarded by an accreditation organisation having signed agreements within the scope of the EA concerning corresponding test standards by the COFRAC or an accreditation organisation having signed agreements within the scope of the EA or the ILAC

When a request is made to supply declarations test reports or any other documents confirming the compliance with the criteria these documents may be supplied if necessary by the suppliers This data must where necessary be updated every year (for example test reports emissions and energy consumption data etc)

23 Quality-related requirements

In order to ensure the conformity of the product the company must have an operational quality management system and eco-labelling must be part of the companyrsquos formally recorded policies When the company is ISO 9001 certified by an accredited body it supplies a valid certificate the scope of which must cover the processes involved in the production of the products concerned




If the company does not have an ISO 9001 certificate issued by an accredited body its quality management system must comply with the quality management benchmark of the NF furniture products mark The FCBA will then organise the audits necessary to demonstrating conformity as described in sect 342

3 OBTAINING THE CERTIFICATION

31 Submitting an application for certification

Before submitting an application the applicant must ensure that at the time of the application he fulfils the conditions detailed in the present benchmark including in particular Part 2 concerning his product and production unit He must commit himself to meeting the same conditions for the whole usage period of the NF Environnement - Furniture mark By signing the certification application the applicant applicantholder agrees to

‒ Comply with the whole certification benchmark applicable to the product the general rules for the NF Environnement mark the General Operating Rules for FCBA certifications under the NF and NF Environnement mark and the present benchmark for the NF Environnement - Furniture mark

‒ Accept the admission and monitoring audits required as part of the monitoring activities performed by the FCBA on behalf of AFNOR Certification

‒ Provide full support to the FCBA for the performance of all verifications related to the products covered by the NF ENVIRONNEMENT FURNITURE certification

‒ Inform the FCBA of any non-compliant situation regarding the environmental regulations applicable to him

‒ Apply all measures related to the sanctions applied under the terms of the General Operating Rules for FCBA certifications under the NF and NF Environnement mark

‒ Comply with the national and European legal and statutory requirements concerning health safety and the environment applicable to its products and to manage its suppliers of components and substances andor subcontractors for its products ensuring that they meet the same requirements

‒ Appoint a correspondent whose role it will be to facilitate the monitoring work performed by the FCBA

‒ Bear the cost of the operating costs promotional costs audits and tests at the applicable rate ‒ Obligatorily mark all certified products and only these in accordance with the conditions

detailed in sect 5 Use of the certification ‒ Not to use the names and references of the products for which the certification is requested

when referring to other products ‒ To supply all printed advertising material upon request

32 Presentation of the application

The application for NF Environnement - Furniture certification must be sent to the FCBA

The application submitted for a given product collection or range must be accompanied by - An exhaustive list of the products comprising it in addition to the names and localities of the

manufacturers of these components

‒ A description of the given product collection or range (from the technical sheet pursuant to decree number 86-583 on March 14 1986)

‒ In addition to possibly a photo or drawing making it possible to identify the given product collection or range

‒ Upon request the FCBA will supply the documents to be returned duly completed for all certification applications




‒ The FCBA determines the certification perimeter in consultation with the applicant (production sites subcontractorsrsquo sites nature of the certified products etc) and draws up a Certification Application (CA) listing the commitments entered into or required from the applicant and sends it to him

In the case of a product from a production unit located outside the European Union the applicant must designate an authorised representative in the European Union who will co-sign the request

33 Types of certification applications (CA)

Une demande de certification pour un produit peut ecirctre ‒ The initial Certification Application (CA) this concerns any applicant who is not (or who is

no longer) a holder of the mark for the product to be certified The applicant declares that he is aware of the certification standard and agrees to comply with it

‒ The subsequent Certification Application (CA) this concerns any holder presenting a new range collection or product to be covered by the mark

‒ The extended Certification Application (CA) this concerns any holder presenting a range collection or product whose characteristics are similar to the companyrsquos certified products making it possible to conclude that the new range collection or product meets the conformity requirements as an extension of the conformity of the certified products

‒ The Certification Application (CA) for modification this concerns any modification to the certified range collection or product (including the commercial description)

A company which is already a holder of the certification may also use the NF ENVIRONNEMENT AMEUBLEMENT logo (NF Environment- Furnishings) for the products it markets and which are already certified for another holder subject to ndashThe latters formal agreement

ndashThe use of a trade name different from that of the holdersupplier The maintenance of the Certification for the company is subject to the maintenance of the certification by the other holder During the audit the FCBA may ask the holder to provide proof of the products certification

34 Inspection requirements and the organisation of initial and monitoring audits of the production unit

For each audit the FCBA will appoint an auditor to perform the audit The dates of the audits on the various sites concerned by the certification will be arranged between the applicantholder and the auditor

The audit programme will be sent to the applicantholder at least 8 days before the chosen date The audit will be performed based on the present benchmark The auditor will ensure

‒ Conformity with the criteria and procedures detailed herein ‒ Compliance with the certification benchmark

The applicant will facilitate the auditors activities by providing him with access to the premises equipment facilities and documentation and by making the relevant persons available to him




The audit may be performed in the presence of an observer who is required to comply with confidentiality requirements This observer may be imposed on the FCBA by the standards or agreements of which it is a signatory The applicantholder will always be informed by the presence of this observer before the audit The FCBA may also propose the participation of any other observer to the applicantholder The length of the audit will be defined by the auditor Among other things this will depend on the products being certified the sites to be audited and their workforce and the storage and production activities performed on the site(s)

‒ If the audit concerns several sites (more than two hours apart) the FCBArsquos proposals will

include an extra auditing period per site All production sites of so-called multi-site holders must be audited at least once every three years

‒ Furthermore if due to the number of products to be audited the auditing manager considers that he cannot correctly fulfil the certification requests a supplementary auditing period will need be scheduled

341 Technical and environmental audit

In the case of an initial CA

The processing of the application includes a technical audit Lrsquoaudit initial a pour objectif de

‒ Perform a technical examination of the products andor the sampling for testing purposes

‒ Ensure products meet ecological and fit for use requirements (see sect 10) ‒ Ensure that the technical resources and qualifications of the staff

assigned to the certified products make it possible to achieve and maintain product conformity

‒ Ensure the achievement of the effective operation of the quality management system If the company is not ISO 9001 certified by refering to the

chapter sect Audit of the Initial Quality System On the other hand if the company is ISO 9001 certified by

checking the proof of conformity relative to the requirements of the quality assurance standard and in particular the following chapters sect Identification sect Managing methods and control systems sect Monitoring and measurement sect Corrective action And finally the register of customer complaints

During the closing meeting the FCBA auditor presents his conclusions to the company and provides written details of any possible shortcomings noted during the audit The minutes from the closing meeting are signed by the technical auditor and the companys correspondent who retains a copy The number of shortcomings is notified to him at the end of the audit and entered on the closing document A copy of the Technical Audit Report (TAR) is submitted within a period of 30 working days This report is signed by the technical auditor

