At Green Seal, we are committed to eliminating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the supply chain for consumer products. In our latest action to prevent any more harm from these toxic “forever chemicals,” we are proposing to prohibit any PFAS in Green Seal-certified paints and coatings, floor care products, adhesives, and degreasers.
Green Seal is among the first eco-certifiers to enact an aggressive ingredient prohibition that addresses PFAS as an entire chemical class. We define PFAS as a chemical with one or more fully fluorinated carbon atoms – the most expansive definition, encompassing more than 14,000 chemicals and mirroring the definition used by regulatory bodies in the European Union and several U.S. states.
This means both manufacturers and consumers can be confident that Green Seal-certified products are formulated without any PFAS.
The update to our criteria for these product categories follows a similar update to our criteria for cleaning and personal care products, which we finalized in 2022.
Fewer than 1% of 14,000-plus PFAS have completed hazard assessments to date, meaning it could be years before these chemicals are properly evaluated for the risks they pose. However, a growing body of scientific evidence points to the need to treat PFAS as a single class because of the known hazards of the chemicals studied so far. We are tracking the emerging science and taking a leadership position on PFAS because of the extraordinary risk they pose to human health and the environment.
The hazards of PFAS
PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products since the 1950s. Manufacturers prize these chemicals because their carbon-fluorine bonds make them very stable and effective at repelling oil, water, and heat. However, this unique chemical structure also makes them resistant to degradation, meaning they persist in the environment as so-called “forever chemicals” and bioaccumulate in our bodies.
PFAS are now found in drinking water and in the blood of most people around the world. They are linked to numerous adverse health effects, including cancer, reproductive harm, and decreased immune response.
PFAS in building restoration products
PFAS frequently are used as functional ingredients in building restoration products.
A recent study found that half of tested paint products contain PFAS, which may be used for glossiness, to reduce peeling, or for stain resistance or water repellency.
Most acrylic and wax floor finishes on the market contain PFAS as leveling and wetting agents, and PFAS also are used to increase wettability in adhesives.
Several U.S. states have developed measures to restrict PFAS in consumer products. While many of these measures target PFAS in personal care products, Maine, Washington, and Oregon are scheduled to implement restrictions on PFAS in certain building restoration products in coming years.
Lend us your voice
We believe a collaborative approach leads to better outcomes for everyone. That’s why we follow an open and transparent process for developing our science-based criteria that includes seeking input from industry, health and environmental researchers and advocates, consumers, and the public.
We are accepting public comment through December 20, 2024, on our proposed criteria to prohibit PFAS in our standards for paints and coatings, adhesives, and degreasers.
Learn more and submit your comment here.