Green Seal is inviting comment on proposed revisions to nine cleaning product standards. The third-party environmental certification organization welcomes comment from a diverse group of stakeholders including product manufacturers, public health experts, environmental organizations, and other interested parties. The comment period will be open through Monday, January 16, 2017. Those interested in commenting can register to submit feedback and view all relevant documents via an online forum.
The proposed revisions are intended to improve consistency, clarity, and to ensure that the requirements are practical for manufacturers while still maintaining current leadership levels of environmental and human health protection. Additionally, some standards require updates to account for changes in the market and the commercial availability of new technologies.
In most cases, the proposed revisions are not expected to immediately require reevaluations of currently certified products or changes in their formulations. Complete details of the standard revisions can be found here.
The standards involved in these revisions are:
- Standard for Cleaning Products for Household Use, GS-8
- Standard for Cleaning and Degreasing Agents, GS-34
- Standard for Cleaning Products for Industrial and Institutional Use, GS-37
- Standard for Floor Care Products for Industrial and Institutional Use, GS-40
- Standard for Hand Cleaners for Industrial and Institutional Use, GS-41
- Standard for Laundry Care for Household Use, GS-48
- Standard for Laundry Care Products for Industrial and Institutional Use, GS-51
- Standard for Specialty Cleaning Products for Household Use, GS-52
- Standard for Specialty Cleaning Products for Industrial and Institutional Use, GS-53.
The proposed revisions include some aspect of the following topics:
- Threshold of Evaluation for Components and Ingredients
- Skin and Eye Hazard Requirements
- Acute Toxicity
- Toxicity to Aquatic Life
- Biodegradability Requirements
- Skin Sensitization Requirements
- Requirements for Disposable Wipes
- Colorant Requirements
- Substances That Release Carcinogens
- Packaging Requirements
- Resin Identification Codes on Plastic Packaging
- Prohibition of Heavy Metals in Products and Packaging
- Scope of GS-37
- Addition of Annex B for Closed Dilution-Control System Requirements
- Alternative Product Testing Requirements
- Dilution Levels for Performance Requirements
- Spray Packaging for Enzymatic and Microbially-Based Cleaners
- Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Requirement
Following the comment period, a response to comments will be published on Green Seal’s website, and the final revised standards will be published. Those interested in learning more about the proposed changes can attend a webinar on Thursday, December 15th from 3 P.M. – 4 P.M. ET.