In the case of a subsequent CA an extended CA or a CA for modification

The technical audit may be adapted or may not even be necessary



NF Environnement Furniture Benchmark 043

The case of companies subcontracting all or part of the production of the product(s) covered by the certification application In the event that the applicantholder subcontracts part of his production FCBA may require an audit of the subcontractor(s) at the holderrsquos cost based on the same benchmark Before any total or partial transfer of production to another production site the holder must inform FCBA in writing of the new production conditions and methods envisaged and must stop using and referring to the certification until a decision has been issued by the FCBA

342 Audit of the initial Quality Assurance system

ISO 9001 certified company issued by an ISOCEI 17021 accredited certification body (ie an accreditation body which is a signatory of the EA agreements) whose perimeter includes the certification of systems sites and activities concerned by the NF mark

Quality Audit not required

Company without ISO 9001 certification

Quality audit performed by the FCBA


The investigation includes a quality audit The length of this depends on the workforce size of the company in question (please refer to the price list for the mark) The purpose of this audit is to assess the compliance of the companyrsquos organisation (quality management system) vis-a-vis the requirements of the quality assurance standard This audit will last for a minimum of one day The quality audit report is drafted and supplied to the applicant In the event that nonconformities are noted the company must submit an action plan aimed at eradicating them This action plan will be approved by the FCBA The satisfactory implementation of the action plan is verified during technical audits All non-critical shortcomings must be eradicated within 12 months following the sending of the audit report by FCBA

In the case of a subsequent CA an extended CA or a CA for modification or a portfolio of proof using a new process (sub-contracting etc

An audit report may be performed at the request of the Quality Mark Manager at the holderrsquos cost




35 Evaluation and decision

In certain cases an additional inspection may be requested following the analysis of the report Within a maximum period of one month as from the audit date the auditor will analyse the data collected during the audit and when necessary will send the applicant requests for further information to be returned within a deadline specified in the letter accompanying the report For each identified shortcoming the applicant must present the actions introduced or envisaged in addition to the deadlines and the persons responsible for their implementation FCBA will analyse the relevance of the reply and may request the performance of an additional inspection According to the results from all inspections the manager for the NF Environnement ndash Furniture mark may take one of the following decisions

‒ Approval of the NF Environnement - Furniture certification ‒ Refusal of the NF Environnement - Furniture certification

A decision may be taken subject to the FCBA being sent proof of the implementation of the corrective action within a given deadline Failing which the certification is not granted In the case of a decision approving certification the FCBA will send the applicant

‒ The NF Environnement ndash Furniture certificate ‒ The graphical charter for the NF Environnement mark

The requirements concerning communication and publicity regarding the certification are detailed in part 4 of this benchmark The certificate is issued for a period of three years The applicant may contest the decision taken by submitting a request to this effect in accordance with article 8 of the General Operating Rules for FCBA certifications under the NF and NF Environnement mark

4 DISPLAYING THE CERTIFICATION

The NF Environnement - Furniture certification is the eco-label making it possible to highlight products which are more environmentally friendly while at the same time offering performance levels identical to similar products The NF Environnement - Furniture mark is based on a multi-criteria approach all environmental impacts related to the selection of the material and components to the production use and end of life scenario for an item of furniture are taken into account In order to raise the profile of furniture products bearing the NF Environnement ndash Furniture mark a specific marking system is planned For the present application the logo as defined in the sect Marking Model should be used Without in any way prejudicing the sanctions provided for in the General Operating Rules for FCBA certifications under the NF and NF Environnement mark any erroneous announcement may lead to legal action being taken against the holder for fraud andor misleading advertising




41 The reproduction of the NF Environnement - Furniture logo on the certified product

The NF marks are being upgraded and modernised to ensure that they are constantly in keeping with todays world To incorporate these changes the holder must take account of the modification to the logos as shown in the sectMarking Model All markings must comply with the graphical charter available upon request from the FCBA or on the wwwmarque-nfcom website in the HOLDERS section The marking of the product is compulsory It allows for traceability in the event of a complaint from a client The application of the marking to the packaging in no way dispenses the manufacturer from the need to apply the marking on the product Each certified product must be marked with a stamp or another marking method approved by the FCBA making it possible to identify the mark the holder and the production period In the case of stamping the holder will obtain the numbered stamps from the FCBA or develop its own stamp which the FCBA will approve

The information mentioned in the sect Marking Model must be displayed under the logo

42 Reproduction of the NF Environnement - Furniture logo on documentation and in advertising

The reproduction of the NF Environnement - Furniture logo on documentation and in advertising must be performed in compliance with the sect Marking Model The holder must only refer to the NF Environnement - Furniture mark in his documents in order to distinguish the certified products ensuring that there is no risk of confusion For the satisfactory interpretation of the present article the holder is requested to submit to the FCBA the draft versions of the documents on which he wishes to refer to the NF Environnement - Furniture certification of his products

43 De-marking conditions

The suspension or withdrawal of the NF Environnement - Furniture certification entails a ban on using this mark and referring to it Similarly products which have accidentally become substandard must be de-marked Consequently in these cases the NF Environnement - Furniture logo must no longer appear on the products their packaging on any related media documentation advertising or any on other medium used by the manufacturer




44 Information specific to the certified characteristics of the product

Article R115-2 of the French Consumer Code concerning the certification of products and services other than agricultural forestry food or fisheries products stipulates When reference is made to the certification in the advertising labelling or presentation of any product or service in addition to any related business or sales documents the following information must obligatorily be made known to the consumer or user

1 The name or corporate name of the certification body or the collective certification mark 2 The name of the certification benchmark used (ie NF Environnement ndashFurniture)

3 The means by which the certification benchmark may be consulted or obtained

45 Marking Model

The NF marks are constantly being upgraded and modernised To take account of these changes the marking of products and any communication concerning the eco-labelling of a product must take account of the following logo modifications The logo which is usable since 31122014

Les caracteacuteristiques certifieacutees sont disponibles aupregraves de FCBA

ou sur le site wwwnf-environnement-ameublementcom For all communication other than product labelling the holder may add the following wording to the logo

- Garantie de la qualiteacute et de la durabiliteacute du mobilier (soliditeacute durabiliteacute seacutecuriteacute conformiteacute aux normes) [Guaranteed quality and durability of the furniture (solidity durability safety compliance with standards etc] - Limitation des impacts sur lenvironnement tout au long du cycle de vie (limitation de leacutenergie de transformation lieacutee aux mateacuteriaux absence de meacutetaux lourds dans les produits de finition marquage pour faciliter le recyclage [Limited environmental impacts throughout the whole life cycle (limitation of energy required for the conversion of materials absence of heavy metals in finishing products markings to facilitate recycling]

For the French market this information must always be provided in French If necessary it can also be provided in one or several other languages

Institut Technologique FCBA 10 Rue Galileacutee

77420 Champs-sur-Marne wwwfcbafr




5 CERTIFICATION MAINTENANCE monitoring requirements

51 Monitoring requirements

Monitoring of the certified products is carried out by the FCBA after the approval for the NF Environnement - Furniture certification has been granted This monitoring includes an audit of the production unit(s) Its purpose is to verify and thereby to guarantee end users of the continued compliance of the furniture items vis-a-vis the requirements of the certification benchmark Furthermore the FCBA reserves the right to perform or have performed any audit it considers necessary following any complaints contestations disputes etc of which it becomes aware concerning the use of the NF Environnement ndash Furniture mark

