By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 7, 2023, that the upcoming 2023 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards Ceremony will be held October 2, 2023, and the Partner and Stakeholder Summit will be held October 3-4, 2023. EPA states that during the Partner of the Year Awards Ceremony, it will recognize the 2023 Safer Choice Partners of the Year “for their outstanding achievement in the design, manufacture, selection and use of products that meet the Safer Choice program’s stringent health and environment standards.” The Partner and Stakeholder Summit is a two-day meeting that will include informational sessions, panelist discussions, and networking opportunities with a focus on dialogue and developing solutions, which will help advance the Safer Choice program. Both events will be held at the Cooperative Plaza Conference Center in Arlington, Virginia, with virtual attendance options available. The events are free to attend, but registration is required. Registration is now open.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On July 25, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an opportunity for public input on the potential expansion of the Safer Choice and Design for the Environment (DfE) programs’ certification to new product categories. EPA notes in its July 27, 2023, Federal Register notice that Safer Choice “helps consumers, businesses, and purchasers find products that perform and contain ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment.” 88 Fed. Reg. 48463. DfE “is a similar program currently used by EPA for the purpose of helping consumers and commercial buyers identify antimicrobial products that meet the health and safety standards of the normal pesticide registration process required by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA),” as well as other rigorous criteria required by EPA. EPA will hold a listening session webinar on August 29, 2023, and request stakeholder comment on which new product categories Safer Choice and DfE could expand into and how the potential expansion could offer significant benefits to human health and the environment. To receive the webcast meeting link and audio teleconference information before the webinar, the notice states that stakeholders must register by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on August 28, 2023. Comments are due September 11, 2023.
 
During the listening session, EPA will present its proposed plans to expand Safer Choice and DfE certification to new product categories. According to EPA, Safer Choice and DfE certifications “would likely not expand to certify materials.” EPA states that “the availability of EPA certified products would help give consumers a choice of products that meet EPA’s high standard for human and environmental health and, as part of meeting these criteria, would not contain intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).” After the presentation, there will be time for attendees to submit questions and comments. EPA states that it will respond to the questions and comments as time allows during the listening session. EPA asks for written submission of all comments after the listening session.

Background

EPA states that as part of its human health and environmental mission, the Safer Choice program partners with businesses to help consumers and commercial buyers identify products containing chemical ingredients meeting EPA’s criteria for being “safer” without sacrificing quality or performance criteria set by EPA. The Safer Choice program certifies products containing ingredients that have met the program’s criteria and allows companies to use its label on certified products that contain safer ingredients and perform, as determined by expert evaluation. EPA notes that the Safer Choice program certification “represents a high level of achievement in formulating products made with safer ingredients for people and the environment.” More information is available on the Safer Choice website.
 
EPA currently uses the DfE program to help consumers and commercial buyers identify antimicrobial products that meet the health and safety standards of the typical pesticide registration process required by FIFRA, as well as the DfE certification criteria (as described in the Safer Choice Standard). More information is available on EPA’s website. 

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On March 27, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that its Safer Choice program is accepting submissions for its 2023 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards. 88 Fed. Reg. 18135. The Safer Choice program certifies products containing ingredients that have met the program’s specific and rigorous human health and environmental toxicological criteria. According to EPA, the Safer Choice program allows companies to use its label on certified products that contain safer ingredients and perform, as determined by expert evaluation. EPA states that it developed the Partner of the Year Awards to recognize the leadership contributions of Safer Choice partners and stakeholders who have shown achievement in the design, manufacture, selection, and use of products with safer chemicals that further outstanding or innovative source reduction.
 
Similar achievement in the design, manufacture, selection, and use of Design for the Environment (DfE)-certified products will also make an organization eligible for the Partner of the Year Awards. The DfE program is a companion program to Safer Choice and certifies antimicrobial products. EPA states that the DfE logo may be used on certified products and helps consumers and commercial buyers identify products that meet the health and safety standards of the pesticide registration process required by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as well as the Safer Choice program’s stringent criteria for efficacy and effects on human health and the environment.
 
All Safer Choice stakeholders and program participants in good standing are eligible for recognition. Interested parties who would like to be considered for the award should submit to EPA an application detailing their accomplishments and contributions during calendar year 2022. EPA “especially encourages submission of award applications that show how the applicant’s work in the design, manufacture, selection, and use of those products promotes environmental justice, bolsters resilience to the impacts of climate change, results in cleaner air or water, improves drinking water quality, or advances innovation in packaging.” Submissions are due May 31, 2023. EPA will recognize award winners at a Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards ceremony in fall 2023. More information on the 2023 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards, including the application form, submission process, and past winners, is available on EPA’s website.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has posted the justification for its fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriation estimates for the Committee on Appropriations (Congressional Justification (CJ)). According to the CJ, work in the Pollution Prevention (P2) Program supports Objective 7.2: Promote Pollution Prevention (P2) under Goal 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment. The FY 2024 budget includes $29 million and 69.2 full-time equivalents (FTE) to support the P2 Program in the Environmental Program and Management (EPM) appropriation, an increase of $16 million and 18 FTEs above the FY 2023 enacted budget. The CJ states that FY 2024 funding will continue to support the following P2 programs.
 
