Green Star Made From Copper Aluminium or Brass User Guide

Green Star Made From Copper Aluminium or Brass

Introduction

What it means to choose a Green Star product

Products marked with the Green Star are designed to help customers identify items within our ranges with a focus on reducing environmental impacts. Customers can use the information provided to filter and understand more about the products they’re interested in or have purchased.

Why Sourcing Copper, Aluminium, And Brass Matters

The World Economic Foundation has estimated that the aluminium industry is responsible for generation of 2% of human-caused carbon emissions. Producing primary aluminium, is energy intensive. The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative aims to address this impact by setting performance standards for its certification scheme that include sources of energy and energy efficiency and transparency of reporting on greenhouse gas emissions as well as making use of recycled aluminium.
Copper production is estimated to be responsible for 0.2% of global greenhouse gas emissions, but production is expected to double by 2050 partially because copper is key to many components of a clean energy transition (Copper Alliance). The International Copper Study Group estimated that 33% of global copper use in 2021 came from recycled copper. Using more recycled copper can help to make better use of this metal, but given the increase in usage, ensuring that copper is also mined and processed responsibly is also important.

Copper is used to make brass. Like copper, brass can be recycled.

Criteria 1: How We Assess Green Star Products

Before assessment, every Green Star product must meet:

• All relevant legal requirements
• All Kingfisher policy requirements

You can access the Kingfisher policies here. These include Human Rights, Supply Chain Workplace Standards and Sustainable Packaging.
Products are also checked against a Watch List. The watch list contains several criteria or features, relevant to the product type, that if present disqualify the product from being marked with a Green Star. The relevant Watch List can be found at the end of this factsheet. The Watch List is reviewed and revised annually.
Life cycle assessments have not been completed for every Green Star product, but by employing policies and the Watch List Criteria in Kingfisher’s Sustainable Home Product Guidelines, many factors in the life cycle of a product are considered.
The Green Star ‘Made from Copper, Aluminium or Brass’ assessment focuses on the materials’ phase of the product’s life cycle for products where this is a significant potential impact. Green Star excludes products that may have other environmental aspects that are harmful linked to in-use or end of life disposal phases.

Criteria 2: Green Star Programme Entry

The criteria for ‘made from copper, aluminium or brass’ is:

• The metal should comprise 50% or more of the materials in the product by weight.
• If aluminium is being assessed:
• The aluminium should be sourced from a supplier with Aluminium Stewardship Initiative certification. This programme strives “to deliver measurable, meaningful and continuous improvements in the environmental, social and governance performance of the aluminium sector – from production to use to recycling and re-use.”
• If brass is being assessed:
• The brass should be recycled brass. The brass should be 90% or more (by weight) post-consumer waste brass.
• If copper is being assessed:
• The copper should either:
• Be made from recycled copper. The copper should be 75% or more (by weight) post-consumer waste copper.
• Be sourced from a supplier with the Copper Mark. This is a responsible sourcing scheme.

Providing Criteria 1 and 2 have been met, a product can marked with the Green Star.

Reviewing and confirming Green Star status

• All products nominated and that meet criteria 1 and 2 are assessed internally by our sustainability team and submitted to NGO Bioregional for external validation.
• Once the external review is conducted, the product can then be confirmed and marked with the Green Star.
• A full review is conducted annually to ensure all products continue to meet the selection criteria.

To find out more about NGO Bioregional, click here

Watch List Criteria relevant to copper, aluminium and brass

This list includes features or aspects of products that make them unsuitable to be marked with the Green Star:

The product should not:

• Meet the Watch List criteria specified on any of the other Green Star fact sheets.
• Single use batteries or supplied with single use batteries.
• Be on the following list of products that are energy intensive:
• Wired underfloor heating.
• Electric towel warmers.
• Outdoor heating or cooling device.
• Hot water cylinder supplied without insulation.

Be on the following list of products that are water intensive:

• Swimming pools and accessories.
• Spa pools and accessories.

Energy using products (including lighting, kitchen appliances, heaters and power tools) that do not meet the standards specified in any of the Saving Energy at Home Green Star fact sheets.
Water using products (including taps and showers) that do not meet the standards specified in any of the Saving Water at Home Green Star fact sheets.
Be on the following list of products that are linked to poor air quality:

• Petrol powered products.
• Designed for use with a charcoal barbecue or solid fuel burning heating device.

Products where the packaging contains PVC or expanded polystyrene.
Products that contain any wood or paper that does not meet Kingfisher’s Forest Positive Policy.
Products containing palm oil, cotton, rubber or leather with no evidence that the materials have been responsibly sourced.

References

• Top 5 FAQ | Aluminium Stewardship Initiative
• The Copper Mark
• Sustainability Consultancy – Home – Bioregional

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