52 The organisation of monitoring audits

The requirements for the monitoring audit are identical to those of the admission audit described in part 3 of the present certification benchmark Its length varies according to the number of products to be certified The monitoring audits are performed by the auditor with responsibility for the annual monitoring of the holder or where applicable by a qualified auditor In order to be able to take a completely fresh look at the holders practices and organisation the FCBA appoints an auditor for the renewal audits whose usual activities are not related to those of the holder

Purpose of the audit Appointment of the auditor

Year N Admission audit

Auditor appointed by the FCBA according to the markets targeted by the product(s) covered by the eco-labelling application

Year N+1 Monitoring audit Auditor appointed by the FCBA to handle the annual monitoring of the holder Year N+2 Monitoring audit

Year N+3 Renewal audit Auditor whose usual activities are unrelated to those of the holder

If an admission audit of the applicant is absolutely necessary in the case described below the auditor may envisage reducing the inspection criteria of the three-yearly renewal audit




The case of companies possessing an ISO 14001-certified environmental management system For holders whose environmental management system is covered by an ISO 14001 type company certification issued by a certification body accredited under the ISOIEC 17021 standard by the COFRAC or failing this by a member of the EA (European cooperation for Accreditation) or by a member body of an association which is a signatory to the international recognition agreements the signatories of which are identified on the COFRAC website (wwwcofracfr) the inspection requirements during the renewal audit may be reduced if

‒ The organisation provides proof of the regulatory compliance of its facilities particularly vis-a-vis regulations regarding Installations Classeacutees pour la Protection de lrsquoEnvironnement (ICPE or facilities classified for environmental protection purposes)

‒ The scope of the ISO 14001 certification covers the design and production of the certified products

‒ The organisation incorporates compliance with the requirements of the NF Environnement - Furniture certification benchmark in its policy and planning

‒ The organisation provides proof of the monitoring forms with regard to its subcontractors for the products covered by the certification in order to ensure their compliance with the requirements of the NF Environnement - Furniture benchmark which concerns them

The expression reduction of the audit requirements refers among other things to the fact that the renewal audit will be performed by the auditor appointed by the FCBA to carry out the annual monitoring of the holder and will not be invoiced


The evaluation and decision-making procedure and criteria for the renewal of the certification are identical to those described in part 3 The holder may contest the decision in compliance with article 8 of the General Operating Rules for FCBA certifications under the NF and NF Environnement mark

54 The declaration of modifications

The NF Environnement - Furniture certification is granted to a product from a given production unit defined by a trademark or a specific model reference and technical characteristics Consequently any modification in relation to the conditions under which the NF Environnement - Furniture certification was obtained must be notified to the FCBA in writing by the holder Paragraph 81 and the summary table in part 8 are used in this case by the manufacturer

These modifications may concern ‒ The holder ‒ The production unit ‒ The quality organisation at the production unit ‒ The product

541 Modifications concerning the holder

The holder must announce in writing any legal modifications to its company or any change of corporate name In the event of the merger liquidation or absorption of the holder all usage rights for the mark of which it may benefit will automatically cease




542 Modifications concerning the production site

Any transfer (whether total or partial) of the production site of an NF Environnement - Furniture certified product to another production site will result in the immediate cessation of the use of the NF Environnement - Furniture mark by the holder on the products thus transferred

543 Modifications concerning the quality organisation of the production unit

The holder must declare any modifications concerning his quality organisation in writing including in particular any modifications concerning his facilities or his quality plans likely to have an impact on the conformity of the unitrsquos production vis-a-vis the requirements of the present rules

Among other things he must declare any modifications to the certification of his quality assurance system Any temporary cessation of internal verification for a NF Environnement - Furniture certified product will result in the immediate cessation of the use of the NF Environnement - Furniture mark by the holder

544 Modifications concerning the NF Environnement ndash Furniture certified product and withdrawal of certification

Any modifications to a characteristic of the NF Environnement - Furniture certified product defined in part 2 must be declared in writing

Any final cessation of production of an NF Environnement - Furniture certified product or any abandonment of the NF Environnement - Furniture certification must be declared in writing specifying the time required to dispose of the stock of products featuring the NF Environnement - Furniture marks Upon expiry of this period previously approved by the FCBA the withdrawal of the NF Environnement - Furniture certification is announced by the FCBA

6 PARTICIPANTS

61 AFNOR Certification

AFNOR is the owner of the NF Environnement mark and has granted an exclusive operating licence for this to AFNOR Certification

AFNOR Certification manages and organises the certification system which among other things details the management rules and operating requirements of the NF Environnement mark

62 AUTHORISED ORGANISATION

AFNOR Certification has assigned the management of the NF Environnement - Furniture mark applicable to furniture to

Institut Technologique FCBA

10 Rue Galileacutee 77420 Champs-sur-Marne

wwwfcbafr E-mail ameublementfcbafr

FCBA the said authorised organisation is responsible vis-a-vis AFNOR Certification for all mark-

management operations and announces all decisions concerning the issuing suspension or withdrawal of the right to use the mark for the products covered by the present certification benchmark and informs AFNOR Certification of any possible disputes

The General Manager of AFNOR Certification approves the present certification benchmark




63 THE COMITE FRANCcedilAIS DES ECOLABELS (French eco-label committee)

The composition and duties of the Comiteacute Franccedilais des Ecolabels (CFE) are detailed in paragraph 7 of the General rules for the NF Environnement mark

7 THE PRICING SYSTEM

The costs related to the certification are subject to a charge the price of which is available from the FCBA The sum used for the calculation of the contribution to operating and promotional costs is based on the annual turnover (including export) achieved by the company with all of the products (certified or otherwise) included within the scope of the application for the mark

If all or part of the holders production is subcontracted these costs will be increased by the cost of the technical audits and other audits to be performed on the subcontractorrsquos production sites When the sites inspected are not located within France the travel costs will be borne by the holder

Except in the case of a request for a far-reaching revision from the various interested parties the price for year n+1 will be calculated in accordance with the methods detailed in sect revision of the proce for the mark

71 Investigation costs

The costs paid will be retained even in the event that the certification is not granted or if the application is abandoned during investigation This revenue is intended to cover the costs related to the investigation of the certification applications dealings with applicants tests audits and the evaluation of results and inspections A quotation will be issued for these costs

72 Usage charge

This is invoiced at the time the certification is first notified based on the prices applicable at the time The payment of this sum is intended to cover a contribution to the establishment of the NF Environnement ndash Furniture mark including the drafting of the certification benchmark

73 Operating costs

These sums are intended to cover the costs of managing the applications for the certified products the costs related to drawing up lists of certified products the costs of evaluating the results of inspections technical audits in addition to the organisation and holding of meetings and ad hoc groups etc hellip These costs are invoiced based on the prices applicable at the time

74 Promotional costs

Actions to collectively promote the mark are financed by its holders These costs are invoiced based on the prices applicable at the time

