Last Updated:	2006-05-01
Report Contents
-   Laws & Regulations -   Contacts -   Revision History

Introduction

There are no mandatory national ecolabeling programs in Chile for electronics. Eco-labeling and eco-certification programs are currently proceeding on a product-specific basis in Chile. Several years ago, the National Environment Commission (“CONAMA”) released a discussion document on eco-labeling and eco-certification that signaled its commitment to create a national set of rules. See, Certificación y Acreditación de la Calidad Ambiental de los Productos Chilenos. This certification discussion document called for the development of specific requirements for certain types of labeling, symbols (particularly those associated with recycling), and environmental claims. However, this national eco-labeling policy has not yet been adopted.

The certification discussion document suggested that any regulation should be based upon Chile’s Consumer Rights Law. (No 19.496, "Normas Sobre Proteccíon de los Derechos de los Consumidores," adopted Jan. 28, 1997). Article 28 of the Consumer Rights Law specifically lists improper use of marketing claims such as "does not harm the environment . . . or is recyclable or reusable" as infractions. Article 33 of the Consumer Rights Law states that claims appearing on packaging must be provable and not likely to mislead the consumer. For now, national eco-labeling initiatives are proceeding on a product-specific basis. For example, in January of 2006, Chile enacted a law creating a national system for certification of organic products.