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  3. Sanitary Products 023

Sanitary Products 023

The product group covers a wide range of product types: diapers, sanitary pads and tampons, incontinence protection, foam wash cloths, cotton buds, cover sheets and dental products.

The most important environmental impact from sanitary products comes from the production of the raw materials, such as cellulose pulp, cotton and various plastic parts. The requirements for Nordic Swan Ecolabelled sanitary products include energy consumption, emissions to air and water and the use of chemicals. The cotton must be organically grown.

Below you will find all the necessary documents and background information to apply for the Nordic Swan Ecolabel.

    1. Start your application process by reading the criteria document below and find out if your product can obtain the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. 
    2. Read your Application Guide.
    3. Get your login credentials.
    4. Now you are ready to enter the Nordic Ecolabelling Portal.

     

    To the Portal                                             Get login credentials

     

  • The criteria document for sanitary products is an overall document for the commodity groups:

    • Baby and incontinence care
    • Ladycare
    • Others

    Fees are charged per commodity group according to the price list below.

     

    Fees valid from 1 January 2025

    Type of fee Amount
    Application fee including one on-site inspection within the Nordic region *) 3 348 EUR + VAT. Used pulps must be inspected.
    Renewal fee* 1 673 EUR + VAT. Used pulps must be inspected.
    More than one inspection visit within the Nordic region** 557 EUR + VAT per visit
    Inspection visits in Europe** 1 673 EUR + VAT per visit
    Inspection visits outside Europe** 2 790 EUR + VAT per visit
    Extension of existing licence*** Extension of existing or changes in licence

    < 4 hours: 418 EUR + VAT
    < 8 hours: 836 EUR + VAT
    ≥ 8 hours: 1 673 EUR + VAT

    If the extension contains new pulp, these must be inspected. 

    Annual licence fee: The annual licence fee for the Nordic Swan Ecolabelled products is based on their turnover in the Nordic countries.

    		 0.3% of turnover + VAT per year for 0 - 30.9 million EUR.      
    0.1% of turnover + VAT per year for > 30.9 million EUR.
    Minimum fee for Nordic region 2 232 EUR + VAT per year
    Maximum fee for Nordic region No maximum fee

    Fees for sale outside the Nordic region          
    (Only if revenue > 300 000 EUR per year)

    		 2 232 EUR + VAT per year

    * When both the applicant and the manufacturer are micro-enterprises, the fee is reduced by 50%. A micro-enterprise is in this context defined as an enterprise with less than 10 employees and an annual turnover (of both ecolabelled and not ecolabelled products) below 2 million EUR.

    ** Where audits requires more than one day away from the office including travelling, Nordic Ecolabelling can invoice an additional fee of 1 083 EUR per extra day. Other extraordinary costs induced by the audit can also be invoiced the applicant.

    *** As for an extension of or amendments to a licence, time consumed in connection with the review process will be invoiced according to the extent of the required task. We make a distinction between entirely administrative tasks that last less than 1 hour, and all other tasks that last between 1 and 4 hours, between 4 and 8 hours and more than 8 hours.

    The recipient is liable for the VAT according to article 56 of the Council Directive 2006/112/EC.
    All information given on this site is subject to a disclaimer for errors and omissions.

     

    Fees valid from 1 January 2024

    Type of fee Amount
    Application fee including one on-site inspection within the Nordic region *) 3 251 EUR + VAT. Used pulps must be inspected.
    Renewal fee* 1 625 EUR + VAT. Used pulps must be inspected.
    More than one inspection visit within the Nordic region** 541 EUR + VAT per visit
    Inspection visits in Europe** 1 625 EUR + VAT per visit
    Inspection visits outside Europe** 2 709 EUR + VAT per visit
    Extension of existing licence*** Extension of existing or changes in licence

    < 4 hours: 406 EUR + VAT
    < 8 hours: 812 EUR + VAT
    ≥ 8 hours: 1 625 EUR + VAT

    If the extension contains new pulp, these must be inspected. 

    Annual licence fee: The annual licence fee for the Nordic Swan Ecolabelled products is based on their turnover in the Nordic countries.

    		 0.3 % of turnover + VAT per year for 0 - 30 million EUR.      
    0.1 % of turnover + VAT per year for > 30 million EUR.
    Minimum fee for Nordic region 2 167 EUR + VAT per year
    Maximum fee for Nordic region No maximum fee

    Fees for sale outside the Nordic region          
    (Only if revenue > 300 000 EUR per year)

    		 2 167 EUR + VAT per year

    * When both the applicant and the manufacturer are micro-enterprises, the fee is reduced by 50%. A micro-enterprise is in this context defined as an enterprise with less than 10 employees and an annual turnover (of both ecolabelled and not ecolabelled products) below 2 million EUR.

    ** Where audits requires more than one day away from the office including travelling, Nordic Ecolabelling can invoice an additional fee of 1 083 EUR per extra day. Other extraordinary costs induced by the audit can also be invoiced the applicant.

    *** As for an extension of or amendments to a licence, time consumed in connection with the review process will be invoiced according to the extent of the required task. We make a distinction between entirely administrative tasks that last less than 1 hour, and all other tasks that last between 1 and 4 hours, between 4 and 8 hours and more than 8 hours.

