Heavy metals are widely used in industrial, agricultural, and technological applications, as well as in consumer products. In cleaning and personal care products, heavy metals may be used to improve product longevity, enhance colorfastness, act as antimicrobial agents, or function as preservatives, binders, or stabilizers.  

Despite their utility, many heavy metals raise significant health and environmental concerns. This group of ingredients are among the many harmful chemicals we prohibit in Green Seal-certified products and their packaging to ensure they meet a high standard for protecting people and the planet. 

Here, we’ll dive into what heavy metals are, where and why they’re used in consumer products, and how to limit your interactions with this group of elements. 

What are Heavy Metals? 

Heavy metals are metallic elements with a high atomic weight and a density at least five times greater than water. Elements in this category can be beneficial or toxic to humans — or sometimes both depending on exposure level. 

The list of heavy metals of concern includes arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, nickel, and thallium. 

Unlike organic pollutants, heavy metals do not degrade over time and can remain in the environment indefinitely. This persistence and ability to accumulate in biological tissues make them particularly hazardous. 

In Green Seal-certified products, we prohibit any ingredients that bioaccumulate. Eliminating these chemicals from the supply chain ultimately reduces their persistence in our environment and bodies. 

Where Heavy Metals are Used in Consumer Products 

Heavy metals and their compounds are used in consumer products as aggregates, colorants, conductors, disinfectants, and preservatives, to name a few functions.  

Certain heavy metals are intentionally added in a variety of consumer products: 

• Lead can be found in batteries, paints, and some cosmetics such as lipstick, eyeliner, and nail polish 
• Mercury is used in thermometers and fluorescent light bulbs 
• Cadmium is prevalent in rechargeable batteries, pigments, and coatings 
• Arsenic is used in wood preservatives and pesticides 
• Silver and zinc compounds are sometimes used in deodorants, wound care products, and surface cleaners 
• Aluminum compounds can be found in antiperspirants 

Heavy metals also manifest as contaminants from raw materials, manufacturing equipment, or packaging processes in a host of products including cleaning, floor care, and personal care products, cosmetics, and paints.  

The Health Risks of Heavy Metals 

Many heavy metals and heavy metal compounds are associated with significant adverse health effects. While not all heavy metals are toxic in small amounts, and some — such as zinc, iron, and copper — are essential for biological functions, excessive or prolonged exposure often are hazardous. 

The adverse health impacts of heavy metal exposure include neurological damage, kidney disease, bone disorders, and increased risk of cancer. Children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of heavy metals, which can impair development and cause lasting cognitive and behavioral issues. Regulatory agencies worldwide have established guidelines to limit exposure to these known neurotoxins, carcinogens, and endocrine disruptors. 

Limiting Exposure  

Being aware of the products you use and the places you spend time can help reduce your exposure to the most toxic heavy metals. Since heavy metal toxicity depends on the chemical form, and level and duration of exposure, limiting your interactions with them is often enough to avoid harm. Steer clear of the most toxic heavy metals by being cautious with old or imported products that may not meet current local safety standards, and check ingredient labels on:  

• Packaging materials 
• Cleaning products 
• Paints 
• Floor finishes 
• Cosmetics 
• Personal care items 

To be confident your cleaning, personal care, and other household products don’t contain hazardous heavy metals, look for reputable ecolabels like Green Seal. We prohibit these and other harmful ingredients to ensure certified products meet a high standard for protecting people and the planet. 

The LEED v5.0 Rating System specifies Green Seal’s standards for cleaners and degreasers, floor care products, sanitary paper, hand care and hand sanitizers, paints, trash bags, and commercial cleaning services. Specifically:

• Using Green Seal-certified products for at least 75% of a building’s cleaning products and materials earns:
  • 1 point in the Green Cleaning Credit (O&M)

• Using a Green Seal-certified cleaning service earns:
  • 1 point in the Green Cleaning Credit (O&M)

• Green Seal-certified paint:
  • Contributes toward 1 point for the Materials & Resources: Building Product Selection & Procurement Credit (BD&C and ID&C)
  • Contributes 1 product toward the Material & Resources: Low-Emitting Materials Credit (BD&C)

Green Seal is specified in five product and service categories in the Green Cleaning Credit – more than any other third-party standard. Using Green Seal-certified green cleaning products and a Green Seal-certified cleaning service together qualifies projects for 5% of the 40 points buildings need to earn the minimum level LEED® certification.