Safer Choice Program
 
The CJ states that Safer Choice is a voluntary program that certifies safer products so consumers, businesses, and purchasers can find products that work well and contain ingredients safer for human health and the environment. EPA certifies and allows use of the Safer Choice label on products containing ingredients that meet stringent health and environmental criteria. Under the same stringent criteria, EPA certifies disinfectant products registered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) using the Design for the Environment logo. According to the CJ, the Safer Choice Program will expand into additional product categories and seek to increase consumer and commercial recognition of Safer Choice products. In FY 2024, EPA will continue its Partner of the Year Awards Program, recognizing organizations and companies for their leadership in formulating products made with safer ingredients and making them available to communities.
 
The CJ states that in FY 2024, Safer Choice will integrate and address environmental justice (EJ) concerns through outreach and partnership activities. Efforts to make Safer Choice-certified products more accessible to communities with EJ concerns will expand, with particular focus on low-income, Tribal, and indigenous populations and other vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. According to the CJ, Safer Choice will work with retailers and product manufacturers to help them develop more products containing safer chemical ingredients that are easy to identify and purchase. Safer Choice will also work to empower custodial staff and house cleaning companies and enable facilities through education to gain access to Safer Choice-certified products to improve indoor air quality and reduce exposure-related asthma.
 
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Program
 
The EPP Program implements direction provided to EPA in several statutes and Executive Orders that mandate sustainable federal procurement, including through development and use of sustainability standards, specifications, and ecolabels. Beginning in FY 2023, the EPP Program is expanding the EPA Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing in new categories to support the Biden Administration’s environmental and human health goals and mandates, including net-zero emissions procurement, low embodied carbon construction materials, and products that do not contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). According to the CJ, the EPP Program has received applications for over 70 standards/ecolabels from 29 organizations to be considered for assessment and recommendation in federal purchasing. These cover the following high-impact federal procurement sectors: food and cafeteria services; uniforms/clothing; professional services; laboratories and healthcare; building/construction; infrastructure; and landscaping.
 
The CJ notes that EPA is characterizing PFAS provisions of existing private-sector sustainability standards, ecolabels, and certifications to identify products and purchase categories associated with key PFAS use and to prioritize PFAS conditions of use. In FY 2024, EPA will enhance public protection from potential effects of PFAS through recommendations of additional standards/ecolabels to help purchasers identify products that meet specific environmental performance criteria. EPA will conduct the following activities:

• Assess and recommend additional ecolabels and standards with criteria specifically supporting reduction or elimination of PFAS use in key product categories not yet covered by the EPA Recommendations for Standards, Specifications, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing.
• Build, implement, maintain, and update tools for integrating EPA recommendations into federal e-procurement systems, initiate identification and monitoring of relevant government contracts for sustainable purchasing requirements, and develop tools to ensure that PFAS data are captured for compliance in the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS).
• Initiate and engage in private-sector standards development activities that address product categories known to contain PFAS.
• Work with the General Services Administration (GSA) and others to create a central product registry to identify products that meet EPA’s assessment of PFAS specifications.
• Collaborate with the Department of Defense (DOD) on performance-based, rather than material-based, specifications and standards for equipment (e.g., textiles, coatings, firefighting foam) for DOD and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) uses.
• Work with other federal agencies and the private sector to initiate a performance-based technology innovation challenge for a set of PFAS-free product categories for which use of non-PFAS options could be technically and economically feasible with respect to key federal purchasing categories.

According to the CJ, to support further EPA’s goals for equity and EJ, the EPP Program will begin to develop and implement training and outreach for disadvantaged communities, as well as state, Tribal, and local governments, to assist in facilitating product and service procurement choices that are environmentally sound and promote human and environmental health.
 
Green Chemistry Program
 
According to the CJ, the Green Chemistry Program fosters the sustainable design of chemical products and processes. It also analyzes green chemistry innovations and works with partners and external stakeholders to facilitate market adoption and penetration of new commercially successful chemistries and technologies. The CJ states that the program’s Green Chemistry Challenge Awards serve a critical role in raising the profile, importance, and credibility of innovative and market-ready green and sustainable chemistry technologies. In FY 2024, the Green Chemistry Program will begin to work with awardees and nominees to pursue the goal of market-oriented environmental and economic progress through increased adoption of these innovations. The CJ notes that EPA will support and lead portions of EPA’s responsibilities for implementation of the Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2020. More information on the Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2020 is available in our January 19, 2021, memorandum.

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 By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On March 8, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $16 million for two new grant opportunities to support states and Tribes in providing technical assistance to businesses seeking to develop and adopt pollution prevention (P2) practices that advance environmental justice in underserved communities. The Request for Applications for P2 investments include the Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice Through Safer and More Sustainable Products. The goal of this grant is to address environmental justice by providing P2 technical assistance to businesses (e.g., information, training, expert advice) to improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by increasing the supply, demand, and use of safer and more sustainable products, such as those that are certified by EPA’s Safer Choice Program, or those that conform to EPA’s Recommendations for Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing (EPA Recommendations).
 