    The recipient is liable for the VAT according to article 56 of the Council Directive 2006/112/EC.
    All information given on this site is subject to a disclaimer for errors and omissions.

  • In the criteria document, you can read about how to document and verify compliance for each requirement. You can also find other application documents here.

  • When your customer applies for a Nordic Swan Ecolabel licence, they will need their suppliers' help in their application process. Every item in the product to be licenced has to be declared for.

    Suppliers wishing to declare their items, i.e. pulp and chemicals, can do so in the MSA Portal. You will be issued a personal account to ensure that all information is correct in a secure manner.

    But first, please visit the Pulp and Paper Declaration pages for more information.

    Declaring pulp, paper and chemicals

    • In order to declare your items, you must meet the Nordic Ecolabelling requirements. Study the following documents carefully:

    • By logging into the MSA Portal you confirm your acceptance of the User Agreement. Please read it carefully. 

    • Fees for inspecting pulp, paper and board

      Below you will find information about the fees for Nordic Ecolabelling to inspect pulp, paper and pulp.

      Fees for pulp and paper

      Fees for declaring chemicals for producing pulp, paper and board

      No fee. 
      However, in the agreement you undertake to comply with applicable conditions. If this is not complied with, Nordic Ecolabelling has the right to charge a fee.

    • To request login credentials, send an e-mail to paper@nordicecolabel.org containing the information below:

      • Company Name
      • Telephone (switchboard) 
      • Country (Nordic country you prefer to manage your application)
      • First name, last name
      • E-mail address
      • Direct phone number

  • Information on the latest version of the criteria for sanitary products

    6.10: Prolongation of the validity of the criteria

    Nordic Ecolabelling decided on 17 December, 2024, to prolong the validity of the criteria to the 31 October, 2026. The new version is called 6.10.

    6.8 ⇛ 6.9: Adjustment of the criteria and prolongation of the validity of the criteria

    An adjustment has been made in requirement O16 regarding reference value of phosphorus for unbleached chemical pulp. In addition, the validity of the criteria has been prolonged by 18 months. The new version is called 6.9 and is valid until 31 December 2025.

    6.7 ⇛ 6.8: Alteration of the criteria and prolongation of the validity of the criteria

    Adjustments have been made in requirements O3 and O4 regarding exemptions for TiO2-classified Carc. 2 and in requirement O11 regarding dyeing. In addition, the validity of the criteria has been prolonged by 12 months. The new version, 6.8, is valid until on 30 June 2024.

    6.6 ⇛ 6.7: Alteration of the criteria

    An adjustment has been made in requirement O11 regarding dyeing of incontinence products for adults and children over 5 years. The new version, 6.7, is valid until 30 June 2023.

    6.5 ⇛ 6.6: Alteration of the criteria

    An adjustment has been made in requirement O9 regarding lighter incontinence products, odor inhibitors with classification H332, H373, H400 and / or H410 are permitted. The new version, 6.6, is valid until 30 June 2023.

    6.4 ⇛ 6.5: Alteration of the criteria

    The classification H318 has been removed from requirement O3, and the preservative CMIT is excluded from the point prohibited halogenated organic compounds in requirement O5. The new version, 6.5, is valid until 30 June 30 2023.

    6.3 ⇛ 6.4: Alteration and prolongation of the criteria

    Alterations in the requirements O5 and O12 have been made. 
    Appendices 2a, 2b and 2c have therefore been changed too. 
    Furthermore, the criteria have been prolonged with 24 months. 
    The new versionen, 6.4, is valid until 30 juni 2023.

    6.2 ⇛ 6.3: Alteration of the criteria

    Alterations in the requirements O3, O4, O5 and O19 have been made. 
    Appendices 2a, 2b, 2 c, 3 och 11 have therefore been changed too. 
    The new versionen, 6.3, is valid until 30 juni 2021.

    6.1 ⇛ 6.2: Alteration of the criteria

    Adjustment of requirements O25 and specification of requirements O24. In addition, some minor editorial corrections have been made in the requirements O5, O27, O35 + O28 and O29 in the English version. The return system requirement O48 and Appendicies 2a, 2b, 2c, 10 and 11 have been changed. The new version, 6.1, is valid until June 30st 2021

    6.0 ⇛ 6.1: Alteration of the criteria

    Nordic Ecolabelling’s Criteria Group has decided to alter Table 1, requirments O14, O16, 025, O26, and O27.Futhermore the gruop has specified the requirements O28 and O29. And finally, appendices 5 and 11 have been altered accordingly. The new version, 6.1, is valid until June 30st 2021.

    6.0: New criteria generation

    Version 6.0 of Nordic Ecolabelling's criteria for sanitary products was published on June 14th 2016 and is valid until June 30th 2021.

     

  • In the background document below you will find reasoning and facts behind the specific requirements in the criteria document.

    Here you can also read the comments, requirement for requirement, from the public hearing.

    If the documents are in a Nordic language, you can get help in understanding the sections you need by contacting the product specialist in your chosen country below.

  • Look up inspected pulp and fluff for help with your Nordic Swan Ecolabel application.