Impact Report
How you’ve helped us lead a transformation to safer and more sustainable products and spaces.
Show your Support
Green Seal® is uniquely positioned to help shift our economy from toxic to sustainable.
Impact Report
How you’ve helped us lead a transformation to safer and more sustainable products and spaces.
Show your Support
Green Seal® is uniquely positioned to help shift our economy from toxic to sustainable.
OUR GREEN PROGRAMS
Help us protect human health and the environment by accelerating the adoption of products that are safer and more sustainable.
OUR GREEN PROGRAMS
Help us protect human health and the environment by accelerating the adoption of products that are safer and more sustainable.
Softly Presents: Determine the Sustainability Certifications That Make Sense for Your Business
Oct 12, 2023
Learn MoreSoftly Presents: Determine the Sustainability Certifications That Make Sense for Your Business
Oct 12, 2023
Learn More
Green Seal’s GS-60 leadership standard means a trash bag or can liner minimizes plastic pollution and carbon emission while maintaining top product performance. It covers plastic trash bags and can liners for industrial and institutional use as well as those for household use. Download the full GS-60 standard.
Latest version: Edition 1.0, Issued on April 6, 2023
Recent Changes: GS-60 underwent corrections and/or clarifications and was re-published on July 26, 2023. For details on the non-substantive changes made to this standard, please see the Standard Documents Library.
The technical background, public feedback, and Green Seal’s Response to Comments can be seen in the Standard Documents Library.
Green Seal has issued a recent exemption on the colorants titanium dioxide and carbon black. The final criteria and technical justification can be seen here.
| CRITERIA THAT HELP PRESERVE THE CLIMATE | |
|---|---|
| Plastic Efficiency | Bags must show they use the least amount of virgin plastic for their gallon size; results in an average 37% reduction in plastic use compared to market average |
| Energy Use Reporting | Manufacturers must disclose the energy used in manufacturing a product |
| RESTRICTIONS TO PREVENT ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS | |
|---|---|
| Carcinogens | Cannot be intentionally added at any level |
| Mutagens | Cannot be intentionally added at any level |
| Reproductive Toxins | Cannot be intentionally added at any level |
| Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) | Cannot be intentionally added at any level |
| Toxic Release Inventory Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Chemicals | Cannot be intentionally added at any level |
| Fragrances | Cannot be intentionally added at any level |
| Biocides and antimicrobials | Cannot be intentionally added at any level |
| Colorants | Cannot contain intentionally added heavy metals |
| Bisphenol A | Must not be intentionally introduced to primary packaging |
| Phthalates | Cannot be intentionally added at any level to product and packaging |
| Chlorinated Materials | Cannot be intentionally added at any level to product and packaging |
| Hexavalent Chromium | Cannot be intentionally added at any level to product and packaging |
| Lead | Cannot be intentionally added at any level to product and packaging |
| Mercury | Cannot be intentionally added at any level to product and packaging |
| Cadmium | Cannot be intentionally added at any level to product and packaging |
| CRITERIA THAT HELP ENSURE CLEAN WATER | |
|---|---|
Many of the standard criteria for human health, minimizing waste, and preserving the climate also help ensure clean water:
|
| packaging and end-of-life management requirements | |
|---|---|
| Recycled Content | Products thicker than 0.7 mil must contain 10% post-consumer material |
| Certified Post-Consumer Material | Products must demonstrate their post-consumer material is certified as such, and substantiate the amount they have in their product |
| Plastic Packaging | Must be either source-reduced, recyclable, contain at least 25% post-consumer material or be a refillable packaging with an effective take-back program |
| Non-plastic Packaging | Must be recyclable and contain at least 30% post-consumer material |
| Recycling Labelling | Plastic packages must be marked with the appropriate Resin Identification Code |
