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Question#1: We hear a lot about Green “Certified” Products. What
does this mean, who and how are products certified? |
There are two major and universally recognized Green certification
organizations in North America: Green Seal® and The EcoLogo™
(Environmental Choice) Program. These third party, independent
organizations have similar criteria, which must be met by
independent, third party laboratories. Regardless of Criteria, for a
product to be Certified, in most case it means that the product:
- Has a reduced impact on the environment and is proven safer
for people (product users, building occupants, and visitors)
when compared to similar products used for the same or similar
purpose
- Depending upon the criteria, the product is or has ingredients
that are rapid-biodegradable and non-toxic
- Performs as well as, if not better than, a comparable non-Green
product
- Does not include (or has considerably fewer) harmful
ingredients, such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs),
carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, which can harm glands,
hormones, and many body functions
- Does not contain hazardous by-products
- Is packaged in recyclable materials
- Meets all safety standards for use of the product
- And much more
The Process
For a product to be certified by Green Seal or EcoLogo, it must
undergo a rather extensive testing, evaluating, and verification
procedure. The manufacturer must inform the certifying organization
why the product should be certified and in which product category the
product belongs. Different categories, such as floor care products,
general cleaners, hand soaps, and other products have different
criteria that must be met.
Once accepted, most certifying organizations do not perform the
actual testing and evaluation of the product. Instead, the
manufacturer is provided a list of accredited laboratories that verify
the product’s potential effects on the environment, such as rate of
biodegradation, aquatic toxicity, skin sensitization, etc.
The certification organization requires the complete formula and a
MSDS for every ingredient in the formula. They need from the
manufacture the independent lab reports that verify the product
meets or exceeds all their specific Green criteria for that product.
The manufacturer submits these reports along with any related
materials for review. If the product passes the initial tests and
analysis, the certifying organization involved usually conducts a site
audit to confirm that the information provided by the laboratory is
accurate, as well as inspect the production facility to verify that it
meets specific ISO and quality control standards.
If the audit and all other inspections and evaluations prove
satisfactory, the product is Green certified. However, it must be
noted, certification is only for a set period. The product must be
verified annually that is still meets the criteria.
In addition, changes to criteria are made every 2 to 3 years and then
the product must be evaluated and proven to meet the new, more
stringent criteria. In addition, if the manufacturer changes the formula
in any way, the product must be proven to be as safe as the previous
formula.
If you require the specific criteria by product category, go to www.environmentalchoice.com or www.greenseal.org |
Question #2: We are very concerned about the ingredients
in floor care chemicals. Are their Green-certified floor
care products available? |
Yes. Just in the past couple of years manufacturers have
introduced floor care products that have been certified by
either Green Seal® or The EcoLogo Program™. Many of
these products are just as effective as traditional products,
cost competitive, and require no fundamental changes in
floor care procedure or care. There are very legitimate
reasons why we all should be concerned about traditional
floor care chemicals. For instance:
- Floor finishes and strippers are typically some of the
harshest chemicals used in cleaning
- These products can cause irritations, headaches, and
burns
- Permanent eye and organ damage have occurred using
floor care chemicals
- Six out of every 100 cleaners are injured on the job,
often because of using conventional floor care
chemicals
- From 1993 to 1997, 12 percent of work-related injury
cases in four major states were associated with floor
care products.
Many traditional floor care products contain high levels of
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) that can harm Indoor
Air Quality (IAQ). For example, 2-butoxyethanol, a common
ingredient found in strippers, is considered a potential
human carcinogen that can easily be absorbed through the
skin, breaking down red blood cells and damaging internal
organs, as well as being a suspected learning and
respiratory toxicant. And zinc, used to make floor finish
more durable for UHS burnishing and produce the "wet
look," can be toxic to aquatic life.
In addition to selecting Green-certified floor care products,
facility managers and cleaning professionals should take
these steps to protect their health as well as the health of the
environment:
- Get the full ingredient MSDSs and read them very
carefully. Watch out for carcinogens or reproductive
toxins. Compare them to safer alternatives.
- Select products that do not contain zinc or heavy
metals.
- Look for VOC levels that are less than 7 percent at use
dilution.
- Limit or eliminate where you can APEs (NPE or OPE),
aqueous ammonia, MEA, ethylene glycol monomethyl
ether (EGME), ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGEE)
and 2-butoxyethanol.
- Check that the total phosphorous concentration is less
than 0.5 percent.
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Question #3: We hear a lot about Green certification. But how exactly is a product certified Green? |
Excellent question. After all, we trust and depend on certification organizations to do the homework for us. When these organizations certify a product, we know that it meets the following requirements:
- Has a reduced impact on the environment when compared to similar products used for the same or a similar purpose
- Has ingredients (or a greater number of ingredients) that are biodegradable and non-toxic
- Performs as well as, if not better than, a comparable non-Green product
- Does not include (or has considerably fewer) harmful ingredients, such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), carcinogens, and endocrine disruptors, which can harm glands, hormones, and many other body functions
- Does not contain hazardous by-products
- Is packaged in recyclable materials
- Meets all safety standards for use of the product
Certification Process
The procedure for product certification can differ depending on what it is and how it is used. For this explanation, let’s suppose that we are a manufacturer of an all-purpose cleaner and now want to get it certified. The steps we must take are as follows:
- Apply for certification to one of the leading certification organizations, such as EcoLogoM or Green Seal®, and note which one category the product should be classified under. In this instance, it would be classified as an all-purpose or multi-purpose cleaning product.
- We will be instructed to have the product and its ingredients analyzed by an accredited laboratory in our locality.
- Once the analysis is complete, assuming the product has passed the test, the lab results and all pertinent information about the product are sent to the certifying organization.
- Once the organization has analyzed the information, they will visit our manufacturing facility to verify that all the product’s listed ingredients are in fact the ones used and no others. Also, they will review how the product is packaged, to make sure recyclable materials are used.
- If certified, we are then allowed to post an EcoLogo mark or Green Seal label on our all-purpose cleaner as well as related marketing materials and packaging.
- Expect the unexpected. Once our product is certified, we will be told that the certification organization may visit our manufacturing plant at any time and re-investigate how the product is made, its ingredients, and packaging. These are known as “unannounced audits.”
- The certification is not finite. Usually, the product will have to be re-certified in two to three years. In that time, the criteria may change, which means the product must be reevaluated in order to be Green certified again.
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