Ecolinq Eco Score

A material receives 0 points when its production causes a relatively high environmental impact. The production process requires large amounts of energy, water and/or chemical processing compared with other packaging materials.

Materials in this category often require intensive processing of the raw materials. Very high temperatures, large amounts of energy or complex chemical processes may be required before the final packaging material is produced.

Characteristics of a high production impact include, for example:

• high energy consumption during production
• very high temperatures required during the production process
• intensive processing or refining of raw materials
• many or complex processing steps before the final material is produced
• extensive use of water and/or chemicals during the production process

Examples within the Ecolinq Eco Score are virgin aluminium and glass. Producing primary aluminium requires a very large amount of electricity to extract aluminium from its raw material. In glass production, raw materials must be melted at very high temperatures, which also requires a great deal of energy.

Important: 0 points does not mean that the material as a whole is bad for the environment. It only means that its production impact is relatively high compared with other packaging materials. Glass, for example, can have a long lifespan, be reused and be recycled effectively. These properties are assessed separately under the other criteria of the Ecolinq Eco Score.

A material receives 1 point when its production causes an average environmental impact. Several production steps are required and energy, water and/or chemicals are used during processing, but the production process is not among the most environmentally intensive processes.

Materials in this category generally require more processing than materials with a low production impact. For example, the raw material may need to be processed, heated, dried, refined or converted before it can be made into a usable packaging material.

Characteristics of an average production impact include, for example:

• average energy consumption during production
• water is used at various stages of the production process
• use of chemicals or other processing aids during production
• heating, drying or other energy-consuming processes, without these being exceptionally energy-intensive

Examples within the Ecolinq Eco Score are paper, cardboard, PLA, PE, CPP and BOPP. Paper and cardboard, for example, require water and energy to process the fibres and to form and dry the material. Plastics such as PE, CPP and BOPP require energy for polymer production and for further processing into packaging film.

Important: 1 point does not mean that these materials are bad or good for the environment. It only means that we assess the environmental impact of their production phase as average compared with other packaging materials. Other properties, such as material origin, recyclability and reuse, are assessed separately within the Ecolinq Eco Score.

A material receives 2 points when its production causes a relatively low environmental impact. We look at the amount of energy, water and chemicals required to process the raw material into a usable packaging material.

Materials in this category generally have a relatively simple production process, require less energy-intensive processing or are made from raw materials that can be used with limited processing. Materials derived from agricultural residual streams can therefore also score relatively well.

Characteristics of a low production impact include, for example:

• relatively low energy consumption during production
• limited water consumption
• few or less intensive chemical processing steps
• no extremely high temperatures or energy-intensive processes
• relatively few processing steps from raw material to finished material

Examples within the Ecolinq Eco Score are bagasse, straw fibre and hemp fibre. Bagasse, for example, is a residual product from sugar cane processing. After the sugar juice has been extracted, the fibres can be further processed into packaging material.

Important: 2 points does not mean that production has no environmental impact. Every form of material production requires raw materials and energy. The assessment means that the production impact is relatively low compared with other packaging materials.

The distinction within this criterion is:

2 points: low environmental impact during production
1 point: average environmental impact during production
0 points: high environmental impact during production

Packaging receives 0 points when the material is made entirely from new fossil raw materials and contains no recycled material.

Fossil raw materials, such as petroleum and natural gas, were formed over millions of years and are not replenished within a human timescale. They are therefore finite, non-renewable raw materials. Many conventional plastics are produced wholly or partly from these raw materials.

When only new fossil raw materials are used for packaging, fossil resources must be extracted and processed again for every new quantity of material. In addition, no material that has previously been in circulation is reused.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the material is entirely or almost entirely of fossil origin
• new, non-recycled raw materials are used
• the material contains no recycled content
• no existing material stream is reused as a raw material

Examples within the Ecolinq Eco Score are virgin PE, PP, PET, BOPP and CPP when they are produced entirely from new fossil raw materials.