The updated USGBC rating system is the most recent among hundreds of standards and policies that use Green Seal as shorthand for proven-safer products. That’s because sustainability leaders recognize that our science-based standards demand leadership at every stage of the product lifecycle. Together with the manufacturers in our community, we will continue to ensure the Green Seal certification mark helps buyers cut through the chaos to find products that meet truly comprehensive health and sustainability standards — from beginning to end.

Tell us the story behind PortionPac.

Our founder, Marvin Klein, witnessed an incredible amount of waste in the cleaning industry during the 1950s. Cleaning products of the time were mostly water, yet they required vast resources to produce, ship, and dispose of correctly. Millions of steel pails and large drums were transported worldwide, only to be emptied and discarded after a single use. Adding to the issue, few people knew how to properly or safely dilute bulk cleaning solutions.

In 1964, Marvin founded PortionPac with a few key principles:

• Pre-measure products to ensure proper use and reduce waste.
• Use concentrated formulas to minimize shipping unnecessary water.
• Create safer, effective products to protect people and the environment.
• Prioritize education because knowing how to clean is just as important as what you use.

What product, innovation, or accomplishment are you most proud of from a sustainability standpoint?

There isn’t just one – sustainability is woven into the fabric of our company. Every decision, innovation, and idea is driven by our desire to preserve the built environment without negatively impacting people or the planet.

Tell us about your Less is More initiative and why you’re leaning into this message.

There are so many benefits to less that are not immediately apparent, especially when the conventional wisdom is to simply use more. We know the value of less, and have built our company on proven practices that focus on reducing the costs of cleaning. And not just chemicals. For example, less water leads to less packaging leads to less shipping and storage space which costs less and produces less waste. Additionally, less travel time for workers can be a huge hidden benefit. Empty cleaning solution containers that require trips back to a supply closet to refill mean time wasted that could be spent cleaning. PortionPac instead allows kitting workers with portable concentrates that can be accurately mixed at any water source. That productivity quickly adds up to more savings. Finally, less hazardous formulas mean more protection for workers and building occupants.

Why do you think purchasers are responding to pre-measured cleaning products right now?

Pre-measured products simplify operations, reduce waste, and improve safety. When facing pressure to reduce costs across business operations, purchasers are realizing it just makes sense. Especially when they are increasingly having to confront challenges in the form of labor shortages, high turnover, and fewer training resources. A pre-measured program makes educating new staff easier, and cleaning more efficient with fewer trips to the supply closets. Plus, pre-measured cleaners help control costs by preventing overuse and supporting sustainability initiatives by reducing packaging waste and shipping less water.

Why do you partner with Green Seal?

Our company was founded with a mission to create safer, more effective cleaning solutions. Before Green Seal, our customers relied on our product quality and safety because they knew us, trusted our integrity, and noticed a genuine desire to do the right thing. We became partners with Green Seal because they also were doing the good things we strove for; health and safety without sacrificing performance. Green Seal is a third-party, independent organization paving the way for new, safer technologies. That is the bar we strive to meet, and even exceed, with everything we do. Through the Green Seal process, we have been able to develop state-of-the-art cleaners with incredible cleaning power and safer ingredients.

What’s next for PortionPac?

The work of developing and promoting better cleaning products and processes is always ongoing. PortionPac will continue to collaborate with janitors and our partners to innovate and educate both in and outside of the markets we serve. This mission has driven us for 61 years — our customers do essential work, and we strive to provide solutions that empower their success.

Sanitary paper products, including toilet paper, towels, and facial tissue, are daily essentials. The U.S. consumes approximately 19.2 billion pounds of them annually – roughly 56 pounds per person. But as single-use products made from virgin tree fiber, they can carry a hefty environmental footprint.  

