EPA’s Safer Choice Program · − Aircraft Cleaning Products − Athletic Field Paint − Car Care Products − Deicers − Dust Control Products − HVAC Maintenance − Marine/RV

EPA’s Safer Choice ProgramBridget Williams & Randy Yakal

February 13, 2018

Introduction to the Safer Choice program

Appeal of the label

Safer Choice-certified products

Product review process

Safer Choice Standard

Ingredient criteria & review

Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)

CleanGredients®

Outline

2Safer Choice Program

A voluntary EPA ecolabel program that draws on EPA expertise to evaluate the potential hazards of ingredients in chemical-based products

Focus on safer chemical ingredients− With provisions for performance, packaging, and ingredient disclosure

Verifies and reviews all ingredients up the supply chain

Encourages green chemistry− chemical manufacturers− product manufacturers− retailers− consumers & purchasers

Safer Choice Program


What does the Safer Choice label mean?


Verification by a trusted government agency that products contain only chemical ingredients meeting Safer Choice criteria, and in so doing they:− Are safer for families, pets, communities, and the

environment− Are safer for workers and work places− Perform

An appealing label that customers can trust− Facilitates rapid decision-making

Market Demand for the Safer Choice Label

• Consumer Reports (May 2015):– Consumer Reports dedicated a

full page to the Safer Choice label, explaining “why we like the label”

• Survey by a Leading Retailer:– Majority of consumers

responded that the new label would be a compelling reason to try a product

Safer Choice Program 5

35% of consumers say they have seen the Safer Choice label on store shelves.

Survey of 2,000+ U.S. Adults


76% of consumers…− 83% of parents... − 86% of millennials…

responded that they would use the Safer Choice label to inform purchasing decisions.

76% are likely to use the label to help make purchase decisions

www.epa.gov/saferchoice/products

About 2,000 certified products from 500 partners• ~ 700 Retail

• >1,300 Industrial & Institutional

Safer Choice-certified Products


Facility/Household Cleaning− All-Purpose Cleaners, Appliance

Cleaners & Rinse Aids− Automatic Dishwasher Products− Carpet Cleaners & Floor Care

Products− Degreasers− Dish Detergents & Soaps− Granite/Stone/Wood/Leather Cleaners− Kitchen/Countertop Cleaners− Laundry Detergents, Fabric Softeners

& Pre-Treaters− Toilet Bowl Cleaners− Tub/Tile Cleaners− Window/Glass Cleaners

Health & Beauty− Hand Soaps

Automotive & Outdoor− Aircraft Cleaning Products− Athletic Field Paint− Car Care Products− Deicers− Dust Control Products− HVAC Maintenance− Marine/RV Cleaners− Outdoor Furniture Cleaners− Parts Washers

Pet Care Products− Pet Shampoos− Carpet Cleaners− Laundry Products− Odor Removers

Safer Choice Product Types


Safer Choice Product Review Process


To use the label products must:

Meet the Safer Choice Standard− Every chemical ingredient is reviewed for human health and

environmental safety− Product level requirements include: performance, packaging,

and ingredient disclosure

Be covered under a Partnership Agreement between the manufacturer and EPA − Renewed every 3 years

Undergo annual audits

The Standard Behind the Safer Choice Label


http://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/standard

Partnership Agreement (renewed every 3 years) Annual audits

Ingredient disclosure Performance testing VOCs, pH, & synergistic effects Packaging

Master & Functional Class Criteria

Safer Choice Standard

Requirements products must meet to earn the Safer Choice label:

ProductLevel

CompanyLevel

Ingredient Level

http://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/standard


Functional-class criteria− Chelating and sequestering agents− Colorants, polymers, preservatives, and related chemicals− Enzymes and enzyme stabilizers− Fragrances− Oxidants and oxidant stabilizers− Processing aids and additives− Solvents− Surfactants

Master criteria− www.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-choice-master-criteria-safer-chemical-ingredients

Ingredient-Level Criteria


Every chemical is evaluated per ingredient class criteria (colorants, surfactants, etc.) No de minimis for added ingredients