Packaging made from 100% virgin PE therefore receives 0 points for material origin. If, for example, 30% recycled PE is added, the use of new fossil raw materials is reduced and the material receives 1 point within our methodology.

Important: 0 points does not mean that plastic packaging automatically scores poorly on the overall Ecolinq Eco Score. Packaging made from virgin PE may, for example, have a simple mono-material structure and be highly recyclable. It can receive points for these properties under Material structure and End-of-life. This criterion assesses only the origin of the raw materials used.

Packaging receives 1 point when the material is mainly made from fossil raw materials but also contains a proportion of recycled material.

Fossil raw materials are resources that were formed over millions of years, such as petroleum and natural gas. Many plastics, including PE, PP and PET, are traditionally produced from these raw materials. The disadvantage of fossil raw materials is that they are not renewable within a human timescale. Every quantity of new plastic produced from petroleum or natural gas therefore requires the use of new, finite raw materials.

Within the Ecolinq Eco Score, we aim to limit the use of new fossil raw materials as much as possible. Nevertheless, a fossil-based material containing recycled content receives 1 point. The reason is that part of the new fossil raw material is replaced by material that has already been produced and used. This keeps existing raw materials in the material cycle for longer and reduces the amount of new fossil raw materials required.

We therefore deliberately distinguish between 100% new fossil-based material, which receives 0 points, and fossil-based material containing recycled content, which receives 1 point. A material made entirely from recycled raw materials receives 2 points. In this way, the Ecolinq Eco Score rewards every step that reduces the use of new fossil raw materials.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the material is entirely or mainly of fossil origin
• part of the material consists of recycled raw materials
• the material therefore consists of a combination of new and recycled raw materials
• the recycled proportion reduces the amount of new fossil raw materials required

An example is PE packaging containing 30% recycled PE. The material remains based on fossil raw materials, but 30% of the raw material comes from previously produced and recycled PE. This packaging therefore receives 1 point for material origin within the Ecolinq Eco Score.

The percentage of recycled material may vary. Within our methodology, a material containing recycled content receives 1 point as long as it is not made entirely from recycled material. If the material consists of 100% recycled raw materials, it falls into the 100% recycled material category and receives 2 points.

Important: the use of recycled material only says something about the origin of the raw materials. It does not automatically mean that the packaging itself can be recycled again after use. We assess this separately under End-of-life.

Packaging receives 2 points when the material is made entirely from recycled raw materials. No new, non-recycled raw materials, also known as virgin raw materials, are therefore used for the material concerned. Virgin raw materials are raw materials used for the first time to produce a material, as opposed to raw materials originating from previously used and recycled materials.

Recycled material comes from previously used products or from material streams that are reused as raw materials. By reusing these materials, the need for new raw materials is reduced and existing materials remain in the material cycle for longer.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the material consists of 100% recycled raw materials
• no virgin raw materials have been added to the material concerned
• existing material streams are reused as raw materials
• the need for new raw materials is thereby reduced

Examples within the Ecolinq Eco Score are 100% recycled paper, 100% recycled cardboard and 100% recycled PET (rPET).

Packaging made from 100% recycled cardboard, for example, receives 2 points for material origin because only recycled fibres were used as the raw material for the cardboard.

Important: 2 points for material origin only says something about where the raw materials used come from. It does not automatically mean that production has a low environmental impact or that the packaging can be effectively recycled again after use. These properties are assessed separately under Production impact and End-of-life.

Packaging receives 2 points when the material is bio-based and is made from renewable biological raw materials.

