The products included in the product groups determined in the European Union countries within the scope of ecological products cover only 25 percent of the products in the market in this product group. It is necessary to determine the criteria of other products in terms of protection of the natural environment and human health. The ECOmark standard, designed by SCIENCE Technical Control and Certification Inc., largely serves this purpose. The main objective of this standard is to raise awareness among consumers with the ECOmark logo and thus to encourage businesses producing foodstuffs to be more sensitive in this regard. If all products are produced with environmentally sensitive methods, the determined targets will be achieved. However, there is still a long way to go to achieve these goals. However, under today's conditions, the ECOmark certification studies and the ECOmark logo by SCIENCE offer an important commercial advantage to manufacturers who want to exist and have a share in this rapidly growing new market.
The ECOmark standard is not a quality management system standard, but proves that food products bearing this logo are sensitive to human health and the protection of nature, and that these products are of good quality.
While SCIENCE gives permission to the requesting businesses to use the ECOmark logo in the marketing and promotion of their products, it has also prepared a number of procedures in order to ensure that these transactions are carried out systematically. The main ECOmark procedures prepared with the aim of providing a perfect and quality service to businesses are as follows:
· ECOmark certification application procedure: It includes the methods of applying for businesses and SCIENCE's evaluation of these applications.
· ECOmark certification contract procedure: It includes the conditions of the contract to be made with the business after the preliminary evaluation and the responsibilities and obligations of the parties.
· ECOmark certification sample acceptance procedure: It includes the principles of the characteristics of the test samples to be taken from the enterprise and how to obtain them in order to perform test and analysis studies.
· ECOmark certification test procedure: It includes the principles for performing product tests in accredited laboratories.
· ECOmark certification approval procedure: It includes the principles for approval procedures in case of test and analysis studies and test sample conforming to the relevant standards.
· Procedure for granting permission to use the ECOmark logo: It includes the methods of using the ECOmark logo on the products and the responsibilities of businesses arising from this.