Many consumers look for the label when buying construction or renovation materials since media reports frequently highlight the dangers some products can have on human health.

"Although construction or renovation materials with the China Environmental Label are really more expensive, I still buy them because they are much safer than regular ones," said Jing Peng, who just bought a home in Beijing.

Cheng Lulian, an expert with the policy research center for environment and economy under the State Environmental Protection Administration, said environmental labeling can benefit both consumers and manufacturers.

With the label, people know which products to buy to prevent harm to the environment, while companies whose products are labeled can get more market share, Cheng explained.

This year the number of products designated under China's environmentally friendly appellation grew to 6,300 from 1,420 last year, explained Cao Weimin with the Environmental Certification Center under the State Environmental Protection Administration.

The label is playing an important role in helping Chinese manufacturers overcome so-called "green barriers" in international trade. This is done by making them more competitive in a market which sets strict environmental standards, said Chen Yanping, chairman of the certification center, the only body authorized to grant the label.

Chen said the China Environmental Label abides by the principles of ISO14024, which are part of the ISO14020 series of standards issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1998.

According to Xia Qing, head of a national ISO14020 standards research team, a scheme for implementing further environmental standards will be ready in 2005. But they will have to be approved by the government before implementation, Xia said.

(China Daily December 15, 2003))