Bio-based means that the material is wholly or largely derived from biomass, such as plants, trees, agricultural crops or residual streams from agriculture and forestry. Unlike fossil raw materials such as petroleum and natural gas, these biological raw materials can regrow or be replenished within a relatively short period.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the raw material is of biological origin
• the raw material can be regenerated through natural growth
• no fossil raw material, or only a very small proportion, is required for production
• the raw material may come from a specially cultivated crop or from a biological residual stream

Examples within the Ecolinq Eco Score are wood, paper, cardboard, kraft paper, bagasse, bamboo, cork, cotton, hemp, jute and PLA of plant origin.

Bagasse, for example, comes from the fibrous residue left after the juice has been extracted from sugar cane. Because sugar cane can be regrown and the fibres are of biological origin, we consider bagasse to be a bio-based material from a renewable raw material.

Important: bio-based does not automatically mean biodegradable, compostable or recyclable. A material can be fully bio-based and still not be compostable. Conversely, a compostable material can partly consist of fossil raw materials. This criterion assesses only the origin of the raw material. What can happen to the material after use is assessed separately under End-of-life.

Packaging receives 0 points when no suitable route for recycling or composting is available after use. As a result, the material cannot, or can barely, be reused as a raw material and is also not suitable for home or industrial composting.

This is particularly common with packaging made from several materials that are permanently bonded together. The individual materials may sometimes be highly recyclable on their own, but because they are glued, laminated or coated, they can no longer be sufficiently separated from one another. As a result, processing through conventional recycling streams is often not possible.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the packaging cannot be properly recycled through an existing material stream
• different material types are permanently bonded together
• separating the different layers is technically difficult or not feasible
• recovering usable raw materials is difficult or virtually impossible
• the packaging is not suitable for home or industrial composting
• in practice, incineration with energy recovery or disposal as residual waste often remains the main route

Examples within the Ecolinq range are certain multilayer laminated packaging films, such as Kraft/PET/AL/LLDPE, Kraft/OPP/VMPET/LLDPE and PET/VMPET/PE. The different material and barrier layers give these packages good protective properties, but they are not easy to separate after use. As a result, high-quality recycling of the complete packaging is not readily possible in conventional waste streams.

We give this packaging 0 points for End-of-life because, after disposal, the material used cannot be returned to the material cycle through a suitable recycling or composting route.

Important: 0 points for End-of-life does not mean that the packaging has no functional advantages. Multilayer packaging can, for example, provide a very effective oxygen, moisture or light barrier and thereby extend the shelf life of a product. Within this criterion, however, we assess only what can happen to the packaging after it has been used.

Packaging receives 1 point when the material can be recycled after use but loses some of its original quality or properties in the process. As a result, the recycled material usually cannot be used again for the same high-quality application.

This is also known as downcycling. The material is given a second life, but it is processed into a product with lower material requirements. Its quality often declines further over time, which limits the number of times the material can be recycled again.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the material can be collected and recycled after use
• the quality of the material clearly decreases during recycling
• the recycled material is less suitable for the same original application
• the material is mainly used for products with lower quality requirements
• the original material cycle is not fully closed

An example within the Ecolinq range is certain laminated or coated paper packaging. In some cases, the paper can still be recovered and processed into paper products with lower quality requirements, but coatings, adhesives or other material residues mean that high-quality recycling into equivalent packaging is no longer possible. Please note, however, that if the combination is not recyclable, it belongs in the 0-point category rather than the 1-point category.

We give these materials 1 point because recycling still prevents the material from being lost immediately and allows it to be reused as a raw material. However, the value and quality of the material are preserved less effectively than with high-quality recycling, for which 2 points are awarded within the Ecolinq Eco Score.

Important: the difference between high-quality and lower-quality recycling therefore lies mainly in what can be made from the material after recycling. If it can be reused for the same or a comparable high-quality application, we consider this high-quality recycling. If it can mainly be used only for applications with lower material requirements, we assess it as lower-quality recycling.

Packaging receives 1 point when the material is industrially compostable. This means that the material can biodegrade in a professional composting facility, where conditions such as temperature, humidity and oxygen supply are controlled.

