EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized updates to strengthen the Safer Choice and Design for the Environment (DfE) Standard, which identifies the requirements that products and their ingredients must meet to earn EPA's Safer Choice label or DfE logo. These updates strengthen the criteria products must meet to qualify for the voluntary Safer Choice label, supporting the use of safer chemicals in the marketplace.

The Safer Choice program makes it easier for consumers and purchasers for facilities like schools and office buildings to find cleaners, detergents and other products made with safer chemical ingredients. Similarly, the DfE program helps people find disinfectants that meet high standards for public health and the environment.

“When consumers see the Safer Choice label on products in stores or online, they can be confident that the products were made with the safest possible ingredients,” says EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. “We’ve updated EPA’s Safer Choice and DfE Standard for the first time in nearly a decade with feedback from our stakeholders to make it stronger, more transparent and to include updated packaging sustainability standards.”

In addition to updated clarifying language, the final updated Standard includes: 

• A new certification program for cleaning service providers that use Safer Choice- and DfE-certified products. The program will help protect workers that use cleaning products as well as the people who live or work in the spaces they clean.

• Strengthened criteria that pet care products must meet to ensure they use only the safest possible ingredients for humans, pets and the environment.

• Updated safer packaging criteria, ensuring primary packaging does not include any intentionally 1 added PFAS or other chemicals of concern.

• Strengthened sustainable packaging requirements for all Safer Choice-certified products to use post-consumer recycled content and be recyclable, or be reusable.

• Updated criteria for wipe products to ensure certified wipes contain “Do Not Flush” language to help reduce damage to wastewater treatment systems.

• New, optional energy efficiency or use reduction criteria to encourage companies to use less water, use renewable energy and improve energy efficiency.

Read more on the updated standard here.