75 Charge to use the NF Environnement mark

Following the certification of a product an annual fee to use the NF Environnement mark is invoiced to the holder and paid to AFNOR Certification This usage fee which AFNOR Certification receives in its capacity as owner of the NF Environnement mark is intended to cover

‒ The general running of the NF Environnement mark (the running of management bodies the quality system etc)

‒ The defence of the NF Environnement mark registration and protection of the mark legal advice processing of cases involving abusive use legal costs etc

‒ Contribution to the generic promotion of the NF Environnement mark




76 Additional inspections

The costs generated by additional inspections or verification tests decided on by the FCBA following the detection of any insufficiencies or anomalies during the standard inspections will be borne by the manufacturer and invoiced at the prices applicable at the time

77 The recovery of costs

For as long as marked products remain on the market the inspections are maintained in addition to the recovery of the corresponding costs In the event of the non-payment of the costs payable the FCBA will take the measures provided for in the General Operating Rules for FCBA certifications under the NF and NF Environnement mark which may lead to the withdrawal of the certification

78 Revision of the price for the mark

At the start of each calendar year updated prices will apply based on the following revision formula

)1(

)()()1(

nI

nInPnP

When P(n+1) and P(n) refer to the prices for the year n and n+1 I(n) and I(n+1) refer to the Syntec index for the month of August for the years n and n-1




8 APPROVAL - REVISION OF THE CERTIFICATION BENCHMARK

Along with the representatives of the manufacturers users and technical experts the FCBA agrees to ensure the relevance of the certification benchmark in terms of certification processes and the definition of requirements vis-a-vis changes in the marketplace The present certification standard was approved by the legal representative of AFNOR Certification on 15052017 It cancels and replaces all previous versions The certification benchmark can be wholly or partially revised by the FCBA after consultation with the Comiteacute Franccedilais des Ecolabels The following table describes the modifications made to the benchmark

Paragraphs modified

Purpose of modifications Dates

modifications approved

sect 13 Deletion of references to articles of the French Consumer Code to which this benchmark complies The paragraph refers to the legal text as a whole

15052017

sect 544 Clarification concerning withdrawal from certification 15052017

sect 105 Deletion of criterion 51 15052017

sect 1062 Integration of requirements relating to emissions of volatile organic compounds from mattresses

15052017

sect 1063 Clarification concerning a possible restriction of criterion 5 for certain products

15052017

sect 108 Clarification concerning the acceptance of textiles certified according to Oekotex

15052017

sect 1021 Deletion of the criterion relating to the specific energy limit of products

15052017

sect 1022 Clarification concerning thoughts on possible updates to requirements

15052017

sect 11 Deletion of the table summarising the specific energy criteria of materials

15052017

Appendix 1 Addition of technical information required for the performance of tests by laboratories for mattresses

15052017




9 GLOSSARY

‒ NF Environnement - Furniture certification approval Authorisation issued by the certification body to an applicant to use the NF Environnement - Furniture certification

‒ Audit A methodical independent and documented process making it possible to obtain audit-related proof and to assess this objectively in order to determine to what extent the audit criteria have been satisfied For the NF Environnement ndash Furniture mark the audit involves a visit to the production unit(s) to assess the applicantholderrsquos quality levels

‒ Warning Notification of a pending penalty issued by the certification body in which the holder is invited to correct any faults noted within a given deadline

‒ Application The letter in which an applicant seeks NF Environnement ndash Furniture certification declaring in the process that he is aware of and agrees to comply with the certification benchmark and its associated documents

‒ Right of use for the NF Environnement - Furniture mark A right issued by AFNOR Certification and announced by the certification body to an applicant to use the NF Environnement - Furniture mark for its product in compliance with the certification benchmark and its associated documents

‒ Extension Decision taken by the certification body by means of which the NF Environnement - Furniture certification is extended to a new modified product

‒ Technical audit Part of the visit to the production unit concerning the examination of the product and the assessment of the specific resources deployed to ensure its compliance vis-a-vis the criteria set in the certification benchmark and its associated documents

‒ Maintenance Decision taken by the certification body in which the NF Environnement - Furniture certification is granted to a product marketed under another trademark andor model reference without modification to the certified characteristics

‒ Acceptability The status of an application making it possible to proceed with the investigation of the request Acceptability concerns the administrative and technical parts of the application

‒ Renewal A decision by means of which the holderrsquos NF Environnement - Furniture certification is renewed

‒ Withdrawal A decision taken by the certification body which cancels the right to use and refer to the NF Environnement - Furniture certification Withdrawal may be announced as a penalty or in the event that the certification is abandoned by the holder

‒ Recyclable According to the ISO 14021 standard concerning environmental self-declarations the term recyclable refers to a characteristic of a product a packaging item or an associated

component which can be withdrawn from the waste flow using available processing programmes and which can be collected processed and reused in the form of raw materials or products

‒ Suspension A decision taken by the certification body which provisionally cancels the authorisation for the NF Environnement - Furniture certification for a given period Suspension may be issued as a penalty or in the case of a provisional abandonment by the holder

‒ Holder The legal entity benefiting from the NF Environnement - Furniture certification




SET A system corresponding to a given layout fulfilling one or several usage functions

Example Total furniture for a classroom the furnishing of a reading corner etc

PRODUCT An independent unit which alone is capable of fulfilling one or several usage functions (often equivalent to the unit sold)

Example A chair a table a cupboard etc

COMPONENT A part of a product made of either of a single-piece unit

comprised of a given material or by the final assembly (by gluing welding etc) of sub-components comprised of the same material The component comprises the material and its finishing system

Example A varnished wood chair strut a table top made from melamine chipboard a chrome plated doorknob

MATERIAL A family of substances of the same nature or origin

Example Plastic materials metal materials wood and wood-based materials textile materials etc

I

I

I




10 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS ndash CRITERIA APPLICABLE TO THE PRODUCTS

101 Criterion 1 criteria concerning the product description

Criterion 1 Definition Proof to be supplied when

preparing the application or during on-site inspections

Requirements concerning the description of the product and its production process

For each product covered by a certification request based on the document proposed below the applicant must list the components comprising the product and specify any possible outsourced intermediate production stages

The applicant will send the FCBA a completed descriptive sheet for each product This document shall be drawn up on the applicants headed paper

Applicant Products

Contact Job title Model reference

E-mail Weight of the complete product (excluding packaging)

Telephone Delivered assembled or flatpack

Specify the components comprising the product (1)

(2)

Materials and processing (3)

Weight of the component

concerned (kg)

If the item is subcontracted

Specify the name(s) of the

subcontractor(s) (4)

Specify the location(s) of the subcontractor (s)

(1) To avoid an exhaustive list of components comprising the product components whose weight is below 2 of the weight of the product need not be taken into account here The applicant shall however state if any substances on the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern are present in the articles in concentrations above 01 weightweight (2) We consider a component to be a product part made of either of a single-piece unit comprised of a given material or by the final assembly (by gluing welding etc) of sub-components comprised of the same material (3) The component comprises its material and where applicable its treatment or finish For example a varnished wood chair strut and melamine finished table top etc (4) Here the terms subcontractor concerns any possible outsourced intermediate production stages It may be the supplier The aim is to assess the extent of pollution migration

