Korea Eco-label Standards

EL725
Revised 14. MAR. 2012

Ministry of Environment

Synthetic Resin Moulding Material for

Structures
EL725:2012

http://www.me.go.kr
Publisher: Minister of
Environment
Publication: 16. MAY. 2008 Ministry of Environment Notification No. 2008-72
Final revision: 14. MAR. 2012 Ministry of Environment Notification No. 2012-36
Prepared by the president KEITI
For opinions and inquiries on this standards, please contact the KEITI Environmental
Certification Strategy Office(Tel. 1577-7360), or refer to the website(http://el.keiti.re.kr).
 Contents

Foreword................................................................................................................................ii
1 Scope............................................................................................................................. 1
2 Normative references ..................................................................................................... 1
3 Terms and definitions ..................................................................................................... 1
4 Environment related criteria............................................................................................ 2
4.1 The usage rate of inorganic additives and waste synthetic resin ........................... 2
4.2 Prohibited materials .............................................................................................. 2
4.3 The content of harmful elements ........................................................................... 3
4.4 The number of material of synthetic resins ............................................................ 3
5 Quality Criteria ............................................................................................................... 4
6 Consumer Information .................................................................................................... 4
7 Verification methods and test methods ........................................................................... 4
7.1 General ................................................................................................................. 4
7.2 Verification methods .............................................................................................. 4
7.3 Test method of harmful element content................................................................ 5
8 Reasons for certification ................................................................................................. 6

–i–
 Foreword

This standard is the certification criteria for environmental covers revised through
deliberation of a committee to set up the certification criteria according to the procedure
specified in the ｢Environmental Technology and Environmental Industry Support Act｣.

Accordingly, EL725 Synthetic Resin Moulding Material for Structures 【EL725-2008/1/2008-

72】 was revised and incorporated into this standard.

It should be noted that parts of this standard may in conflict with patent rights having
technical characteristics, patent applications after laying-open of application, utility model
rights or application for the utility model registration after laying-open of application. The
Minister of Environment shall have no responsibility for confirmation of matters related to
patent rights having technical characteristics, patent applications after laying-open of
application, utility model rights or application for the utility model registration after laying-
open of application.

–ii–
–iii–
EL725. Synthetic Resin Moulding Material for Structures
[EL725-2012-36]

1 Scope
This criteria applies to the moulding material of synthetic resin product for structures that require durability
in order to withstand continuous loading, such as the housing of electric/electronic products or the interior
material of vehicles, in a form of pallet, flake or chip before moulding.Rubber type polymers and paste
type products, however, shall be excluded.

2 Normative references

The following documents, in whole or in part, are indispensable for application of this standard.
For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of
the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

KS C IEC 62321, Procedures for theDetermination of Levels of Six Regulated Substances

(Lead,Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, Polybrominated Biphenyls, Polybrominated
Diphenyl Ethers) in Electrotechnical Products
KS C IEC 62321-4, Determination of certain substances in electrotechnical products – Part 4:
Mercury in polymers, metals and electronics by CV-AAS, CV-AFS, ICP-OES and ICP-MS
KS C IEC 62321-5, Determination of certain substances in electrotechnical products – Part 5:
Cadmium, lead and chromium in polymers and electronics and cadmium and lead in metals by
AAS, AFS, ICP-OES and ICP-MS
KS Q 5002, Statistical technique of data
IEC 62321-7-1, Determination of certain substances in electrotechnical products ― Part 7-1:
Hexavalent chromium ― Presence of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in colourless and coloured
corrosion-protected coatings on metals by the colorimetric method

3 Terms and definitions

This standard uses the following Definition of Terms.

3.1
Synthetic Resin
Single or multiple types of polymer product, and a polymer product with added additive or filler for
performance enhancement.

3.2
Waste Synthetic Resin
“post-consumer waste synthetic resin” and “pre-consumer waste synthetic resin”

3.3
Post-Consumer Waste Synthetic Resin
A waste synthetic resin generated at the end of the life cycle of a product after the product has been
distributed through the normal distribution cycle and used for its intended purpose.

3.4

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Pre-Consumer Waste Synthetic Resin
A waste synthetic resin that is generated as a form of scrap from the manufacturing process, which
couldnot be used as a product. However, waste synthetic resin that is generated from a product
manufacturing process and reused in the same manufacturing process as a raw material shall be
excluded.