That’s why we’re proposing a leadership standard for sanitary paper products that contain no virgin tree fiber and meet meaningful manufacturing and packaging sustainability requirements.   

Green Seal has long recognized manufacturing leaders that use 100% recycled fiber. Now, we’re adding a certification pathway for tree-free products like those made from bamboo. This will expand opportunities for brands that produce responsibly sourced alternative-fiber sanitary paper to verify their sustainability leadership and give consumers more certified choices in this product category.  

A High-Impact Product Category 

The fiber composition of sanitary paper products has a significant impact on their overall environmental footprint.  

Making these products with virgin tree fiber heavily contributes to deforestation, denuding 28 million acres of the ecologically valuable Boreal forest in a 20-year period – an area roughly the size of Ohio. 

Converting virgin wood into pulp is an extremely energy-intensive process. Papermaking is the third-largest energy consuming manufacturing sector, after chemicals and petroleum and coal products. In fact, products made from virgin tree fiber can generate three times as many CO₂ emissions as products made from other types of pulp. Making paper from virgin tree fiber also guzzles massive amounts of water, demanding more than 24 billion gallons a day.  

Reducing the Impacts of an Everyday Product 

Using recycled or alternative fiber significantly reduces the carbon and water impacts of producing sanitary paper products and eliminates their impact on deforestation.  

By meeting stringent fiber sourcing and manufacturing criteria, Green Seal-certified sanitary paper products save an average of 30.5 billion gallons of water and 11.7 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year – the equivalent of taking 2.8 million cars off the road.  

Under our new standard, Green Seal will: 

• Verify products use no virgin tree fiber 

• Validate significant savings in carbon pollution and water use 

• Confirm a product is made without fragrances, PFAS, or any other harmful chemicals 

Buyers trust Green Seal-certified sanitary paper products because they significantly reduce carbon emissions, protect ancient and endangered forests, and preserve water resources. Our new standard maintains this leadership bar while growing market impact by inviting a broader group of manufacturers to verify their sustainability achievement. 

Lend us your voice 

We believe a collaborative approach leads to better outcomes for everyone. We developed our draft standard in collaboration with the leading towel and tissue brands, purchasers and policy advocates in our Working Group to promote industry alignment on meaningful claims and criteria for this product category.  

We want to hear from you too. We are accepting public comment on our proposed criteria for sanitary paper products through April 28, 2025. 

Learn more and submit your comment here. 

We’re actively recruiting qualified applicants to join our volunteer committees to help us define the core elements of safer, more sustainable products. Industry alignment on these elements is the first step toward achieving a common definition and forming a meaningful, marketable category of safer and more sustainable everyday products.

The Initiative

We’re launching a collaborative initiative with retailers, brands, and policy advocates to develop a market-led health and environmental product rating based on the core elements of a green product: safer chemicals, sustainable packaging, responsible sourcing, and low-impact manufacturing.

Research consistently shows that confusion and skepticism around sustainability claims drives a big gap between the number of shoppers who say they want eco-conscious products and the number who buy them. Developing a common framework for meaningful health and sustainability claims will build consumer trust, simplify purchasing decisions, and drive clear and consistent standards throughout the value chain.

Industry practitioners and advocates have the potential to drive significant impact for this initiative through their guidance and insight.

Call for Applicants

Apply to join our volunteer committees and help us define the core elements of safer, more sustainable products. Participants will bring both market and technical perspectives to the development of category-specific criteria and claims in:

• cleaning & laundry care
• personal care & cosmetics
• towel & tissue
• home restoration products

Selected members should expect to contribute a few hours a month to activities such as attending meetings, reviewing documents, or providing feedback.

If you are interested in participating in our committees, please apply by March 19, 2025.

Today, on Earth Day, we are illuminating the comprehensive nature of this work in our 2024 Impact Report. The report breaks out our impacts into the core elements of a green product:

• Safer Chemicals: Green Seal-certified cleaning products protected 9.8 million students and teachers from toxic chemicals and asthma triggers in 2023.
• Responsible Sourcing: Green Seal-certified sanitary paper saves 11.7 million metric tons of carbon emissions each year due to recycled fiber sourcing, the equivalent of taking 2.8 million cars off the road.
• Manufacturing Sustainability: Green Seal-certified sanitary paper, made with 100% recycled fiber, reduces manufacturing water use by 30.5 million gallons each year.
• Sustainable Packaging: Green Seal-certified cleaning products save 192 million pounds of plastic each year.

