BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TÜV Rheinland, an international independent third-party testing, inspection, and certification organization, has awarded the Green Product Mark for a dishwasher (WQP12-U7809X, together with 15 other models) and refrigerator-freezer (MDRS791MIA02, together with 2 other models) to the Midea Group, one of the world's largest producers of major appliances, at IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) 2023.
Attending the award ceremony from TÜV Rheinland was Marc Zaplin, Regional Business Field Manager Electrical Europe, Rudi Du, Regional Sales Manager Business Stream Products Greater China, and Wolfram Stahl, Group Press Spokesman.
TÜV Rheinland conducted more than 10 evaluations on Midea's dishwasher, from 6 dimensions: Corporate Social Responsibility, Environment Management, Hazardous Substances Control, Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Calculation on Recycled Materials Content, and End-of-life Recycling. This process strengthens the Green Product Mark as a symbol that helps both consumers and retailers identify environment-friendly products. The ten-plus assessments included Corporate Compliance, Energy Management, Energy Efficiency, Carbon Emission Evaluation, Harmful Matter Content, etc.
The examination results demonstrate that the Midea dishwasher, authorized for compliance with EU regulations, achieves a top-tier rating of A in terms of energy efficiency. The content of recycled materials in plastic components exceeds 30%, and the product's overall reuse/recycling rate is up to 87% as per a 3R disassembly report under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE). The recycling rate has been maximized to 94%, and the score of product's repairability index is 8.3, effectively extending its lifespan and reducing wastage. Moreover, the calculated carbon dioxide emissions (expressed in carbon dioxide equivalent) throughout its life cycle (system boundaries: cradle to gate) amount to 192.87 kilograms.
In production and packaging, the Midea Group has been striving to minimize the use of harmful chemicals to reduce potential hazards to both the environment and human health. All substances tested meet EU environmental regulations. The use of common harmful substances, like phthalates and brominated flame retardants, is well below the prescribed limits. The drip tray is made from food contact materials to ensure food safety.
The refrigerator-freezer underwent more than 10 assessments by TÜV Rheinland, including Social Accountability Compliance, Environmental Management System, Reduction of Global Warming Potential (GWP), Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP), Carbon Footprint Calculation, Restriction of Hazardous Substances, Energy Efficiency, Noise Limit, etc. The results show that, in addition to the strict control over harmful substances, recycled materials are employed in 20% of its plastic components (such as PP, ABS, HIPS, and GPPS) to ensure sustainability. The calculated carbon dioxide emissions (expressed in carbon dioxide equivalent) throughout the product's life cycle (system boundaries: cradle to gate) is 419.69 kilograms, which means that the model meets the highest energy efficiency level A in the European Union and the noise level B. Its life cycle is up to 12 years, with a GWP of only 3, meaning it has no impact on the ozone layer.
In the raw material selection, product manufacturing, and packaging processes, both the materials used in the Midea refrigerator-freezer and its packaging comply with the environmental regulations of the European Union and North America. Use of common harmful substances such as heavy metals, phthalates, and flame retardants are well below the prescribed limits. Additionally, food contact materials are utilized for the internal compartments and drawers of the refrigerator to ensure food safety.
TÜV Rheinland's Marc Zaplin offered, "Congratulations to the Midea Group on once again receiving our Green Product Mark. For over 150 years, TÜV Rheinland has diligently focused on addressing the challenges humanity, the environment, and technology face in their intricate dance. Midea's unwavering commitment revolves around providing safe and sustainable solutions, aiming to construct a future that satisfies both human needs and environmental aspirations. As we stand at the precipice of the shared challenge posed by climate change, tasked with the mission of carbon neutrality, TÜV Rheinland assumes the role of a steadfast practitioner, enabler, and watchdog in the realm of sustainability. We are thrilled to witness an increasing number of Chinese home appliance enterprises joining the ranks of sustainable development under our guidance. Looking ahead, we will continue harnessing our technology, talent, resources, and brand advantages, expediting the dissemination of green products and solutions. By empowering Midea to accelerate their decarbonization efforts and spearheading the industrial energy transition, we strive to galvanize the entire value chain towards comprehensive adoption of sustainable development practices."
Speech delivered by Marc Zaplin
TÜV Rheinland's Green Product Mark is a voluntary environmental labelling scheme based on multiple standards, indicating the overall environmental sustainability of a product.
As a member of the United Nations Global Compact and the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN), TÜV Rheinland actively advocates global compliance with human rights and environmental protection, and promotes mutual trust and recognition between green product labels. TÜV Rheinland's green product labeling has passed the review process of the Global Ecolabelling Network Internationally Coordinated Ecolabelling System (GENICES), conforming to internationally recognized standards and guidelines, providing guidance for consumers to purchase products and helping enterprises to protect the environment and improve user experience.
About TÜV Rheinland
TÜV Rheinland stands for safety and quality in virtually all areas of business and life. The company has been operating for more than 150 years and ranks among the world's leading testing service providers. It has more than 20,000 employees in over 50 countries and generates annual revenues of around 2.1 billion euros. TÜV Rheinland's highly qualified experts test technical systems and products around the world, support innovations in technology and business, train people in numerous professions and certify management systems according to international standards. In doing so, the independent experts generate trust in products as well as processes across global value-adding chains and the flow of commodities. Since 2006, TÜV Rheinland has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact to promote sustainability and combat corruption. Website: www.tuv.com