4 Environment related criteria

Environment related items considering the whole process of synthetic resin moulding material
for structures given in the Table 1.

Table 1 ― Environment related items considering the whole process of synthetic resin
moulding material for structures
Step Environment related item Effect to improve environment
Acquire raw materials ― ―
Usage rate of inorganic additives and waste  Resources saving
Manufacture synthetic resin  Recycling available resources
Prohibited materials Reduce use of harmful substance
Distribute‧use‧
― ―
consume
Reduce emission of harmful
Discard The content of harmful elements
substance
Recycle The number of material of synthetic resins Effective resource recycling

4.1 The usage rate of inorganic additives and waste synthetic resin

With respect to the consumption of resources in the manufacturing process, among the
component materials of the product other than organic and inorganic additives, the contents of
the inorganic additives contained in the product shall be lower than 40 weight%, and the use of
‘post-consumer waste synthetic resin’ shall be over 25 weight%.

4.2 Prohibited materials

Products should not be used the following compounds.

a) Product shall not use organic tin compound (TBT, TPT), lead, cadmium, mercury and their
compounds and hexavalent chromium.
b) PBBs (polybrominated biphenyls), PBDEs (polybromodiphenyl ethers) or SCCP (short-
chain chlorinated paraffin (C=10∼13)) with a chlorine concentration of over 50% shall not be
used as flame retardant substance.
c) Harmful substances contained in the product shall meet the following requirements.

Note Each material list is applied with Part 3 (Harmonized classification and labelling tables)
of EU Regulation(EC) No. 1272/2008 appendix Ⅵ.

Table 2 ― EU CLP GHS Classification/Marking Code and Description according to UN

GHS

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 Code Description
carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances:
H340 may cause genetic defects
H341 suspected of causing genetic defects
H350 may cause cancer
H360F may damage fertility
H360FD may damage fertility, may damage the unborn child
H361d suspected of damaging the unborn child
toxic substances:
H373 may cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure

4.3 The content of harmful elements

Harmful substances contained in the product shall meet the Table 3.

Table 3 ― The content criteria of harmful elements

Cadmium Mercury Hexavalent

Item Lead (Pb) PBBs PBDEs
(Cd) (Hg) Chrome a(Cr6+)
Criteria
≤ 1000 ≤ 100 ≤ 1000 ≤ 1000 ≤ 1000 ≤ 1000
(mg/Kg)
a
The requirement is considered as having been satisfied if the total content of chromium (Cr) is below
1,000 mg/kg.

4.4 The number of material of synthetic resins

With respect to reuse in the manufacturing process or reusability when the product is disposed,
a product shall be one type of polymer (homo-polymer or co-polymer) or recyclable mixing
material (polymer alloy).

4.4 The number of synthetic resin materials

A product shall be one type of polymer (homo-polymer or co-polymer) or recyclable mixing
material (polymer alloy).

Note If synthetic resin is mixed, ‘compatibility between thermoplastic resins’ for the purpose
of evaluation of recyclability of mixed synthetic resin is as follows, where the level that does not
compromise the recyclability is ‘3’ or higher.
Additive of plastic
Classification
PE PVC PS PC PP PA POM SAN ABS PBTP PETP PMMA
PE 1 4 4 4 1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
PVC 4 1 4 4 4 4 4 1 2 4 4 1
PS 4 4 1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
PC 4 3 4 1 4 4 4 1 1 1 1 1
Plastic matrix
PP 3 4 4 4 1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
PA 4 4 3 4 4 1 4 4 4 3 3 4
POM 4 4 4 4 4 4 1 4 4 3 4 4
SAN 4 1 4 1 4 4 4 1 1 4 4 1

3
 ABS 4 2 4 1 4 4 3 4 1 3 3 1
PBTP 4 4 4 1 4 3 4 4 3 1 4 4
PETP 4 4 3 1 4 3 4 4 3 4 1 4
PMMA 4 1 3 1 4 4 3 1 1 4 4 1
Note 1 1: Good, 2: Good in limited range, 3: Good if amount is small, 4: Not good
Note 2 Source: German Engineer Association (VDI: VereinDeutscherIngenieure) VDI 2243 Part 1

5 Quality Criteria
5.1 Concerned products shall have proven performance or quality recognized in relevant
industrial fields where they are used. However, this provision shall not apply to items related to
Section 4(Environment-related Standards) with respect to quality and performance standards.

