by Brianna Crandall — April 25, 2011—As part of the Earth Day 2011 tribute and continued efforts to protect Americans’ health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that more than 2,500 products are now authorized by the agency under its Design for the Environment (DfE) Safer Product Labeling Program to carry the DfE label, and that the agency will soon require manufacturers with products that bear the DfE logo to disclose their ingredients to consumers.
DfE-labeled products undergo a scientific evaluation to ensure that they are formulated from the safest possible ingredients, and do not contain known chemicals of potential concern, like carcinogens, reproductive or developmental toxicants. Even minor product components, like dyes and fragrances, are screened for environmental and health safety.
EPA is also implementing a requirement effective immediately that new DfE-labeled products list all ingredients (other than trade secrets) on the product label or in another easily accessible location (such as a Web site, for example). New DfE-approved products also will have to meet additional lifecycle requirements such as sustainable packaging and limits on volatile organic compounds.
Products that carry the DfE label in the industrial/institutional product category include: air conditioner coil cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, brick and masonry cleaners, floor care products, odor removers, and many more.
