TS 12278

TS 12278 sets out the EU Ecolabel criteria used for awarding the label to tissue paper and tissue products. It frames environmental performance for this product group through the main issues that matter most in the sector: energy use, emissions to water and air, hazardous substances, sustainable fibre sourcing, waste management, final product requirements, and the information that appears with the label.

Where the criteria focus in the production chain

In practical terms, the document concentrates on pulp production from the point where virgin or recycled fibres enter the plant until the pulp leaves the mill, and on paper production from pulp preparation through to winding on the main reel. That distinction matters because the main environmental burdens in tissue paper are typically associated with pulping and paper manufacturing. By contrast, the conversion of tissue into final tissue products, including the energy used and the emissions to water and air during that stage, is not included in this scope.

Fibre sourcing and the environmental rationale

From a general technical perspective, recycled fibres support resource efficiency, while virgin fibres make sustainable forest management the key issue. The EU Ecolabel approach reflected here links both perspectives by requiring fibres to come from sustainably managed forest ecosystems and other suitable sources. In this way, the standard supports forest protection, responsible raw-material sourcing, and reduced environmental pressure across the product chain.

• Criteria for emissions to water and air
• Energy consumption and related environmental impacts
• Restricted hazardous substances and mixtures
• Waste management and final product requirements
• Information to be shown with the EU Ecolabel