There are many products that have in their packaging or are considered: ecological, sustainable, biological or organic.
However, many people believe that all these words have the same meaning or are simply synonyms
According to published figures, more than 64% of Spaniards think that each of the definitions of these words are similar. On the other hand, two out of ten people think that all words mean the same thing.
As you can see, there is a lot of confusion about the definition of each term and, therefore, it is confusing what is the outstanding characteristic of the products that use them.
The European Community food regulations, which are in full force, state that the words ecological, organic, biological and sustainable are synonymous. What a mistake!
They are considered synonymous for the characteristics that they contain.
All these products were not manipulated with any chemical substance, whether pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers, are not altered in a genetic way and take advantage of natural resources.
To help stop the confusion, in this article we will explain what the differences are between each of them.
Table of Contents
What is an organic product?
They are those articles whose growth and processing stages occur naturally, and no chemical or artificial agent is involved.
In the case of foodstuffs, the seed must be of organic origin and every natural condition such as climate, soil and water must be exploited.
If we move to livestock production, the animals are raised in contamination-free places and are fed natural products that do not contain antibiotics or growth hormones.
When we are dealing with an organic product, such as a glass, it is established that no ingredients with any genetic modification were used in its production.
Organic: how to identify them
In order to obtain these products, no chemical substances must be used to achieve the expected development.
When we come across a food labelled as organic, it means that chemical fertilisers or similar substances were not used in its production.
Organic crops only use natural products such as compost, which help maintain soil fertility and prevent soil erosion.
In addition, they use the crop rotation system to give the land the opportunity to regenerate itself.
As far as health is concerned, since no chemicals are used, these products prevent people from suffering from allergies or intolerance when ingesting one of these products.
However, there is a possibility that a biological product may have used genetically modified ingredients in some of its manufacturing processes.
This is a biological product
In the production and labelling of this kind of products, it is insisted that they do not have any component that has been intervened in their genetics.
This means that they have not been taken to laboratories to improve physical characteristics such as size, colour or durability.
With the production of these types of products, the genetic properties of each species are preserved and biodiversity is preserved.
This is why sustainable products are recognized
Sustainable products are obtained from mechanisms that help the stability of the environment.
In other words, natural cycles are respected, so that the balance of the ecosystem is maintained.
For example, sustainable forests for the manufacture of wood are plantations that respect the environment, fauna and riverbeds. They do not intervene in the environment and respect natural cycles.
Let’s see a little of what the law says
In the market, there are other words that seem to express the same thing as all the definitions we have handled, but as they are not regulated by law they tend to be used in any product, often as a marketing action.
For example, it is very common to use the term “natural”.
You have certainly found this in a large number of products, especially when you go to the supermarket. This qualifier has no meaning within the established regulations and you can be fooled.
The rapid growth of organic products constituted a need for legislative organization and regulation.
In this sense, since 2009, the Council of the European Union published the European Regulation 834/2007.
This regulation establishes how the processes of cultivation, production, packaging and labeling of organic products should be, so as to help reduce pollution levels and make use of natural resources.
Product identification on the European Eco-label
In spite of the above differences, the terms ecological, organic, biological and their abbreviations have the same concept in European regulations.
Furthermore, they are used in advertising material and product labelling. The only requirement is to have passed an approved inspection body in organic production and the result of the evaluations has been favourable.
The labels always carry a code issued by the organism that ensures that the product passed all controls.
The general formula for this code is: ES-ECO-XXX-YY where:
- ES: State of the European Union.
- ECO: The abbreviations for the terms: ecological, organic and biological.
- XXX: Number of the organism that certifies the product. In the case of Spain, there are 27 entities.
- YY: The code of the Autonomous Community.
Ecological products in Greenuso
Since you know the difference between each of the organic products that are on the market today, we invite you to visit our online store -Greenuse- and discover all the products we have for you.
As we know the importance of environmental balance in people like you, know our products, made with sustainable raw materials and in full compliance with current legislation.
For example, we have the palm leaf plates, a biodegradable product that can be considered organic, because they are made in complete respect to the cycles of the areca palm.
The palm leaves used for the manufacture of these products are taken after they fall through the natural course of the palm’s growth.
Before they are heat-pressed into the desired shape, the leaves are cleaned with pure, running water, without chemical additives or detergents of any kind.
In this way, you get a 100% ecological product that respects biodiversity and the balance of the planet.
Another example is our line of sugar cane products: plates, trays, food containers, glasses, among others.
In this case, the product is manufactured using a by-product of sugar production that we are all familiar with.
Previously, the bagasse resulting from the processing of the cane to obtain sugar was a waste product. Sugar companies discarded it when they finished their main product.
Thanks to the innovation of the current industry, the properties of this waste were analyzed and it was concluded that it could be used for the manufacture of products for the food sector.
This is how one of the strongest options to the use of plastic was born
Products made from sugar cane are strong and durable, and can be used in both the conventional and microwave ovens.
Visit our online store and find out about the ideal option to deepen your intention to reduce your ecological footprint, with products that are 100% functional, resistant and highly versatile in their use.
