New EU Law Bans Greenwashing and Promotes Durability
The European Union has passed a new law that bans greenwashing and promotes durability. The law, which will go into effect in 2026, will prohibit companies from making misleading environmental claims about their products and services. It will also require companies to make more information available about the durability of their products.
The law is a major step forward in the fight against greenwashing. Greenwashing is a practice in which companies make false or misleading claims about the environmental benefits of their products or services. This can deceive consumers and lead them to make choices that are not good for the environment.
The new law will ban a number of specific greenwashing practices, including:
- Making general environmental claims, such as "environmentally friendly" or "natural," without providing evidence to support them.
- Making claims about a product's durability if the product contains features that limit its durability.
- Making claims about a product's environmental impact based on emissions offsetting schemes that are not credible.
- Using sustainability labels that are not based on approved certification schemes or established by public authorities.
- Making claims about a product's durability if the product cannot be repaired.
The new law will also require companies to provide more information about the durability of their products. For example, companies will need to provide information on the expected lifetime of their products and the availability of spare parts and repair services.
The new EU law is a welcome development in the fight against greenwashing and the promotion of sustainability. It will help to protect consumers from misleading claims and make it easier for them to make informed choices about the products they buy.
How the new law can help you
The new EU law can help you in a number of ways:
- It can help you to avoid buying products that are not as environmentally friendly as they claim to be.
- It can help you to buy products that are more durable and last longer.
- It can help you to make more informed decisions about the products you buy.
When you are shopping, be sure to look for products that are certified by approved certification schemes. This will help to ensure that the products meet certain environmental standards. You should also ask about the durability of the products you are interested in and whether repair services are available.
By making informed choices about the products you buy, you can help to promote sustainability and reduce your environmental impact.