From eliminating PFAS from the supply chain, to defining sustainable sanitary paper, to accelerating the transition to sustainable packaging, we are helping our customers stay ahead of the curve by raising the bar for products that are safer for people and the planet. Ultimately, this means that no matter which aisle people are shopping, our trusted certification mark helps them cut through the chaos to find products that meet truly comprehensive health and sustainability standards — from beginning to end.

In this report, we are proud to highlight how, together with you, we are accelerating the transition to greater safety and sustainability in our workplaces, our homes – and our collective home planet.

What does sustainability mean to Asian Paints?

Sustainability has been a strategically important element for Asian Paints, and we have integrated our sustainability agenda into the company’s business objectives. We consider sustainability as a key driver for long-term value creation for all our stakeholders. For us, sustainability means providing best-in-class, safe, and eco-friendly products that are low in VOC, high in durability, and higher in renewable content. Sustainability for us also means constantly working towards minimizing our manufacturing’s environmental footprint and being water positive. 

As an India-based multinational company, why do you partner with Green Seal?

Green Seal, we think, is the most stringent and comprehensive product certification program and it is integrated with LEED and IGBC requirements. Green Seal also has qualified experts who ensure that the products that are certified are truly green and ensure minimal environmental impact and the safety of our customers. Partnering with Green Seal also provides a gateway to know upcoming changes in the regulations and helps us adapt to the changes in a structured manner. 

What product, innovation, or accomplishment are you most proud of from a sustainability standpoint?

In India, Asian Paints continues to be a frontrunner when it comes to environmental sustainability and green products. From a sustainability standpoint, we are proud of developing a revolutionary interior paint, Royale Aspira, with superior stain resistance, anti-bacterial activity, and crack-bridging performance. Royale Aspira is the first architectural paint in India to earn Green Seal certification. We are also proud of our product Nilaya Naturals – an interior architectural paint with more than 90% content from natural origins. 

What kind of health or sustainability features and information are your customers looking for today?

Awareness of the toxicity and environmental impact of architectural paints is very limited in India. In the absence of regulations and with limited customer awareness, sustainability for us is largely a voluntary initiative. The segment of real estate and interior architects are critical about the sustainability features of a paint. Low VOC, lead- and other heavy metal-free, longer service life, resistance to mold, and water-based products are some of the features that customers are looking for. 

What’s next for Asian Paints?

In 2023, Asian Paints created an ESG framework for the company and published sustainability goals for 2025 and 2030. This further substantiates our commitment to sustainability and the country’s decarbonization targets. We have set audacious goals around product certification, durability, restricting the use of carcinogens, mutagens, and reproductive toxins, reducing Scope 3 emissions through product formula optimization, and increasing the renewable content in our products. 

Anything else you’d like to share?

Asian Paints started publishing separate sustainability reports in 2014 and has made remarkable progress. Management and the board are committed to delivering products and services in an environmentally sustainable manner. Product stewardship has been the source of driving sustainability objectives. 

What does sustainability mean to CleanGo GreenGo? 

At CleanGo GreenGo, sustainability means using products or processes that don’t harm or deteriorate our environment or our health. It also means opting for greener solutions over toxic alternatives to help solve our day-to-day challenges and create longevity and better health. 

Why do you partner with Green Seal? 

We believe in what the Green Seal mark stands for. We like that the Green Seal certification gives people reassurance that the product is truly green and not just greenwashed. 

What product, innovation, or accomplishment are you most proud of from a sustainability standpoint? 

We are proud that we were able to achieve an effective all-purpose cleaner that utilizes greener and cleaner ingredients as opposed to our toxic competitors. 

What kind of health or sustainability features and information are your customers looking for today? 

I think our customers understand that toxic and caustic products endanger our families, pets, and environment. Being conscious of this helps them choose products like ours. 

