EPA Recommends Green Seal Standards for Paints

Green Seal, an independent environmental certification nonprofit, has announced that two more of its standards, GS-11 (Standard for Paints, Coatings, Stains, and Sealers) and GS-43 (Standard for Recycled Latex Paint), were recently recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its newly revised Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing. The Recommendations were updated at the conclusion of a pilot that assessed environmental performance standards and ecolabels focused on furniture, flooring, and/or paints and coatings. More specifics on the recommendations can be found by going to II/Construction category and Interior Latex Paints. Green Seal standards for institutional cleaners, floor care products, hand soap, sanitary paper, and printing and writing paper are already recommended by EPA.

“We are thrilled to have the EPA include Green Seal among the credible standards and ecolabels recommended for federal procurement. The EPA Recommendations represent a tremendous amount of effort by the agency and diverse stakeholders to identify standards and ecolabels that make it easier for federal purchasers to purchase environmentally responsible products and services,” said Green Seal Senior Vice President of Outreach and Strategic Relations Mark Petruzzi, who participated in the stakeholder committee.

EPA’s Recommendations give preference to multi-attribute (i.e., life-cycle based) standards and ecolabels. The Recommendations are intended to help federal purchasers identify and procure environmentally sustainable products and services. More specifics on the recommendations can be found by going to II/Construction category and Interior Latex Paints.