List of varieties of solid wood and wood-based panels used in the composition of the product (1)

List the suppliers of solid wood (1)

For each supplier specify if it possesses certification for its supplies If yes specify the

certification system

(1) The applicant is not required to complete the table shown above if it has a control chain for its supplies of wood from sustainably managed forests certified based on an independent certification system (PEFC FSC or equivalent)

List the coatings and surface treatments applied to the product (1)

List of the service providers with responsibility for surface treatments and the product

suppliers (1)

For each participant specify the location of the production area

(1) Concerns treatments and coatings for metallic items coatings for wooden or wood derivative items and coatings for plastic components Ironmongery items are not concerned




102 Criterion 2 Requirements concerning the origin and traceability of the wood used



Requirements concerning the origin and traceability of the wood used

The applicant must be aware of the forestry origins and the forestry management of the wood used to produce the eco-labelled furniture The applicantrsquos supplies must be based on current sustainable forestry management and traceability systems The eco-labelled products must be manufactured from supplies of wood material of which the percentage of certified content (based on a forestry system of the PEFC FSC type or equivalent) is

- 70 (in volume or weight) for solid wood () - 50 (in volume or weight) for wood-based panels ()

()This percentage can be calculated based on a sliding average of supplies over a maximum period of 12 months

The applicant must supply the FCBA with proof meeting the following requirements - Compliant origin of the raw materials by means of a marking system associated with a forestry certification or control chain The percentage of certification for each certified raw material must be known (generally stated on the invoice or delivery notes) and taken into account when calculating the final required percentage ‒ Valid certification of the control chains for each of its suppliers of certified raw materials ‒ The introduction of a control chain making it possible to supply information regarding the product based on information concerning the supplies of materials




103 Criterion 3 Requirements concerning the use of wood varieties



Requirements concerning the use of wood varieties

It is prohibited to use controversial wood sources (ie illegal or unauthorised) for which the commercial use and exportation are prohibited either by a local law applicable to the forest of origin in question or by a recognised international agreement

a) The applicant must be aware of the type of tree used and supply the scientific names recognised by the profession for the tree variety in question based on the NF B50-001 Wood ndash Nomenclature (January 1971) and for tropical wood varieties based as standard on the nomenclature of the Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux() b) Wood-based products must comply with the ban on the use of varieties whose commercial use and exportation are prohibited either by local laws applicable to the forest of origin in question or by a recognised international agreement (in particular the Washington CITES ndash Convention International Trade of Endangered Species) ()

()This requirement is considered as already being met for supplies covered by a control chain certification confirming that the wood has been obtained from a forest which is itself certified for its sustainable management For non-certified suppliers (from a supplier which is either non-certified or certified for another perimeter or using the physical separation method) the manufacturer must obtain the requested information and require that his suppliers complete a signed declaration on honour confirming that the raw materials supplied do not come from a controversial source The declaration must include a written commitment to supply information concerning the geographical origin (countryregion) of the raw material supplied this information being necessary in order for the manufacturer to assess risks

Outlook In the short term the FCBA will assess the impact of the following two regulatory initiatives on the auditing rules

‒ The European Union action plan on the application of Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) The Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPA) between the wood producing countries and the EU seek to ensure that it is possible to prove the legal origin of timber sold within the European Union

‒ The EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) which applies as from March 3 2013 and which seeks to ban from the EU all wood and wood-based products from illegal harvests As from this date any organisation marketing wood or wood-based products in the EU market must have introduced a system of due diligence They may be inspected subsequently and must be able to present their due diligence procedures failing which sanctions may be applied




104 Criterion 4 Requirements concerning the non-use of wood from genetically modified trees



Requirement concerning the non-use of wood from genetically modified trees

Article 2 of directive 200118CE on the voluntary dissemination of genetically modified organisms in the environment defines a GMO as an organism with the exception of human beings in which the genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating andor natural recombination

This requirement is considered as already being met for supplies covered by a control chain certification confirming that the wood has been obtained from a forest which is itself certified for its sustainable management For non-certified suppliers the applicant will supply the FCBA with a declaration on honour that no timber from genetically modified trees has been used




105 Criterion 5 requirements concerning ldquoindoor air qualityrdquo




106 Criterion 52 Requirements concerning formaldehyde emissions from panels

1061 Furniture products containing wood-based panels (excluding mattresses)

ObjectiveRequirement Formaldehyde emissions from the panels constituting the product forming the subject of the ecolabelling request will have to be characterised between now and 31122016 in accordance with the series of ISO 16000 standards (parts 3 9 and 11) or the CENTS 16516 standard The values from this test campaign will have to enable a threshold value to be established by the end of 2016 for formaldehyde emissions from the panels comprising the finished product

Scope This requirement is applicable to coated and finished panels or panels that are unprocessed and uncoated (for example unvarnished plywood) Method In order to enable the FCBA to draw up a sampling plan the applicant shall forward the FCBA a description of the panels constituting the products forming the subject of the ecolabelling request (the nature of the panel coating trim finish etc) The FCBA will make a table for collating the information available to the applicant Proof Reports less than three years old drawn up according to the series of ISO 16000 standards (parts 3 9 and 11) or standard CENTS 16516 by a laboratory accredited in accordance with the EN ISOCEI 17025 standard

Tests protocol Appendix 1 specifies the technical requirements to be complied with by the laboratories in charge of testing

Prospects Although this reference document is focused on formaldehyde emissions from materials derived from wood the medium-term objective will be to have

- Threshold values for Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs) and for certain specific Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) to be specified

- Formaldehyde emission values for other materials and even the furniture Thus gradually and without specifying the implementation date here forthcoming revisions of the NF Furnishings Environment standard will include

1 A requirement relating to the characterisation of formaldehyde releases from materials other than panels derived from wood for which formaldehyde releases are suspected

2 A requirement relating to the characterisation of releases of TVOCs for all the materials likely to emit them A requirement relating to characterisation of releases of TVOCs or a specific VOC for a finished piece of furniture that is representative of the range forming the subject of the ecolabelling request The tests already carried out by the holders may be taken into account within the context of a deviation considering that the product complies with the requirements of reference V10 which is deemed to be more restrictive Thus these holders may not have to procure panels referred to as ldquofrac12 E1rdquo panels




1062 Mattresses (excluding bed bases)

The applicant shall perform a test chamber analysis based on the standard EN ISO 16000-9 The analysis of formaldehyde and other aldehydes shall comply with the standard ISO 16000-3 the analysis of VOCs and SVOCs shall comply with the standard ISO 16000-6 Testing carried out in accordance with the standard CENTS 16516 shall be considered equivalent to those of the ISO 16000 series of standards The contribution of mattresses to the VOC content of the indoor air shall not exceed the final values reported below for a period of 7 days or alternatively 28 days