Industrial composting therefore differs clearly from home composting. In an industrial facility, higher temperatures are reached during the composting process and conditions are actively controlled. Some compostable materials require these conditions in order to break down sufficiently within a certain period.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the material is demonstrably suitable for industrial composting
• controlled composting conditions are required for proper decomposition
• the material requires higher temperatures than are reached during home composting
• the material biodegrades during the composting process
• the complete packaging must be suitable for industrial composting, not just one individual material component

Examples within the Ecolinq Eco Score are PLA and CPLA and packaging that is demonstrably certified as industrially compostable.

PLA packaging, for example, can break down under the correct industrial conditions, but under normal conditions on a home compost heap it will not compost sufficiently. Within the Ecolinq Eco Score, we therefore distinguish between home compostable, which receives 2 points, and industrial compostable, which receives 1 point.

We give industrially compostable packaging 1 point because a usable end-of-life route exists for the material, but this route depends on specialised infrastructure and controlled conditions. In addition, industrially compostable does not automatically mean that packaging can in practice be processed everywhere through regular organic waste collection.

Important: industrially compostable does not mean that packaging may be left in nature. The complete packaging must also be suitable for industrial composting. A compostable film combined with a non-compostable material therefore does not automatically make the entire packaging industrially compostable.

Packaging receives 2 points when the material can be recycled to a high standard after use and reused as a raw material for the same or a comparable type of product. This keeps the material within the material cycle as much as possible.

High-quality recycling is not only about whether a material is technically recyclable. It is important that the recycled material retains sufficient quality to be reused as a valuable raw material. This can reduce the use of new raw materials.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the material can be collected, sorted and recycled after use
• the quality of the material is sufficiently preserved during recycling
• the recycled material can be reused for the same or a comparable high-quality product
• there is no or only limited loss of quality during recycling
• multiple recycling cycles are possible
• the material can contribute to a material loop that is as closed as possible

Examples within the Ecolinq Eco Score are glass, aluminium, certain metals and highly recyclable mono-materials such as paper, cardboard, PE, PP and PET, provided that the design and composition of the packaging do not hinder recycling.

Packaging made from mono-material PE, for example, can be collected and recycled into plastic granulate that can be reused as a raw material for plastic products. After collection, glass can be processed into cullet and reused in the production of new glass.

We give this packaging 2 points because the material is not necessarily lost after use but can be reused as a raw material. This preserves the value of the material as much as possible and can reduce the need for new raw materials.

Important: a material that is theoretically recyclable does not automatically receive 2 points. We consider the complete material composition of the packaging and the potential for high-quality recycling. A combination of individually recyclable materials can, for example, still be poorly recyclable if the different layers cannot be separated from one another.

Packaging receives 2 points when the material is home compostable. This means that the material can biodegrade under normal home-composting conditions without requiring the high temperatures and controlled conditions of an industrial composting facility.

During composting, microorganisms break the material down into natural components. Home composting takes place at lower and more variable temperatures than industrial composting. Home-compostable materials therefore face stricter requirements regarding the conditions under which the material can break down.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the material is suitable for composting under home-composting conditions
• industrial composting temperatures are not required for decomposition
• the material is broken down through biological processes
• after complete composting, no visible remnants of the original material remain
• the packaging is demonstrably suitable for home composting

Examples within the Ecolinq Eco Score are certain NatureFlex packaging products, uncoated paper packaging (although these may be better recycled) and other materials that are certified home compostable.

Packaging does not receive 2 points solely on the basis of the term biodegradable. Biodegradable and home compostable do not mean the same thing. If you would like to know the difference, read this article explaining it: Difference between compostable and biodegradable. For this assessment, it must be sufficiently clear that the material is actually suitable for home composting.

We give home-compostable packaging 2 points because, after use, a processing route is available in which the material can biodegrade without requiring an industrial facility.

