Outdoor furniture, playground and park equipment

The product group includes outdoor furniture, equipment for play and sports as well as park equipment. Among other things tables, chairs, benches, climbing frames, swings, playhouses, sandboxes, and slides for playgrounds, permanently installed fitness and parkour equipment - and fences, trellis, waste containers, flagpoles, bicycle racks and sheds.

It is also possible to certify specific construction products, toys, and indoor furniture with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel - however, this is done according to other criteria. It is not possible to certify outdoor furniture with textile or padding, fall surfaces, artificial lawns, bathing jetties and terraces.

Extensive requirements are set for constituent materials and chemicals – and the circular economy is promoted through demanding warranty and the possibility for recycling of materials.

The requirements include:

Use of wood from sustainably managed forests, i.e., requirements for traceability and a minimum of 70% certified wood raw materials.
Use of a high proportion of recycled plastic or plastic from renewable raw materials as well as a high proportion of recycled metal or metal made with lower climate footprints.
Environmental and health properties of chemicals used in various stages of production. Among other things, strict requirements for the use of substances that are carcinogenic, toxic to reproduction and can damage genetic material, as well as bans on halogenated flame retardants, fluorides, and nanoparticles.
Limits for content and emissions of formaldehyde in relevant chemicals and materials such as adhesives, and wood-based panels.
Limits for VOC in surface treatments.
Requirements for durability of wood.
Warranty, availability of spare parts, and circular design.

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

Criteria document - version 4.1.pdf

Fees valid from 1 January 2021

Type of fee	Amount
Application fee including one on-site inspection within the Nordic region *)	3 000 EUR + VAT
Renewal fee*	1 500 EUR + VAT
More than one inspection visit within the Nordic region**	500 EUR + VAT per visit
Inspection visits in Europe**	1 500 EUR + VAT per visit
Inspection visits outside Europe**	2 500 EUR + VAT per visit
Extension of existing licence***	Extension of existing or changes in licence < 4 hours: 375 EUR + VAT < 8 hours: 750 EUR + VAT ≥ 8 hours: 1 500 EUR + VAT
Annual licence fee for Nordic region	0.3% of turnover + VAT from 0 – 30 million EUR 0.05% of turnover + VAT > 30 million EUR
Minimum fee for Nordic region	2 000 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)	2 000 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 1 000 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.
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