What’s next for CleanGo GreenGo? 

We are always working on new products and trying to conquer new cleaning challenges in several diverse marketplaces. 

Anything else you’d like to share? 

We recently swapped out highly toxic products currently being used in the petroleum industry to produce oil and gas as well as clean equipment and tanks with our Green Seal-certified products.

What does sustainability mean to Marcal Paper? 

Since the 1950s, Marcal Paper has been committed to sustainability, long before it was “fashionable.” Marcal is dedicated to protecting our planet – for current and future generations – and making a positive impact on the environment by providing high-quality products while minimizing our ecological footprint. 

Why do you partner with Green Seal? 

We believe that Green Seal is the largest and most respected third-party environmental accreditation organization in the U.S. Furthermore, many of our customer partners, as well as government organizations, require LEED points and products that are Green Seal certified. So, choosing to partner with Green Seal was not only a decision based on good stewardship of our environment, but it was also a good business decision. 

What product, innovation, or accomplishment are you most proud of from a sustainability standpoint? 

We are extremely proud that we do not use any trees to supply our paper mills — just wastepaper that could have ended up in our landfills. However, our new NTT Paper Machine at the Natchez, MS, paper mill is our newest shining star when it comes to innovation and sustainability. 

Recently, an independent third-party, in-depth study was performed and found that Marcal’s new NTT Paper Machine with premium Structured Sheet Technology reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) manufacturing emissions by an impressive 41% when compared to Through-Air-Dried (TAD) premium towels. Now, customers who want a premium paper towel can choose a quality product that is environmentally preferable. 

What’s the biggest sustainability challenge you’re facing? 

Sourcing affordable, quality, recycled fiber has always been a challenge. As the market for recycled paper products continues to expand, fiber prices rise and the availability of clean, quality fiber gets tighter. That is why Marcal Paper continues to invest in the most modern technology available to allow for use of a wider variety of recycled fiber to keep our pricing competitive and our quality high. 

What kind of health or sustainability features and information are your customers looking for today? 

The majority of our customers are looking for high-quality paper products that are made from 100% recycled fiber. A large percentage of those are looking for products that contain a large amount of post-consumer fiber and paper that is processed without using bleach or other harsh chemicals. But it doesn’t stop there. We have had customers ask if our towels are safe for use in their worm farm or if we use any animal byproducts because they want vegan paper towels and tissue. 

What’s next for Marcal Paper? 

Since Marcal developed the process of using recycled fiber to make quality towels and tissue in the 1950s, we have never stopped searching for ways to provide quality paper products with the least impact on our planet. Stay tuned to find out what the next big Marcal innovation will be.

Green Seal-certified products became more valuable to federal purchasers this week when the Biden-Harris administration announced they must buy products that are free of PFAS and specified Green Seal-certified cleaning products and hand soaps.  

In 2022, we prohibited the entire class of more than 12,000 PFAS chemicals in our cleaning and personal care product standards, putting Green Seal-certified products in a strong leadership position on these toxic “forever chemicals.”  

In addition to aligning with this new federal mandate, Green Seal’s broad definition of PFAS aligns with emerging state regulations on PFAS, including in California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington, putting certified products ahead of the curve on ingredient bans. 

The federal government announcement is the most recent among hundreds of purchasing policies that use Green Seal as shorthand for proven-safer products. That’s because sustainability leaders know our science-based standards demand true leadership at every stage of the product lifecycle. Along with the manufacturers in the Green Seal community, we will continue to ensure the Green Seal certification mark helps buyers cut through the chaos to find products that meet truly comprehensive health and sustainability standards — from beginning to end.

What does sustainability mean to Mum & You? 

It is about helping mums and dads to buy and use products that have a minimized impact on their environment and that are shipped responsibly without compromising on benefits that are important to them as new parents. We help them to feel less overwhelmed and less guilty in making their product choices at a time when everything in their lives is changing. 

Why do you partner with Green Seal? 

Green Seal is a mark of quality, and it is trusted. 

What product, innovation, or accomplishment are you most proud of from a sustainability standpoint? 