Important: home compostable does not mean that packaging may simply be left in nature. The assessment concerns composting under suitable home-composting conditions. Nor do 2 points for End-of-life automatically mean that the packaging as a whole receives the highest Ecolinq Eco Score. The other properties are assessed separately under the other criteria.

Packaging receives 0 points when it is designed and intended to be used once and, after opening or use, normally cannot be used again for the same or a comparable application.

This concerns packaging whose construction, closure, hygiene requirements or material strength make reuse impractical or unrealistic. After use, the packaging is generally discarded and then, where possible, recycled, composted or processed through another waste stream.

Examples include:

• a stand-up pouch that is discarded after its contents have been consumed
• a flat, thin glassine or PLA bag for food products
• a mailing bag
• a chocolate box
• a disposable food container

Packaging can be highly recyclable or compostable and still receive 0 points for reuse. This criterion assesses only whether the packaging can be reused. What happens to the material after disposal is assessed separately under End-of-life.

The distinction is therefore:

2 points: Reusable
Designed and intended for repeated use.

1 point: Potentially reusable
Not specifically intended for reuse, but realistically reusable in practice.

0 points: Single use
Designed and intended for single use.

Packaging receives 1 point when it is not specifically designed for reuse but can in practice be reused because of its material, construction or quality.

The main difference from fully reusable packaging is that repeated use is not the original purpose of the packaging. In principle, the packaging is made for one packaging cycle, but it does not necessarily have to be discarded immediately afterwards.

The packaging must remain sufficiently strong and functional to be genuinely reusable. It must therefore represent a realistic possibility for reuse, not merely a theoretical one.

Examples include:

• a sturdy cardboard shipping box that can be reused for another shipment
• a paper or plastic carrier bag that is strong enough to be used several times
• a sturdy box that can be used to store other products after unpacking
• certain jars, containers or packages that can be given a second use by the user

A cardboard shipping box is a good example. It is normally made to ship a product once and is therefore not reusable packaging in the strict sense. However, if the box is still in good condition after receipt, it can be reused without modification for another shipment or for storage. It therefore receives 1 point for potential reuse within the Ecolinq Eco Score.

The distinction is therefore:

2 points: designed and intended for repeated use.
1 point: not specifically intended for reuse, but realistically reusable.
0 points: intended for single use and in practice not or hardly suitable for reuse.

Packaging receives 2 points when it is genuinely designed and made to be used several times during its lifetime for the same or a comparable application.

This is therefore not only about whether packaging could technically be used a second time. Its construction, material strength and design must support repeated use. The packaging must withstand multiple uses without immediately losing its main function.

Characteristics that may indicate reusable packaging include, for example:

• a sturdy construction capable of withstanding multiple use cycles
• materials that do not lose their shape or function after one use
• a closure that can be opened and closed several times
• a design in which reuse is a clear part of the intended application
• sufficient durability to store, refill or reuse the packaging

Examples include cotton and jute carrier bags, sturdy wooden packaging, certain glass packaging and other packaging specifically designed for repeated use.

A cotton carrier bag is a clear example. The bag is not merely reused occasionally by chance; its material, handles and construction make it specifically suitable for repeated use as a carrier bag.

Important: the fact that a consumer may be able to keep or reuse packaging is not sufficient for 2 points. A sturdy cardboard box, for example, may be used again, but if it was originally designed as single-use shipping packaging, we do not automatically regard it as fully reusable packaging. Within the Ecolinq Eco Score, it falls under potentially reusable and receives 1 point.

Packaging receives 0 points when it consists of different materials that are permanently bonded together and cannot be easily separated from one another after use, or cannot be separated at all. This also applies to packaging in which coatings, laminates, adhesive layers or film layers form part of the material structure.