5.2 If there are Korea Industrial Standards, the relevant standards and functions comply
with following standards excepting the item related to section 4(Environmental Standards).

6 Consumer Information
The product certification reasons that relevant products contribute to the reduction of
environmental impact should be indicated in the product catalog.

e.g.) Statements that indicate the ratio of used recycled synthetic resin and recyclability after
product is used (applicable to the product that can be recycled only), features related to quality
and safety such as non-use of harmful substances

7 Verification methods and test methods

7.1 General

a) The number of test specimens is one piece per each applied product in principle. But, the
number may increase depending on the situation.
b) The test specimens shall be randomly collected by an Eco Mark accredited certification
agency among commercial products or those stored at the production site.
c) The test result for each test item shall be closed with the numerical value having a cipher
that is one higher than the cipher mentioned in the relevant standard under KS Q 5002. If
rules for rounding of numerical value are specified in concerned testing method, such rules
shall be observed.

Note Details for the cipher should be mentioned in the test report.

7.2 Verification methods

Test methods and verification methods by each item of the certification criteria are given in
Table 4.

Table 4 ― Verification method by certification standard

Certification criteria Test and verification methods

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 4.1 Check the submitted document
Environmental 4.2 Check the submitted document
Standard 4.3 Test report of authorized agency according to 7.1 and 7.3
4.4 Check the submitted document
5.1 Check the submitted document a
Quality
Standards Test report of authorized agency in accordance relevant standard
5.2
or certificate of equivalent
Consumer Information Check the submitted document.
a
Measurement result based on an internationally acceptable objective test method shall be specified.

7.3 Test method of harmful element content

7.3.1 General

Parts to be tested to determine harmful element contents shall be the parts sampled randomly
by organizations entrusted with environmental labeling certification. Samples that will be tested
to determine contents shall be in principle prepared as homogeneous materials after undergoing
processes including pulverization by basic unit of parts.

Note This method is the example of the test to verify contents of lead(Pb), cadmium(Cd),
mercury(Hg) and hexavalent chrome(Cr6+). Other methods can check the contents by an
objective test method used internationally. It is decided for the property of relevant method
applications through reviews of the certification deliberation committee.

7.3.2 Analysis method of lead(Pb), cadmium(Cd), mercury(Hg), hexavalent

chromium(Cr6+), total chromium(Cr), PBBs, PBDEs

The analysis method by harmful elements is as follows.

a) Lead(Pb), cadmium(Cd), total chromium(Cr): KS C IEC 62321-5

b) Hydrargyrum (Hg): KS C IEC 62321-4
c) Hexavalent chromium (Cr6+): the detection hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) from a high
polymer and electric products by dust spot method according to appendix C of IEC 62321-
7-1, KS C IEC 62321

Note When the total chromium (Cr) in a high polymer is not detected, the test of hexavalent
chromium (Cr6+) may not be conducted.

d) PBBs, PBDEs: KS C IEC 62321

5
8 Reasons for certification

Improveme Reduction of Reduction of Reduction of Reduction

Category Reduction of
nt of Energy environme- regional life of noise
of harmful
resource savingb ntal pollution environmen- e environme- and
reasons substances
circulationa on earthc talpollutiond ntalpollutionf vibrationg

oncerned ● ●
a
Resource saving, water saving, improvement of recycling, recycling of effective resources and etc.
b
Energy saving, use of renewable energy and etc.
c
Reduction of greenhouse gas emission, reduction of ozone layer-depleting substance emission and etc.
d
Reduction of air pollutant emission, reduction of water pollutant emission, reduction of soil pollutant emission,
reduction of waste discharge, better biodegradation and etc.
e
Reduction of use of harmful substances, reduction of exposure to harmful substances and etc.
f
Reduction of indoor air pollutant emission, reduction of light pollution and etc.
g
Low noise, reduction of vibration

6
Common Criteria, Notice No. 2016-134, the Ministry of Environment

1. Those who have received the certifications for Eco-label shall comply with the environment
regulation standard during the certification period. However, even when the person violates
the environment regulation standard, if the person submits the detailed violation, an
improvement measure and a measure to prevent a repeat of the violation including the
following items to the president of the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute
(hereinafter referred to as “the president of Technology Institute”) and takes the measure
within 1 month from the date of violation, the person shall be considered to comply with the
criteria.
A. List of environment regulation standard in the person’s location