Substance Final value 7th day Final value 28th day

Formaldehyde lt 006 mgm3 lt 006 mgm3

Other aldehydes lt 006 mgm3 lt 006 mgm3

VOCs (total) lt 05 mgm3 lt 02 mgm3

SVOCs (total) lt 01 mgm3 lt 004 mgm3

Each detectable compound classified as categories C1A or

C1B according to the Regulation (EC) No 12722008

lt 0001 mgm3 lt 0001 mgm3

1063 Exclusions

An exemption to this criterion may be considered for panels that are not directly in contact with indoor air and which are coated with an airtight material that does not emit formaldehyde




107 Criterion 6 Requirements concerning plastic components

Criterion 6 Definition Proof to be supplied when preparing

the application or during on-site inspections

Requirements concerning plastic components

a) For plastic components with a weight exceeding 50 g Or for plastic parts whose unitary weight is less than 50 grams but whose total weight (calculated by type and by product) exceeds 100g of the productrsquos weight Permanent markings should make it possible to identify the materials used b) For plastic components the addition of pigments containing cadmium chrome VI or Mercury to virgin or recycled materials is forbidden c) The plastic parts must be manufactured based on a single polymer or compatible polymers for recycling purposes

a) The auditor will check the on-site conformity of the markings for plastic components based on the following standards

‒ ISO 1043 2012 - Symbols and abbreviated terms ndash Part 1 Basic polymers and their special characteristics ‒ ISO11469 2000 - Generic identification and marking of plastic products

In the specific case of multilayer products this requirement requires marking on the product stipulating the nature of the plastics present b) The applicant will supply the FCBA with a written commitment from his supplier(s) c) The applicant will specify the nature of the plastic parts and will assess compatibility part by part




108 Criterion 7 Requirements concerning textile supplies



Requirements concerning textile supplies

All of the textile coverings used must comply with the ecological criteria detailed in the European ecological label for textiles or another national or regional type I ISO label or the OEKOTEX 100 label (In the case of products intended for early childhood ndash lt 4 years ndash the textiles used and certified according to the Oekotex label must be class 1)

The applicant will supply the FCBA with certificates and if necessary the test reports from an accredited organisation

109 Criterion 8 Requirements concerning stuffing foam supplies



Requirements concerning foam supplies

a) For all types of flexible polyurethane foam (in blocks for cutting or moulded)

1 Ban on using CFC HCFC HFC etc as expansion agents 2 Obligation to specify the name of the isocyanate used in the process

b) For flexible polyurethane foam in blocks for cutting

1 Obligation to use only foam which has been certified based on the CERTIPUR or OEKOTEX 100 benchmark

c) For synthetic latex or natural latex foam 1 The butadiene content must be below 1 mgkg latex 2 The concentration of N nitrosamines must not exceed 510-4 mgmsup3 3 Obligation to use only foam which is either EUROLATEX or OEKOTEX 100 certified

a) The applicant will supply a declaration on honour from his suppliers or hellip b) The applicant will supply the FCBA with certificates and if necessary the test reports from an accredited organisation c) For synthetic latex or natural latex foam the applicant must supply

1 The test report 2 The chamber test report as per the EN 13419-1 standard 3 The certificates




1010 Criterion 9 Requirements concerning the use of flame retardants



Requirements concerning the use of flame retardants

The presence or use of the flame retardants mentioned in the lists detailed below is prohibited for the production of NF Environnement labelled furniture products

‒ Flame retardants possessing the status of candidate substances of very high concern (SVHC) in the latest applicable list as defined in the REACH (CE) REGULATION No 19072006 ‒ Flame retardants listed in Appendix XVII applicable as defined in the REACH (CE) REGULATION No 19072006 ‒ Flame retardants prohibited for use in product class IV of the applicable OEKOTEX standard 100

The applicant must supply ‒ Either a declaration confirming that no flame retardant additives have been used ‒ If a flame retardant is employed specify the flame retardants used and supply documentation (material safety data sheets for example) andor declarations confirming their compliance with this criterion




1011 Criterion 10 Requirements concerning the use of phthalates



Requirements concerning the use of phthalates

Phthalates possessing the status of candidate substances of very high concern (SVHC) in the latest applicable list as defined in the REACH (CE) regulation No 19072006 are prohibited Furthermore DNOP (di-n-octyl phtalate) DINP (di-isononyl phtalate) and DIDP (diisodecyl phtalate) are not authorised for use in the product The following references correspond to the unique CAS registration numbers defined for all chemical products polymers biological sequences and alloys by the Chemical Abstracts Service DINP CAS 28553-12-0 and 68515-48-0 DIDP CAS26761-40-0 and 68515-49-1 DNOP CAS 117-84-0

The applicant must supply a declaration of conformity vis-a-vis these criterion




1012 Criterion 11 Requirements concerning the use of nanomaterials



Requirements concerning the use of nanomaterials

Finishing products in the paints family and the polymer components of the product covered by the eco-labelling application must not contain any manufactured nanomaterials added intentionally with the goal of adding new functions or features This criterion does not apply to suspended polymer resin based binders The term intentional refers to the fact that there may exist nanoparticles which have not been necessarily manufactured in the form of traces in certain raw materials of paint

The applicant must specify if he is subject to the nanomaterials declaration If so the applicant must specify if this declaration concerns a component or use concerning the production of the furniture covered by the eco-labelling application and his declaration number If the product covered by the eco-labelling application includes a surface treatment stage andor plastic components the applicant will question his suppliers to find out their situation concerning the obligation to submit an annual declaration of nanomaterials The suppliers concerned will supply the declaration number Among other things the applicant will supply documents providing evidence of the written or electronic request and reminders

A reminder of the legal and regulatory framework

bull The obligation to submit an annual declaration of nanomaterials was introduced and defined by articles L 523-1 to L 523-5 of the French environmental code and article L 5161-1 of the French public health code

bull Decree number 2012-232 of February 17 2012 specified the application terms of this declaration and among other things added articles in the regulatory section of the French environmental code (articles R 523-12 to R 523-21)

bull The decree of August 6 2012 (published on August 10 2012) more precisely defined the information to be declared and the conditions under which the declaration must be presented

bull The notice of January 1 2013 specified that the declaration must be made in electronic form on the dedicated website for this purpose wwwr-nanofr

The scheme is force since January 1 2013




1013 Criterion 12 Requirements concerning glass and mirrors



Requirements concerning glass and mirrors

a) For glass and mirror components of furniture items certified in accordance with NF ENVIRONNEMENT AMEUBLEMENT volatile pollutant emissions must correspond as a minimum to category A as defined by the decree of April 19 2011 concerning the labelling of construction products wall or floor coatings and paint or varnishes concerning their volatile pollutant emissions b) For mirrors the level of residual lead in the protective varnish must be below 2000ppm (or 02 in weight)

a) The applicant will supply the FCBA with analysis reports from an accredited laboratory b) For mirrors the applicant will supply the FCBA with the analysis report from an accredited laboratory




1014 Criterion 13 Requirements concerning the packaging system for the finished product



Requirements concerning the packaging system

a) All packaging materials must be easily separable by hand into recyclable parts comprised of a single material (for example cardboard paper plastic textiles) The absence of markings is considered acceptable for the following materials

‒ Cardboard ‒ Profiles ‒ Polystyrene ‒ Stretch film and shrink wrap ‒ Covers

b) When the main packaging for the product is produced from fibreboard this must be comprised of a minimum of 40 recycled materials

