Green Seal certification addresses whole product life-cycle
New US standard for personal care and cosmetics
A new standard (GS-50) from Green Seal Inc is being claimed as the first in the personal care and cosmetics category in the US to cover the whole product life-cycle. The standard establishes environmental, health and performance requirements for products intended to be left on the body and hair including, but not limited to, lotions, hairspray and styling products, sunscreen, nail polish, insect repellant, make-up, antiperspirant and deodorant.
Green Seal says this standard, along with the Green Seal standard for Soaps and Shower Products (GS-44), provides tools that manufacturers can download and use to improve their products, validate those improvements through certification, and provide consumers with a guide.
“The personal care and cosmetics category has been the focus of much consumer concern in relation to the environmental and health impacts of ingredients and manufacturing processes used,” comments Arthur Weissman, president & ceo of Green Seal. “It was imperative then that Green Seal develop standards that address these concerns and make it possible for consumers to identify those products that have been independently certified to have less impact.”
Green Seal says GS-50 covers much more than many other standards. To achieve certification, manufacturers must satisfy performance, health and environmental, social responsibility, packaging and labelling requirements as well as provide definitions for common claims including ‘natural’, ‘organic’ and ‘biobased’.
The evaluation process includes review of data; assessment of labelling, marketing and promotional materials; and an on-site audit of manufacturing facilities. Those certified will be monitored annually.
The upcoming release of the new FTC Green Guides for Environmental Marketing Claims in the US are likely to result in more scrutiny of claims made on products and how the claims are substantiated, says Green Seal. Greater transparency will therefore make independent verification increasingly important.
Green Seal is a non-profit organisation founded in 1989. It is a science-based standard development and certification body accredited by the American National Standards Institute.
Standards and certification applications can be downloaded at www.greenseal.org