We are most proud of our baby wipes. They have been 100% biodegradable and plastic free since we started the company. 

What’s the biggest sustainability challenge you’re facing? 

Finding suppliers to make the products we know our consumers want. Most urgently, it has been finding suppliers to make products that biodegrade and do not contain plastic at a price that can be afforded in mass market. 

What kind of health or sustainability features and information are your customers looking for today? 

Our consumers are most interested in purity, which can be defined as the absence of ‘harmful’ ingredients in our cosmetic products. This often goes hand-in-hand with a desire for products that are compatible with eczema-prone or sensitive skin. 

Biodegradability remains important too. 

What’s next for Mum & You? 

We are launching onewipe, a significantly bigger, thicker wipe. In testing, 85% of the panel agreed that they needed to use just one wipe per usage occasion. This obviously reduces the amount of waste being generated as well as cutting costs for parents. 

We are also launching a Bamboo wipe. It is still 100% biodegradable but comes from a source that is more renewable and is grown without the need for pesticides. Bamboo is a fantastic material to use in wipes as it is both soft and extremely strong. 

A global sweep of websites by the International Consumer Protection Enforcement Network (representing consumer protection authorities from 70 countries) found 40% of green claims made online could be considered misleading. And the past few years have seen an uptick in the number of challenges targeting environmental marketing claims, not only from consumers and NGOs but also from competitors and investors. According to an analysis from the international law firm Alston & Bird, packaging labels, ESG reports, websites, executive statements, and other media have all been targets.

Consumers also are growing more skeptical. A 2021 survey found that most Americans doubt companies that claim to be environmentally friendly, with slightly more than half never or only sometimes believing such a claim, and 45 percent saying they need a third-party validating source.

As companies amp up green product claims to respond to consumer demand, it’s critical to do this in a way that enhances your brand reputation instead of leaving it vulnerable.

FTC Green Guides

The FTC’s Green Guides help brands avoid making claims that could be considered unfair or deceptive under the FTC Act of 1914. The FTC developed the Green Guides with an eye toward “how reasonable consumers likely interpret certain claims.”

While the Green Guides themselves are not binding, the FTC can take action under the FTC Act if a marketer makes an environmental claim inconsistent with the Guides. Recently, the FTC has gone after companies for “Green Promise” and “Eco Assurance” seals, VOC-free claims and certified organic claims, to name a few.

In addition to general environmental benefit claims, the Green Guides address several different types of claims, including compostable, degradable, recyclable, recycled content, free-of and nontoxic claims, as well as carbon offset claims. The FTC is currently drafting an update to the Guides, and the agency has indicated it is considering adding guidance on several terms, including sustainable, sustainability, and organic.

The FTC is not the only entity to hold marketers accountable for false advertising – the National Advertising Division, competitors, and consumers themselves have pursued action against companies for non-toxic, plant-based, and biodegradable claims for cleaning products, personal care products, and trash bags, among other lawsuits.

Rules of Thumb

So how can companies make sure their claims are kosher? By following one overarching rule: Make claims that are specific, qualified, and substantiated. The Green Guides state that, to avoid deceiving consumers, “marketers must identify all express and implied claims that the advertisement reasonably conveys” and “ensure that all reasonable interpretations of their claims are truthful, not misleading, and supported by a reasonable basis before they make the claims.”

In plain speak, a brand’s claims – including product names and images – should identify specific environmental attributes, provide necessary qualifications, and present the supporting data in a place that’s easy for consumers to access.

Adhering to this rule can be tricky because environmental claims are rife with grey areas. In my experience, there are three clear ways brands can avoid the most common greenwashing pitfalls:

1. Stay away from vague, general claims. Terms like eco-friendly, clean, and natural are broad and can be confusing to consumers if they are not qualified. After all, asbestos is ‘natural’ — but that doesn’t mean you want it in your home. These claims are currently unregulated, leaving it up to brands to decide what they mean. However, the Green Guides caution marketers not to make unqualified general environmental benefit claims because “it is highly unlikely that marketers can substantiate all reasonable interpretations of these claims.” If a brand wants to claim its product is eco-friendly, it should explain which specific attributes make it so.