With this type of packaging, the individual materials cannot easily be separated by hand. As a result, the packaging enters the waste stream as a combination of different materials. This can hinder recycling or even make high-quality recycling of the complete packaging impossible.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the packaging consists of two or more different material types
• different layers are laminated, coated or glued together
• the materials cannot easily be separated by hand
• coatings or barrier films form a permanent part of the packaging
• the combination of materials can hinder sorting and recycling

Examples include kraft paper with a PE or PLA layer, paper with a plastic coating and multilayer films such as Kraft/PET/PE, PET/VMPET/PE or Kraft/PET/AL/LLDPE.

Kraft paper packaging with a plastic inner layer, for example, may consist mainly of paper on the outside, but within this criterion it is not a mono-material. If the plastic layer is permanently bonded to the paper and cannot easily be removed, the packaging therefore receives 0 points for material structure.

Important: 0 points does not automatically mean that the packaging is not recyclable at all. This criterion assesses only the complexity and separability of the material structure. What can happen to the complete packaging in practice after use is assessed separately under End-of-life.

Packaging receives 1 point when it consists of two or more different materials, but these materials can be easily separated from one another after use.

This concerns packaging in which the different components are not permanently glued, laminated or otherwise inseparably bonded together. The user must be able to separate the materials without special tools or complicated actions.

By separating the different materials, they can each enter the appropriate waste stream. This makes recycling of the individual material types more feasible than with packaging in which different materials are permanently bonded together.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the packaging consists of two or more different material types
• the different components are clearly identifiable
• the materials can easily be separated by hand
• there are no permanent laminates or bonds that make separation impossible
• after separation, the individual materials can be processed through their own waste streams

Examples include a glass jar with a metal lid, glass packaging with a cork, a kraft gift box with a PET window or wooden closure, or cardboard packaging with an easily removable plastic component.

Important: 1 point only says something about the material structure and the possibility of separating the different materials. Whether the individual materials are subsequently actually highly recyclable is assessed separately under End-of-life.

Packaging receives 2 points when it consists entirely or almost entirely of one material type. The packaging contains no other material types that significantly hinder the processing of the main material after use.

A simple material structure is important because packaging made from a single material type is generally much easier to recycle than packaging in which different materials are combined. Before recycling, the material does not first have to be separated from other material types, if that is even possible, and it can be sorted and processed as a single material stream.

Characteristics of a mono-material include, for example:

• the packaging consists of one material type
• different material types are not permanently glued or laminated together
• any minor additions do not significantly disrupt the processing of the main material
• the packaging can be presented as a whole within a single material stream

Examples within the Ecolinq Eco Score are PE film, PP film, BOPP, PET, PLA, kraft paper, cardboard, glass, metal and wood, provided that the packaging is not combined with other materials that affect processing.

Packaging made exclusively from PE, for example, is a mono-material. Even when multiple PE layers are used, the packaging can still be considered a mono-material because the layers consist of the same material type.

Important: 2 points for material structure does not automatically mean that the packaging is highly recyclable. This criterion assesses only how simply the packaging is constructed in terms of materials. Whether the material can actually be recycled effectively after use is assessed separately under End-of-life.

Packaging receives 0 points when it contains harmful or undesirable inks, additives, coatings, adhesives or other added substances. No points are also awarded when insufficient information is available about the substances used.

Various substances can be added to packaging to provide colour, printing, flexibility, barrier properties or other technical characteristics. Some of these substances can create an additional environmental burden or make recycling or composting of the packaging more difficult.

Characteristics include, for example:

• harmful or undesirable inks, colourants or pigments have been used
• the material contains additives that may cause a relevant chemical burden
• coatings, adhesives or other treatments contain substances that may be harmful to people or the environment
• the additives used may hinder recycling or composting
• the composition of inks, coatings, adhesives or additives is insufficiently known
• insufficient information is available to determine that the packaging meets the conditions for 1 point

Examples may include heavily treated or coated packaging, packaging with certain inks or adhesives and composite packaging materials for which there is insufficient information about the additives or processing aids used.