Impurities, residuals, preservatives, & stabilizers are all considered

Every material, including fragrance material, must be disclosed and meet criteria

Ingredient-Level Criteria


A Safer Choice toxicological profile for a single chemical ingredient includes data on:

Ingredient Review Process


• Carcinogenicity• Mutagenicity• Reproductive &

developmental toxicity

• Neurotoxicity• Repeated dose

toxicity• Skin irritation

Human Health Effects

• Persistence

• Bioaccumulation

• Degradation products

• Eutrophication

• Aquatic toxicity

Environmental Fate & Toxicity

Physical-chemical properties

Toxicity information on required endpoints

Steps for data retrieval and estimation:

1. Full literature review including toxicology and chemistry studies

2. Identification of analogs, metabolites, and potential degradation products

3. When experimental data is not available for a chemical: Model predictions: EPA’s EPISuite, ECOSAR, & OncoLogic Read across from analog chemicals

Modeling information can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures

Ingredient Review Process (cont.)


https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-futures

For acute mammalian toxicity, data must demonstrate that chemical toxicity thresholds are above cutoff values

Acute Mammalian Toxicity Criteria Example


Safer Choice Environmental Criteria Example


Going beyond lists

2-Butoxyethanol Frequently included in lists of

solvents of concern− Cal/OSHA Hazardous

Substances List Human health concerns

include hemolysis leading to toxicity in kidney, spleen and liver.

Not allowed in Safer Choice-certified products

2-Propoxyethanol Not widely recognized as a

solvent of concern− Not on Cal/OSHA Hazardous

Substances List Similar human health concerns

including hemolysis leading to toxicity in kidney, spleen and liver.

Not allowed in Safer Choice-certified products


www.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-ingredients

Living list of 900+ safer chemicals, arranged by functional use, that meet EPA’s Safer Chemical Criteria

Continually expanding by ~100 chemicals/year Uses

− Research whether proposed formulations might be eligible for Safer Choice

− Sustainable chemistry measure for products not carrying the Safer Choice label

− Highlight innovation and meet demand for safer chemicals− SCIL can be a source of low-priority substances under TSCA

Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)


918 chemicals & 987 listings on SCIL as of October 2017

Safer Chemical Ingredients List(SCIL) (cont).

20

By functional ingredient classes:-Antimicrobial Actives (7)-Chelating Agents (22)-Colorants (44)-Defoamers (12)-Emollients (26)-Enzymes & Enzyme Stabilizers (30)

-Fragrances (152)-Oxidant & Oxidant Stabilizers (19)

-Polymers (59)-Preservatives & Antioxidants (34)-Processing Aids & Additives (149)-Skin Conditioning Agents (46)-Solvents (67)-Specialized Industrial Chemicals (14)-Surfactants (282)-Uncategorized (24)

Safer Choice Program


Safer Chemical Ingredients List Color Codes


Green circle - low hazard based on experimental or modeled data.

Green half-circle - expected to be of low hazard based on experimental or modeled data. Additional data would strengthen our confidence in the chemical’s status

Yellow triangle - met Safer Choice Criteria for its functional ingredient class, but has some hazard profile issues.


How to List on SCIL


www.epa.gov/saferchoice/how-list-chemical-safer-chemical-ingredients-list

www.cleangredients.org Database of proprietary ingredients that meet

Safer Choice criteria Marketing tool for chemical suppliers –

ingredients are listed by trade name CleanGredients reviews include consideration of

preservatives, residuals, and specific composition requirements (e.g., EO/PO ratio for surfactants)

GreenBlue’s CleanGredients®


Bridget Williams

[email protected]

(202) 564-8558

Randy Yakal

[email protected]

(202) 564-4127

www.epa.gov/saferchoice

Contact Information


ACS Green Chemistry Student Chapters Activity

“Formulate your own hand soap using the Safer Choice Criteria”