B. System to implement the environment regulation standard (including an organization

chart describing each person’s role)

C. Regulation for storing records and documents related to the environment regulation
standard.
2. With respect to marks of ‘information for consumers’ specified in the certification criteria by
each subject, the following matters shall be complied with.
A. Product-related ‘information for consumers’ shall be marked on the product cover.
However, if the president of Technology Institute recognizes that it is not possible or
undesirable to mark it on the product cover, it can be marked on an appropriate part
where consumers can perceive relevant information such as product package, a
product guide or a user guide.
B. Service-related ‘information for consumers’ shall be marked inside and outside the
building in the business site where service is operated. However, if the president of
Technology Institute recognizes that it is not possible or undesirable to mark it inside
and outside the building in the business site where service is operated, it can be
marked on an appropriate part where consumers can perceive relevant information
such as a contract, a delivery statement, a letter of warranty or promotion materials.
3. Those who are to receive certification for Eco-label or have receive the certification shall
comply with the ｢Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising｣ for establishing an order for fair
trade and for protecting consumers.

7
4. The person shall not conduct unfair marks, labeling or advertising related to the
environmental aspects of the product in accordance with the Article 16-10 of the law.
5. With respect to various standards cited in the certification criteria for each product, the latest
version of standard when applying for the certification shall be applied unless otherwise
specified. In addition, in case that the regulation criteria is strengthened more strictly than
that certification criteria for each product due to revision of relevant laws or regulations, the
strengthened criteria shall be tentatively applied. Also, in case that the criteria are abolished,
the criteria before abolition shall be tentatively applied by when the relevant certification
criteria are revised.
6. In case that it is judged that the application of quality-related criteria in accordance with the
certification criteria for each product is not suitable, the president of Technology Institute
can set and implement the quality criteria for relevant products.

[Verification method in accordance with the certification criteria]

1. The test report in accordance with the specified test methods means a test report issued by
an agency designated by the president of Technology Institute among the following items.
However, if the person who applied for certification of Eco-label seeks to be verified with the
test result implemented by a testing or inspecting laboratory not corresponding to one of the
following items, the person shall get confirmation and verification in the presence of a
professional designated by the president of Technology Institute.
A. Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute in accordance with the Sub-clause
12, Clause 4, Article 5 of the law
B. Testing/ inspecting laboratory recognized in the accrediting system for testing/
inspecting laboratories in accordance with the Article 23 of the ｢Framework Act on

National Standards｣ (e.g. testing/ inspecting laboratory accredited by KOLAS)

C. Testing/ inspecting laboratory designated and accredited by the president of central
administrative agencies in accordance with relevant laws
D. Foreign testing/ inspecting laboratory complying with the international standard,
ISO/IEC 17025
E. Testing/ inspecting laboratory recognized by the president of Technology Institute in
case that it is difficult to conduct a test in the laboratories specified from A to D.

8
2. In case that the president of Technology Institute requests test-related materials, the
testing/ inspecting laboratory that issued a test report in accordance with the clause 1 shall
follow the request as long as there is no specific reason. If the laboratory rejects the request
without any reasonable cause, the laboratory may be restricted to conduct a requested test.
3. With respect to verification of submitted documents, whether it complies with the
certification criteria shall be verified with the test reports, statement of raw materials
supply/production, certificates related to the product, user guides or manuals or products
that are submitted by the person who seeks for certification of Eco-label in order to verify
that the product complies with relevant criteria. In case of service, it can include
performance materials, documentary evidence and photos of the side. However, if it is
difficult to verify it only with the submitted documents, tests corresponding to the clause 1
may be added.
4. In case that the person who has already receive the certification seeks for additional
certification on models using the same materials, parts or components as the certified
product, the existing verification result may be applied to relevant raw materials, parts or
components. However, the test report in accordance with the clause 1 shall be that issued
within 12 months from the date of applying certification.
5. In case that the person gets certification in accordance with the Sub-clause 2, Clause 3,
Article 4, the president of Technology Institute shall randomly select a sample from models
in the product line for verification.
6. In case that the person gets certification in accordance with the Sub-clause 3, Clause 3,
Article 4, the president of Technology Institute shall randomly select a sample from models
in the product line for verification. However, with respect to environment-related or quality-
related criteria which may be influenced by the wholly or partly different environmental
aspects and quality information among models, each model shall be verified.