‒ When the product andor its components are packed in plastic bags these bags must be comprised of at least 25 recycled materials or must be biodegradable or compostable as per the definitions detailed in the EN 13432-3 standard ‒ These requirements apply both to the packs for the finished products and packs for any supplies or subassemblies used in its composition (supplierrsquos packaging)

c) The use of a complex composite which by its nature is non-recyclable is allowed in the case of multi-trip packs for which the applicant can provide proof that these are reused

a) This criterion will be checked in the assembly-packing areas During the successive audits the applicant must supply FCBA with proof of continuous improvement b) The applicant must provide relevant proof from his suppliers




1015 Criterion 14 Requirements concerning bulk-optimisation during downstream transport



Requirements concerning the transportation of the products

a) The applicant must make available to the auditor all items confirming commitments entered into to optimise the bulk of his products b) The applicant must obtain details from his usual hauliers concerning their commitments as part of the French Objective CO2 programme

a) The applicant may also demonstrate his system through the tracking of indicators (for example vehicle capacity usage for trucks the ratio of the number of ordersnumber of trucks) or through the creation of instructions concerning among other things loading plans or the inclusion of such factors in product design b) For each of its service providers participating in the system the applicant must collect ‒ The charter signed by the regional

prefect the general manager of the ADEME and the company

‒ The summary information sheet detailing the companys commitment entered by the company on the wwwobjectifco2fr website

A reminder concerning the legal and regulatory framework

‒ The circular of May 27 2013 concerning the regional implementation of the French Objective CO2 charter in the road haulage and passenger transport industries




1016 Criterion 15 Requirements concerning the productrsquos fitness for purpose



Requirements concerning the productrsquos fitness for purpose

The products covered by the eco-labelling application must comply with fitness for purpose requirements as defined in the technical requirements for the product certification mark in question

The applicant must supply the FCBA with test reports and monitoring audit reports issued by accredited bodies The certificate issued for the product certification in question may be submitted instead of the above-mentioned reports

1017 Criterion 16 Requirements concerning the controlled energy consumption of lighting features incorporated within the product



Requirements concerning the controlled energy consumption of lighting features

The energy efficiency class of lights included by the applicant must as a minimum fall within category A as defined in table 1 of appendix VI Delegated regulation (EU) No 8742012 from the Commission dated July 12 2012

The applicant will supply the FCBA with information concerning the labelling of the lamps


‒ Delegated regulation (EU) No 8742012 from the Commission dated July 12 2012 supplementing directive 201030EU from the European Parliament and the Council concerning the energy labelling of electric lamps and lights Appendix VI of the rule defines seven energy efficiency classes from (E) for the least energy efficient products (A++) for the most energy efficient products

‒ From September 1 2013 a European regulation (EU Reg No 11942012 from the Commission dated December 12 2012 OJEU No L 342 December 14) also guarantees the quality of the products marketed




1018 Criterion 17 Requirements concerning information to be supplied to the user



Requirements concerning information to be supplied to the user

For each product bearing the eco-label in addition to The labelling detailed in sect Reproduction of the NF Environnement - Ameublement logo (NF Environment ndash Furnishings) on the certified product Information specific to the certified characteristics detailed in sect Information concerning the certified characteristics of the product The following information must also be supplied to the end users by the applicant

a) The wording stating that the product has obtained the NF ENVIRONNEMENT FURNITURE ecological label accompanied by a brief recap of the meaning of this label and a statement that more detailed information is available at the following website wwwnf-environnement-ameublementcom b) End of life information for the furniture (general information stating among other things the existence of a specific collection and processing system for furniture waste) c) Information concerning the upkeep of the furniture item d) Where applicable information concerning the substances identified on the candidate list for authorisation as being of very high concern present in the items beyond a level of 01 weightweight e) Instructions for optional use from an economic viewpoint

Requirement a) applies to all promotional andor technical material describing the products covered by the eco-label under the terms of the present benchmark to all advertising formal quotations or tenders

The applicant will supply the FCBA with all documents and media referring to the products in eco-labelling




1019 Criterion 18 Requirements concerning user services



Requirements concerning extensions to the usage period of a product

The extension to the usage period depends among other things on the possibility of acquiring additional components or products including on a unitary basis The applicant agrees that for a period of five years as from the date on which the stoppage of the range concerned occurs original functional components and components fulfilling equivalent functions will be supplied Any change of components should not endanger the users

The applicant will supply the FCBA with its sales warranties

1020 Criterion 19 The separability of materials



The possibilities to separate any components with a weight exceeding 50 g at the end of the items usable life

The term component refers to a part of the product comprised either of a single piece of a given material or by the final assembly (by gluing welding etc) of subassemblies comprised of the same material the component includes the material and its finishing system (see note 1)

The manufacturer must make the product to be certified available to the auditor in order to test dismantling in situ For quality reasons concerning the quality of the finished product the coatings on wood-based panels (melamine plywood or equivalent) and edge strips are not concerned by this requirement

1021 Thoughts on the inclusion of other criteria

The present benchmark does not include any criteria concerning leather Future revisions will take account of criteria established during the work underway by the European Commission for the creation of an eco-label concerning leather items




11 APPENDIX

111 APPENDIX 1 appendix to criterion 5 - Formaldehyde

Furniture (excluding Mattress)

This appendix brings together the technical information required for the implementation of tests by laboratories

Criterion Test protocol Proof to be provided

Requirements relating to the formaldehyde emissions of the compounds in wood-based panels that are coated and finished

Emission test in accordance with the series of ISO 16000 standards (parts 3 9 and 11) or standard CENTS 16516

Packaging transport and storage of the sample in packaging that is airtight and impervious to UV

Packaging of the test piece in an emission test chamber at a temperature of 23degC and with a relative humidity of 50 for 28 days

Loading rate in the emission test chamber of 1 m2m3

Air replacement rate of 05 h-1

After 28 days of packaging sampling of the air in the emission test chamber using a silica gel cartridge impregnated with DNPH and analysis of the formaldehyde using HPLCUV

Expression of the results as formaldehyde-specific emission factors (microg(m2h))

Test report from a laboratory with EN ISOCEI 17025 certification

1 The test conditions required in the table (loading rate of 1 m2m3 air replacement rate of 05 h-1) may be adjusted depending on the chamberrsquos dimensions In all cases the operating conditions to be applied in the emission test chamber will have to fulfil the following specifications

- A specific ventilation rate of 05 m3(m2h) - A loading rate of 05 to 2 m2m3 - An air replacement rate of 025 to 15 h-1

2 The test piece will have to remain in the emission test chamber throughout the test period

3 To avoid any cross-contamination it is necessary to package the samples necessary for sending to the laboratory and storage before the test They may be wrapped in aluminium foil and then placed in an unprinted sealed polyethylene bag Preferably the maximum timeframe between the manufacturing date and conducting the test in the laboratory must not exceed 8 weeks

4 If the sample has to be adapted to the dimensions of the emission test chamber (by being split into one or more test pieces) the test piece will be split up at the centre where the sample was taken

