How Do I Know My Cleaning Products Are Environmentally Safe?
by Diana L. Martin
The Green Movement has been around for a lot longer than most people realize. It actually has its roots in Europe and has been active in the United States since at least the time of the Industrial Revolution, although most people here probably think it began in 1970 with the first Earth Day celebration.
Many of you are concerned about environmentally friendly and safe office products, especially as it concerns janitorial/cleaning supplies. There are many different labels & classifications and it can be difficult to know what each of those means and which ones are the ones you want. Today we’ll demystify that a bit by touching base on some of the more common certifications.
EPA Safer Choice Certified
This is a program that helps people find products that not only perform well but also are safer for human health and the environment. The EPA evaluates the ingredients, performance, ph, and packaging of the products and also looks for items that will reduce, eliminate or prevent pollution. If the product passes stringent testing it is awarded the Safer Choice label. You can learn more about the program on the EPA’s site.
EPA Design for the Environment (DfE) Certified
This is the previous name of the Safer Choice program. The program was rebranded to Safer Choice in 2015.
ECOLOGO® UL2784 Certified
This program is through UL and puts products through stringent testing to evaluate them based on a wide variety of criteria such as materials, energy, manufacturing and operations, health and environment, product performance and use, and product stewardship and innovation. Products bearing the ECOLOGO® Certification logo are verified to have reduced environmental impact. Learn more about it here.
USDA BioPreferred® Program
The USDA BioPreferred® Program certifies thousands of products in over 100 different categories. It was created by the 2002 Farm Bill and expanded as part of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. It identifies products made from plants and other renewable materials. Products requesting the certification must be tested in a third-party lab and must meet a minimum biobased content level. The accompanying label assures a consumer that the product contains a USDA-verified amount of renewable biological ingredients. Many companies will include the content percentage in their advertisements. Learn more about it here.
Cradle to Cradle Certified®
Cradle to Cradle is a global certification given by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute that ensures that products 1) are safe for humans and the environment, 2) enable a circular economy, 3) protect clean air, promote renewable energy, and reduce harmful emissions, 4) safeguard clean water and 5) respect human rights. Learn more about it on the institute’s website here.
Green Seal® GS-37 Certification
Green Seal® is a non-profit organization that has been in existence for over 30 years. They evaluate products for performance, health, and environmental impact. Certifications cover a wide variety of cleaning and facility care products and services and currently number more than 33,000 products. According to their site, more than 100 federal, state, and local purchasing policies specify Green Seal®. It operates under ISO 14020 and 14024 and follows the EPA requirements for third-party certification. Their GS-37 certification applies specifically to general-purpose cleaning products and indicates that this product is safer for humans and the environment compared to traditional alternatives while still providing outstanding cleaning performance. It covers all-purpose glass, bathroom, carpet, and microbial products used for routine cleaning in offices, warehouses, industrial facilities, and other institutions. Read more about the Green Seal® program on their site.
Cruelty-Free
The cruelty-free designation means the product is not tested on animals. Seventh Generation, Method, and Meyer’s Clean Day are three cruelty-free brands featured in our catalog.
You’ll find an abundance of products with one or more of these certifications in our JanSan assortment. Browse our website or reach out to us by phone, fax, or email for more information.