2. Use relative terms. Absolute terms like safe or sustainable are not defensible. Claiming that a product is sustainable, for example, implies that it can be maintained without impacting the environment. While the product may be more sustainable than conventional alternatives or the packaging may be made using sustainably harvested materials, it is highly improbable that the product in its entirety is sustainable. Instead, use relative terms like safer, cleaner or more sustainable, and provide substantiation for the claim on your product label or on a webpage that you point to from your product label.

3. Provide details. Claims that are technically true still can be misleading. For example, if a product states that it is now using “greener packaging than ever before,” an accompanying message should explain how. Would anyone be impressed if the product’s packaging previously contained 8% recycled content and now contains 9%? In this case, the company should provide context on the percentage of weight-reduction achieved with the new packaging, the percentage of recycled content incorporated, or other initiatives that were implemented to make the packaging greener.

For most claims, substantiation is key. The FTC says that substantiating environmental marketing claims “often requires competent and reliable scientific evidence” consisting of “tests, analyses, research, or studies that have been conducted and evaluated in an objective manner by qualified persons and are generally accepted in the profession to yield accurate and reliable results.”

Brands that work with Green Seal often use our third-party certification as their claims substantiation. In fact, we provide a green claims audit for all Green Seal-certified products because we require certified products to conform with Green Guides best practices.

Changes Abroad

Brands with an international presence are keeping an eye on the EU, where the European Commission has begun publishing a package of proposals that aim to make sustainable products the norm. This includes the so-called Green Claims Directive, which establishes common criteria against greenwashing and misleading environmental claims and would make environmental claims and labels reliable, comparable, and verifiable across the EU.

The Green Claims Directive would raise the bar on the EU’s already stringent framework prohibiting misleading claims by introducing detailed requirements for substantiation and communication to consumers.

While global guidance on green marketing is evolving to combat greenwashing, it’s up to companies to act in good faith when making green product claims. However, with the increasing skepticism of green claims from both consumers and regulators, verification from a reputable third party is a clear way to mitigate greenwashing risk and increase confidence in your company’s claims. Thoughtfully considering and verifying product green claims not only guards against litigation and brand risk, but also increases trust in these claims in the marketplace — rewarding leadership and facilitating the sustainability progress we all want.

Green Seal is recruiting qualified applicants to join a working group that will assist with a revision to our GS-1 Sanitary Paper Products standard. We are looking for individuals that can provide technical and market expertise and have specialized knowledge of the paper industry, solid waste and recycling, and carbon benefits of alternative fibers (e.g., bamboo). Learn more here. 

Reducing the Impacts of an Everyday Product

Sanitary paper products such as toilet paper, paper towels, and facial tissues are essential items used at home and work each day. These products are typically used only once before being thrown or flushed away. Pulp used to make these products can come from several sources, including wood (virgin fiber), recycled content, and alternative fibers such as bamboo. The fiber composition of these products has a significant impact on their overall environmental footprint. For example, products made from virgin fiber can generate three times as many CO₂ emissions as products made from other types of pulp. 

Using recycled content in sanitary paper products results in lower greenhouse gas emissions because it eliminates the emissions associated with extracting and manufacturing virgin materials. Additionally, the collection and re-processing of recovered materials (paper products that have been diverted from waste streams) results in reduced carbon emissions across the product lifecycle. In particular, recovered materials have reduced carbon footprints because they preserve forests — which serve as carbon sinks — and divert materials from landfills where discarded products emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas. 

The market for recycled fiber has undergone dramatic changes in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and impacts of the China Sword policy.  Due to these changes, Green Seal is evaluating possible revisions to the sustainability criteria in its GS-1 Standard for Sanitary Paper Products — including the highly stringent recycled fiber requirements — to ensure they align with market needs as well as new sustainability opportunities for the product category. Through this revision, Green Seal will also explore the potential for certification pathways for sustainably sourced alternative fibers (e.g., bamboo) and will assess whether different leadership criteria are needed for the household market versus the away-from-home market.