5 If the 2 sides are symmetrical only one side of the test piece (chosen randomly) will be used for emission purposes The other side and the 4 edges of the test piece will immediately be stopped up after preparation




6 If the 2 sides are dissymmetrical preparation of the test piece will depend on the use made of the component in the furniture product

a The sides are dissymmetrical but only one side is really in contact with indoor air (the door of a kitchen cabinet the sides of or a drawer in a chest of drawers the bottom of a piece of furniture etc) The exposed side will always have to be the one that is in contact with indoor air The rear side and the 4 edges of the test piece will immediately be stopped up after preparation

b The sides are dissymmetrical and the two sides are in contact with indoor air (a desktop the seat of chair with several bends in its surface etc) The 2 sides will have

to be used for emission purposes with only the 4 edges of the test piece being immediately stopped up after preparation

7 A secondary method may be applied provided that it is equivalent to the reference method (as per the series of ISO 16000 standards (parts 3 9 and 11) or standard CENTS 16516) and a validation file as per the specifications of the EN ISOCEI 17025 standard may be presented if necessary by the laboratory conducting the tests




Mattress (excluding bed base)

Values are calculated with the emission test chamber method and with reference to the European Reference Room by analogy with the procedure specified in the document entitled ldquoHealth-related Evaluation Procedure for Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions from Building Productsrdquo developed by the AgBB (version 2012 available at httpswwwumweltbundesamtdesitesdefaultfilesmedien355dokumenteagbb_evaluation_scheme_2012_3pdf Test results shall be calculated for an area specific ventilation rate ldquoqrdquo = 05 m3m2h corresponding to a loading factor ldquoLrdquo of 1 m2m3 and an air exchange rate ldquonrdquo of 05 per hour In all cases the total surface of all surfaces (top bottom and sides) of the mattress determine the area used to calculate the loading factor The test shall be performed on an entire mattress Should this not be possible for any reason any of the following alternative procedures for testing may be applied

a performing the test on a representative sample of the mattress (ie one half one quarter or one eighth) cut edges shall be closed airtight by appropriate means In order to provide a conservative estimation of the concentration values for the entire mattress the concentrations recorded for a sample shall be scaled-up by volume (ie emissions will be multiplied by a factor of 2 4 or 8)

b performing the test for each separate element forming part of the mattress In order

to provide a conservative estimation of the concentration values expected for the entire mattress contributions registered for the different elements will be combined using the formula CM = S witimesCi where

- ldquoCMrdquo (μgtimesmndash3) is the overall contribution for the entire mattress - ldquoCirdquo (μgtimesmndash3timeskgi

ndash1) is the contribution per unit of mass given by each element ldquoirdquo forming part of the mattress

- ldquowirdquo (kgi) is the weight of the element ldquoirdquo in the entire mattress

The emissions of all elements of the mattress shall be added together without taking into account any barrier effects or adsorption (worst-case approach)




112 APPENDIX 2 proposed declaration template for the applicant holderrsquos subcontractorssuppliers

The present document may be used by the applicantholder for the collection of information from supplierssubcontractors for criteria 6 8 9 10 11

To be printed on the companyrsquos headed paper

Declaration of compliance with the chemical requirements of the NF Environment- Furnishings standard

[DQ-CERT 17-307 ndash revision 12]

The company helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Represented by helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip acting in hisher capacity as helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Hereby declares that

- It has familiarised itself with the REACh regulation

- All products preparations or materials delivered to the company XXX comply with the obligations of the REACh regulation its appendices and subsequent texts

- It does not and will not supply the company XXX with items containing a SVHC in a concentration exceeding 01 of the mass of the sent items

- All necessary measures will be taken to ensure the satisfactory application of article 33 of the REACh regulation

- It has been informed that the company XXX reserves the right to verify the production of any item or substance used in the preparation of its orders at any stage

- It will not intentionally incorporate the following substances in the production of its products nor in any homogeneous part of its products

Pigments containing cadmium chrome VI or Mercury in virgin or recycled materials for plastic components

Flame retardants from the following lists of substances

o Candidate substances of very high concern (SVHC)

o Substances forbidden for use in product class IV of the OEKOTEX standard 100 as defined in Appendix 4 ndash Limit values and Fastness

Halogenated organic blowing agents CFC HFC HCFC

Phthalates plasticizers DNOP DINP DIDP in addition to those on the list of candidate substances of very high concern (SVHC)

Nano-materials in finishing products (paint varnish) and in plastic polymers

This declaration must be accompanied by a nomenclature of the product materials including a list containing all items and homogeneous parts of this product

For items manufactured based on a specific chemical formula (foam for example) or any treatment or mixtures used to give the product a specific function (for example glues adhesives plasticizers colouring agents) please supply the material safety data sheets for the substances andor mixtures used

Signed at helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip on helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

Signature and company stamp




CONTENTS

1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE 5

11 Products concerned 5

12 Definition of the applicant 5

13 The contents of the certification benchmark and related documents 5

14 Eco-labelling and regulations 6

2 CRITERIA TO BE MET FORMS OF PROOF AND QUALITY-RELATED REQUIREMENTS 6

21 Prior description of the product for which the application is being submitted 6

22 The criteria applicable to the product 6

23 Quality-related requirements 6

3 OBTAINING THE CERTIFICATION 7

31 Submitting an application for certification 7

32 Presentation of the application 7

33 Types of certification applications (CA) 8

34 Inspection requirements and the organisation of initial and monitoring audits of the

production unit 8 341 Technical and environmental audit 9 342 Audit of the initial Quality Assurance system 10


4 DISPLAYING THE CERTIFICATION 11

41 The reproduction of the NF Environnement - Furniture logo on the certified product 12

42 Reproduction of the NF Environnement - Furniture logo on documentation and in

advertising 12

43 De-marking conditions 12

44 Information specific to the certified characteristics of the product 13

45 Marking Model 13

5 CERTIFICATION MAINTENANCE monitoring requirements 14

51 Monitoring requirements 14

52 The organisation of monitoring audits 14


54 The declaration of modifications 15 541 Modifications concerning the holder 15 542 Modifications concerning the production site 16 543 Modifications concerning the quality organisation of the production unit 16 544 Modifications concerning the NF Environnement ndash Furniture certified product and withdrawal of certification 16

6 PARTICIPANTS 16

61 AFNOR Certification 16

62 AUTHORISED ORGANISATION 16

63 THE COMITE FRANCcedilAIS DES ECOLABELS (French eco-label committee) 17

7 THE PRICING SYSTEM 17

71 Investigation costs 17




72 Usage charge 17








9 GLOSSARY 20






trees 25











product 35


transport 36








11 APPENDIX 40










1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE





- The environment



































































































































45 Marking Model

















































6 PARTICIPANTS























72 Usage charge


73 Operating costs


















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11 APPENDIX







































































72 Usage charge 17








9 GLOSSARY 20






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product 35


transport 36








11 APPENDIX 40










1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE





- The environment



































































































































45 Marking Model

















































6 PARTICIPANTS























72 Usage charge


73 Operating costs


















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11 APPENDIX












































































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11 APPENDIX




































































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