5 hours Ago By Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on December 5, 2024, that it published updates to its Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing (Recommendations).
EPA notes that this is the first time in almost ten years that it has comprehensively evaluated private-sector standards and ecolabels and expanded the Recommendations. According to EPA, the Recommendations “help buyers cut through the clutter to identify thousands of products and services that conserve energy or water, include more recycled content, reduce [per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)] exposure and contamination, and lower the consumption of single-use plastics.” EPA states that it added six ecolabels and standards for clothing and uniforms, “offering purchasers a robust number of options in this new category.
” The expanded food service ware category now includes ecolabels and standards covering products that are reusable, certified commercially compostable, and certified recyclable. The update adds specifications for federal purchasers to use to prioritize more sustainable options for food service ware and to ensure proper end-of-life management. EPA invites organizations to submit their standards and ecolabels for evaluation.
EPA states that it has implemented stronger eligibility criteria that standards and ecolabels must meet to be included in the Recommendations, including the existence of a third-party verification program and an up-to-date directory of qualifying products and services. EPA removed seven ecolabels from the Recommendations because they do not meet these stronger requirements, they are discontinued, or the original basis for inclusion no longer exists. A list of the additions to the Recommendations is below.
Buyers can also visit the EPA website for a tool to browse ecolabels by product or service category and to view a full history of the updates. Healthcare — Medical Devices [U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Class I and II] Greenscreen Certified ® Standard for Medical Supplies and Devices; and Greenhealth Approved for Medical Equipment. Healthcare — Medical Supplies Greenscreen Certified ® Standard for Medical Supplies and Devices; Greenhealth Approved for Medical Equipment; and Nordic Ecolabelling for Sanitary Products. Laboratories — Laboratory Operations (excludes compliance testing laboratories) My Green Lab Certification.
Laboratories — Equipment & Supplies ACT Ecolabel from My Green Lab. Clothing and Uniforms — Finished Clothing Nordic Ecolabelling for Textiles, Hides/Skins, and Leather; Cradle to Cradle Certified ® Product Standard; Global Organic Textile Standard; OEKO-TEX Made in Green; and OEKO-TEX Standard 100. Clothing and Uniforms — Clothing Textiles/Fabrics Nordic Ecolabelling for Textiles, Hides/Skins, and Leather; Cradle to Cradle Certified ® Product Standard; OEKO-TEX Made in Green; OEKO-TEX Standard 100; Global Organic Textile Standard; and GreenScreen Certified ® Standard for Furniture and Fabrics.
Cafeteria and Food Service — Reusable Food Service Ware GreenScreen Certified ® Standard for Reusable Food Packaging, Food Service Ware, and Cookware; and Cradle to Cradle Certified ® Product Standard. Cafeteria and Food Service — Certified Commercially Compostable Food Service Ware GreenScreen Certified ® Standard for Single-Use Food Service Ware and Thermal Paper; Cradle to Cradle Certified ® Product Standard (Platinum Level in Product Circularity); and BPI Commercial Compostability Certification Scheme. Cafeteria and Food Service — Certified Recyclable Food Service Ware GreenScreen Certified ® Standard for Single-Use Food Service Ware and Thermal Paper; and Cradle to Cradle Certified ® Product Standard (Platinum Level in Product Circularity).
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