Green Seal’s Sanitary Paper Product Standard Revision

Green Seal’s reputation for credibility and market impact rests on an open and transparent process for developing our science-based criteria, following international best practices. Green Seal is actively working with stakeholders to develop draft criteria for public comment.

This revision will include the following:

• Evaluating the standard’s recycled content requirements based on the landscape of the recycled fiber market
• Exploring potential certification pathways for sustainably sourced alternative fibers, such as bamboo
• Evaluating leadership criteria for both the household and the away-from-home markets

Call for Working Group Applicants  

Green Seal is actively recruiting participants to serve on our Working Group for this sanitary paper products revision. Working Group members are volunteers from leading companies, nonprofit organizations, and independent subject matter experts, including paper manufacturers, experts in solid waste and recycling, and green procurement professionals. The participation and input of these stakeholders is critical to achieving a strong outcome: a meaningful, feasible environmental leadership standard. Working Group members serve as technical and market advisors throughout the standard development process, and program implementation and evolution.

Working Group members must meet all member requirements and agree to the principles in Green Seal’s Policies and Procedures for Working Group Members.

Green Seal is especially interested in Working Group members who have expertise in the following areas:

• Paper manufacturing
• Solid waste and recycling
• Carbon benefits of alternative fibers (e.g., bamboo)

Submission Instructions: Fill out the interest form.

Deadline for Application: Interested applicants should apply by September 29, 2023.

Timeline for Participation: October 2023 through March 2024. No travel will be required.

Vermont, California, Colorado, and Maryland have passed similar PFAS prohibitions, and Washington, Illinois, Rhode Island, and Georgia have floated bans as well.

Green Seal last year prohibited all approximately 12,000 PFAS in certified cleaning and personal care products to protect people and the planet from the toxic “forever chemicals,” which can persist for hundreds of years in the environment, bioaccumulate in soil and in humans, and are linked to cancer, reproductive harm, and decreased immune response. While Green Seal has long prohibited long-chain PFAS that are formally classified as hazardous, our newer prohibition also encompasses short-chain PFAS, which are sometimes presented as safer substitutes even though growing evidence indicates they can have the same harmful health and environmental effects as long-chain PFAS. 

It can be challenging for consumers and even manufacturers to be sure that products do not use PFAS. PFAS are often used in raw materials, and those proprietary formulas are often not fully disclosed to the final manufacturer. Eliminating PFAS from the supply chain is critical to keep these chemicals out of our products and drinking water and to prevent future harm.

It is encouraging to see more states addressing PFAS in consumer products. While state and federal regulations often lag behind the science, manufacturers and consumers can rely on Green Seal to stay abreast of emerging information and identify products that are safer and more sustainable.

The report highlights the impacts of Green Seal’s programs; key partnerships with organizations including Amazon, Wayfair, the U.S. Green Building Council, ISEAL, Health Product Declaration Collaborative, and others; and the environmental savings achieved by products that bear the Green Seal mark. 

Green Seal exists to empower organizations and people to effect large-scale, transformative change simply through their purchasing choices.  That’s why the report focuses on impacts achieved by Green Seal-certified products, their producers, and their users, including: 

• Ensuring Clean Water: Green Seal-certified sanitary paper products saved 12.4 billion gallons of water in 2022 
• Minimizing Waste: Green Seal-certified cleaning products save 1.7 billion industry-grade 1-liter plastic bottles each year 
• Preserving the Climate: Green Seal-certified sanitary paper saved 12.5 million tons of CO2 emissions annually due to 100% recycled content 
• Protecting Human Health: Green Seal-certified cleaning products protected 9.6 million students and teachers from toxic chemicals and asthma triggers in 2022 

The 2023 Impact Report also highlights Green Seal’s new initiatives — including a sustainable packaging recognition program and leadership-level prohibitions on PFAS in certified products — and features case studies of companies that adhere to Green Seal’s strict science-based standard criteria and demonstrate significant leadership. 

If Green Seal’s market transformation model proves anything, it’s that collective action drives impact. In this year’s report, we highlight how, together with you, we are accelerating the transition to safer and more sustainable products and spaces.