We deliberately apply the precautionary principle here. When we do not have sufficient information to determine with adequate certainty that packaging is free from relevant harmful substances, we do not award a point. Unknown does not automatically mean that packaging contains harmful substances, but it does mean that we cannot sufficiently substantiate the better assessment.

Important: 0 points therefore does not always mean that the packaging has been found to be harmful. It may also mean that insufficient reliable information is available to establish the opposite. Within the Ecolinq Eco Score, we award the point only when the chemical impact is sufficiently known and considered acceptable.

Packaging receives 1 point when the material contains no harmful inks, additives, coatings or other added substances that may cause an unnecessary chemical burden or hinder the processing of the material after use.

Packaging does not consist solely of the base material. During production, inks, colourants, adhesives, coatings, plasticisers and other additives may also be added. These substances can affect the environmental impact of the packaging and, in some cases, its recyclability or compostability.

Characteristics include, for example:

• no harmful inks or colourants have been used
• the material contains no harmful or undesirable additives
• no coatings or treatments have been applied that create an additional chemical burden
• the adhesives, inks and other processing aids used do not form a relevant barrier to processing after use
• sufficient information is available about the substances used to make this assessment

Examples within the Ecolinq range include unprinted and untreated paper or cardboard packaging, simple uncoated kraft paper bags, untreated wood and certain unprinted mono-material plastics, provided it is known that no harmful additives have been used.

Printed packaging can also receive 1 point. Printing does not automatically mean that packaging has a high chemical impact. If suitable inks are used, such as water-based inks, and these do not contain relevant harmful substances or significantly hinder further processing of the packaging, the packaging can still meet this criterion.

Important: 1 point does not mean that packaging is completely free from every chemical substance. Almost every material contains or uses certain processing aids during production. Within this criterion, we assess whether harmful or environmentally burdensome additives are present that are relevant to the packaging and its processing after use.

Packaging receives 0 points when it is produced outside the European Union. Products from countries such as China, Vietnam or the United States fall within this category.

Packaging produced outside the EU generally has to travel a greater distance before reaching Ecolinq or our European customers. This often requires intercontinental transport by container ship. In some cases, air freight is used, which can have a significantly higher environmental impact per kilogram transported.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the actual production of the packaging takes place outside the EU
• the average transport distance to the European market is generally greater
• international sea, road or air transport is often required
• the transport-related environmental impact can therefore be higher

Packaging produced in China, for example, and then transported to Europe by container ship therefore receives 0 points for logistics within the Ecolinq Eco Score.

Important: 0 points does not mean that production outside the EU necessarily has a high total environmental impact. An efficiently loaded container ship can, for example, be a relatively efficient mode of transport, while long transport distances are also possible within Europe. The actual logistics impact therefore differs from one situation to another.

To keep the Ecolinq Eco Score simple, transparent and applicable in the same way to thousands of products, we therefore use a clear boundary: production within the EU receives 1 point and production outside the EU receives 0 points.

Packaging receives 1 point when it is produced within the European Union. This means that within the Ecolinq Eco Score, we also take into account the distance between the production location and the European market.

Packaging produced within the EU generally has to travel shorter distances before reaching Ecolinq or our European customers. This can result in a lower transport-related environmental impact than comparable packaging imported from outside Europe.

Production within the EU also often makes transport by road or rail possible, without the need for intercontinental transport by container ship or aircraft.

Characteristics include, for example:

• the actual production of the packaging takes place within the EU
• the distance to our main European market is generally shorter
• intercontinental transport is not required
• the packaging can generally be transported by European road or rail

Packaging produced in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy or Poland, for example, therefore receives 1 point for logistics within the Ecolinq Eco Score.

Important: the production location is a simplified indicator of logistics impact. Actual transport emissions also depend on distance, load factor and mode of transport. To keep the Ecolinq Eco Score consistent, understandable and applicable to all our products, we therefore use one clear boundary: production within the EU receives 1 point and production outside the EU receives 0 points.