Cleanfax, MayJune 2018

Product review and verification Eco labeling from the top three organizations serves to assure contractors that the product has been verified by third party testing and has met rigorous criteria to be deemed a better choice compared to similar products in the marketplace All three organizations agree that although a product may be environmentally preferable if it doesnt work its a waste of resources and therefore not sustainable As part of the criteria products are tested for performance and confirmation is given through third party testing that they perform as well as if not better than similar products in their category Chemical safety One of the primary factors among eco labeling organizations is concern over human health Products are assessed for toxicity to humans as well as the environment Testing for volatile organic compounds VOCs and pH level determines how safe a product will be during use The product ingredient list is also reviewed for known toxic components Sustainability The definition of green products has varied wildly since the beginning of the movement in the 1970s Eco label organizations have brought credibility and science to define what makes a product green As a result the criteria for certifications took a more holistic approach to examine the lifecycle of a product While the degree of investigation varies with each certification body they all to some degree look into the details of a product Examples of this would be reviewing raw materials ingredients the manufacturing process packaging and transport the use of the product and the final disposal of the product and packaging Two common benchmarks for chemical products are standardized testing for biodegradability and aquatic toxicity Biodegradability is a measure of how quickly a product 28 CLEANFAX MAY JUN 2018 breaks down after it enters the environment Aquatic toxicity shows the potential for a product to cause damage to highly sensitive aquatic organisms A criterion for eco labeling requires a product to be biodegradable and pose no aquatic toxicity Although a product may be environmentally preferable if it doesnt work its a waste of resources and therefore not sustainable Efficiency of green cleaning At the core of any green cleaning program is a move to improve the efficiency of the use of chemicals This includes looking at worker training reducing chemical waste with proper dilution and using products according to label directions Many chemical manufacturers have now moved to using recycled content in packaging or Sustainable Forest Certified cardboard cartons Most plastic containers are now recyclable where facilities exist Manufacturers have also provided cost savings to contractors by offering product in bulk containers These efficiencies provide a better way of using chemicals and are designed to reduce labor and save money for the end user Additional supporting data Other types of supporting data that are not commonly required by certification bodies may be available from a manufacturer for a product which separates it from others in terms of irrefutable scientific evidence of safety or sustainability regardless of the certification label the product may or may not carry Such types of data are Full ingredient disclosure This is always the best way for an interested consumer to review product ingredients but difficult for manufacturers to preserve unique formulations USDA bio based carbon 14 testing This is an established method of determining whether product ingredients are authentically botanical and renewable or sourced from petrochemicals without having to reveal potentially proprietary ingredients This level of data is the pinnacle of the art and leaves no room for the influence of pursuing profit politics or marketing greenwashing Summary of differences While Safer Choice tends to focus mostly on the ingredients list of a product Ecologo and GreenSeals criteria focuses on the products lifecycle Neither approach is wrong but it would stand to reason that an overall view of a products lifecycle provides a better understanding of its environmental impact All organizations need to generate revenue to stay in business Therefore there is an intrinsic temptation to certify more products to grow revenue Consequently not all of the standards represent the best in breed products but are broad enough to capture more of the products already on the market taking more of a better than theworst approach Additionally some of the standards have become quite prescriptive and consequently have directed formulating to standards innovation instead of embracing outside innovation as it occurs Again neither of these observations are unethical but rather something to be aware of when evaluating a product standard or a certification body The bottom line is that with the