EVALUATING PFAS REQUIREMENTS FOR PAINTS AND COATINGS, CLEANERS AND DEGREASERS, ADHESIVES, AND FLOOR-CARE PRODUCTS

In 2020, Green Seal committed to a multi-year phased approach for restricting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in all certified products. We completed Phase I in 2022 by prohibiting PFAS in formulas for certified cleaning and personal care products.

Now, in the second phase of this initiative, Green Seal seeks to further strengthen its leadership to address these harmful forever chemicals by proposing criteria to prohibit PFAS in the following standards:

• GS-11 Standard for Paints, Coatings, Stains, and Sealers
• GS-34 Standard for Cleaning and Degreasing Agents
• GS-36 Standard for Adhesives for Commercial Use
• GS-40 Standard for Floor-Care Products for Institutional and Industrial Use

Green Seal is inviting interested individuals to provide feedback as part of a Stakeholder Advisory Committee for this revision.

A HIGH-IMPACT INITIATIVE

Building products and industrial cleaners often rely on PFAS to achieve functional attributes, leading to the widespread use of these chemicals. This increases human exposure to PFAS throughout the products’ lifecycle and contaminates waterways, soil, and the atmosphere when these forever chemicals eventually end up in the environment. For example:

• Almost all acrylic and wax floor finishes on the market contain PFAS. PFAS are used as leveling and wetting agents
• A recent study found that half of tested paint products contain PFAS. PFAS may be added to improve glossiness and to reduce peeling. Other attributes include stain-resistance or water repellency
• PFAS may be added to adhesives to increase wettability and to improve penetration of the substrate
• PFAS are frequently found in solvents for cleaning and degreasing, especially in situations where flammability is a risk, due to their flame suppressing capabilities

ENCOURAGING SAFER ALTERNATIVES TO FOREVER CHEMICALS

PFAS chemicals have been used for decades across many product categories because they function very well as leveling agents for coatings and finishes. However, PFAS are persistent in the environment, with evidence that some chemicals are so resistant to degradation that they could persist for hundreds of years. The chemicals are now found in drinking water and bioaccumulate in both soil and humans. PFAS are associated with numerous adverse health effects, including impacts on the endocrine and reproductive systems; increased risks of certain cancers such as prostate, testicular, and kidney; and decreased immune responses — including our body’s ability to develop beneficial antibodies in response to vaccines.

Green Seal’s standards have long prohibited long-chain PFAS formally classified as hazardous. However, a growing body of evidence indicates that short-chain PFAS have the same harmful health and environmental effects as the legacy PFAS they are replacing. Green Seal proposes to update its standards for paints and coatings, floor care products, adhesives, and degreasers to prohibit all approximately 12,000 chemicals in this class.

COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

Green Seal’s reputation for credibility and market impact rests on an open and transparent process for developing our science-based criteria by following international best practices. We will seek public comment on our draft criteria and input from industry, environmental researchers and advocates, product purchasers, and the public.

Green Seal uses stakeholder feedback to inform our decisions on final standard criteria. This includes market and technical experts from three interest categories: producers, users, and general interest. This stakeholder feedback is critical to making sure our programs and standards are relevant, scientifically accurate, and a true reflection of environmental leadership in today’s market. During the standard development process, Green Seal strives for balanced input from all interest categories. To learn more, see our Standards Development Manual. If you are interested in providing input on our proposed revisions as part of our Stakeholder Advisory Committee, please sign up below.

PROJECT TIMELINE

The following timeline is an estimate of the project progress. Throughout the following steps, Green Seal welcomes and is actively recruiting subject matter volunteers with interest and expertise in this market.

• Fall 2024 – Collect stakeholder input on proposed criteria
• Winter 2024 – 30-day public comment period
• Early 2025 – Issuance of the final standards