Introduction: Cleaning products are everywhere and are used multiple times a day. Whether it’s washing your hands, cleaning dishes, washing clothes, or disinfecting surfaces, we interact with them on a daily basis. But what are the ingredients that make cleaning possible? Have you ever taken the time to look at the label on the back of the container? Chances are you haven’t. If you have, do you understand everything that is written and know the function of every chemical ingredient that makes up the composition of liquid hand soap? As future chemists, possibly in the personal care industry, you will be responsible for understanding the functions and uses of chemical ingredients. These chemical ingredients will be the building blocks for the products you will help to formulate. So, wouldn’t you want to know if there any chemicals you should avoid using? Green Chemistry is important in the design of future innovations and technologies because its principles offer a way to create new products (i.e. household soap/cleaners) that minimize risk while still offering superior performance and lower costs. More specifically, one can use Green Chemistry thinking to reduce the risk of adverse human and environmental health effects in next generation household cleaners by purposely reducing the hazards associated with products and processes. Green Chemistry offers a competitive advantage by facilitating the development of less hazardous products at the design phase!

After participating in the Safer Choice Webinar, you now are aware that some of the ingredients found in the cleaning products you use might have potential adverse effects to human and environmental health. YIKES! However, through the efforts of EPA Safer Choice Program, there are methods and resources to identify better alternatives that eliminate the possibility of future adverse effects. For this student chapter activity, you will be putting your Green Chemists hats on to investigate and research better alternatives for cleaning products! Activity #1: Formulate a Safer Choice Consumer Product As a student chapter, you will apply the information you learned in the Safer Choice webinar and creatively attempt to formulate your own liquid hand soap based upon the Safer Choice Ingredient List. Utilize the list to develop a formulation that would meet the Safer Choice Standard. At a basic level, liquid hand soap formulations can be narrowed down to the following ingredients:

1. Water 2. Surfactants & Emulsifiers 3. Colorants/dyes 4. Fragrances 5. Skin Conditioning Agents 6. Antimicrobial additives

Using this as a mere guideline, use all available resources at EPA Safer Choice and develop a formulation label for a hand soap with the type of ingredients that SHOULD be in cleaning products. All Safer Choice certified products facilitate a more transparent labelling system by providing the 1) Ingredient names 2) CAS # 3) Functions of each ingredient (ex. Surfactant). Go to your local grocery store and take pictures of product labels for certified Safer Choice cleaners. Then as a student chapter, create an effective and elaborate formulation label for YOUR proposed liquid hand soap. Remember, the more creative the better!

However, this wouldn’t be a Green Chemistry activity if we didn’t try to better understand the hazards associated with specific ingredients found in hand soaps. So…each student chapter will perform a comparison study of your proposed Safer Choice hand soap vs. a non‐certified Safer Choice hand soap (Hint: When searching for Safer Choice labels at the grocery store, find a non‐certified Safer Choice product and use it for this comparison study) . Look at all ingredients listed in each formulation and retrieve all obtainable SDS. From the SDS, identify all the corresponding GHS hazards and record them. A description of GHS pictograms and hazards can be found at the end of the document. Once all GHS hazards have been identified and listed, compare the results and conclude why YOUR Safer Choice formulation is better. Below is an example of a template to perform and analyze your results.

“Name of Product”

Ingredient Name CAS Function Hazards Category (physical, human, or, environmental)

Activity #2: Be an Advocate for Safer Choice! With new information on what type of products SHOULD be in your hand soaps, take the initiative to research what type of ingredients are used in the hand soaps at your university, laboratories, and department restrooms. Then create flyers that discuss the added benefits of Safer Choice products and advertise potential safer choices around your chemistry department (with permission from chemistry department head).

Submitting your Work ACS Student Chapters: For this event to qualify as one of your green chemistry activities at least six people must view the webinar and participate in this activity. Please submit Activities 1 & 2 along with your attendee list in your Chemistry Student Chapter Report at the end of the year!

Supplemental Information: GHS Pictograms and Hazards

Table from: http://ehs.ucsf.edu/hazard‐communication‐standard

Documents

EPA’s Safer Choice Program · − Aircraft Cleaning Products − Athletic Field Paint − Car Care Products − Deicers − Dust Control Products − HVAC Maintenance − Marine/RV