To allow a greater number of disadvantaged communities to benefit from the results and lessons learned from projects funded by these grants, EPA states that it is requiring recipients to develop P2 case studies on approaches to make safer and sustainable products more available in disadvantaged communities where the approaches are new, not widely known or adopted, or where the recipient believes detailed information on the project could support more widespread project replication. Recipients must develop at least one case study during the grant period. According to EPA, it will use these case studies to build and share a body of knowledge about P2 approaches to make safer and sustainable products more available in disadvantaged communities that could be implemented by other enterprises.
 
Eligible entities include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, any agency or instrumentality of a state or Tribe, including colleges and universities, and federally recognized Tribes and intertribal consortia. EPA “strongly” encourages applicants to develop partnerships where they can strengthen their ability to provide P2 technical assistance to businesses in disadvantaged communities.
 
EPA will hold informational webinars on March 21, March 23, March 28, and March 30, 2023. Although EPA’s press release states that applications for the grant are due June 6, 2023, the information on grants.gov states that the closing date for applications is June 20, 2023.

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 By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on January 12, 2023, that it is updating the Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL), “a living list of chemicals organized by functional-use class that EPA’s Safer Choice program has evaluated and determined meet Safer Choice criteria.” EPA is adding nine chemicals to the SCIL. EPA states that to expand the number of chemicals and functional-use categories on the SCIL, it encourages manufacturers to submit their safer chemicals for review and listing on the SCIL. In support of the Biden Administration’s goals, the addition of chemicals to the SCIL “incentivizes further innovation in safer chemistry, which can promote environmental justice, bolster resilience to the impacts of climate change, and improve water quality.” According to EPA, chemicals on the SCIL “are among the safest for their functional use.”
 
EPA changed the status for one chemical (1-octanesulfonic acid, 3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-tridecafluoro-) that has recently been identified on the SCIL as a per- or polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS). According to EPA, the chemical is not used in any Safer Choice-certified products. It was added to the SCIL in 2012 based on the data available and the state of EPA’s knowledge at the time. EPA has now updated the SCIL listing for this chemical to a grey square because of a growing understanding of the toxicological profiles for certain PFAS and incomplete information on the potential health and environmental effects of these substances. A grey square notation means that the chemical may not be allowed for use in products that are candidates for the Safer Choice label, and any current Safer Choice-certified products that contain this chemical must be reformulated unless relevant health and safety data are provided to justify continuing to list this chemical on the SCIL. EPA will determine the data required on a case-by-case basis. According to EPA, in general, data useful for making such a determination would provide evidence of low concern for human health and environmental impacts. Unless information provided to EPA adequately justifies continued listing, EPA will remove the chemical from the SCIL 12 months after the grey square designation.
 
EPA states that after this update, there are 1,064 chemicals listed on the SCIL. The SCIL is a resource that can help many different stakeholders:

• Product manufacturers use the SCIL to help make high-functioning products that contain safer ingredients;
• Chemical manufacturers use this list to promote the safer chemicals they manufacture;
• Retailers use the list to help shape their sustainability programs; and
• Environmental and health advocates use the list to support their work with industry to encourage the use of the safest possible chemistry.

EPA’s Safer Choice program certifies products containing ingredients that have met the program’s rigorous human health and environmental safety criteria. The Safer Choice program allows companies to use its label on products that meet the Safer Choice Standard. The EPA website contains a complete list of Safer Choice-certified products.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
On November 1, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced 26 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners, recognizing their achievements in the design, manufacture, selection, and use of products with safer chemicals. The awardees represent a wide variety of organizations, including small- and medium-sized businesses, women-owned companies, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations, and trade associations.
 
EPA encouraged applicants for the 2022 awards to show how their work advances environmental justice, bolsters resilience to the impacts of climate change, results in cleaner air or water, or improves drinking water quality. According to EPA, many of the organizations being recognized are working to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and combat the climate crisis. For example, several winners offer products with concentrated formulas that reduce water consumption and plastic use. This practice also lowers GHG emissions by reducing the amount of product that must be transported.
 
EPA states that additionally, many awardees increased access to products with safer chemical ingredients in underserved and overburdened communities. For example, one nonprofit winner conducted targeted outreach in both English and Spanish to promote safer cleaning techniques and products, including Safer Choice-certified products, in food trucks. Many of these businesses are owned and operated by immigrant entrepreneurs. Another winner made its Safer Choice-certified product line more accessible to lower income shoppers by offering affordable prices and making these products available at retailers that often serve low-income communities.
 
In early 2023, EPA intends to build on this work by announcing a grant opportunity for projects that can increase supply and demand for safer, environmentally preferable products such as those certified by the Safer Choice program or identified by EPA’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program.
 
The 2022 winners include:

• American Cleaning Institute, District of Columbia;
• The Ashkin Group, LLC, Channel Islands Harbor, California;
• Bona US, Englewood, Colorado;
• Case Medical, Bloomfield, New Jersey;
• Church & Dwight Co., Inc., Ewing, New Jersey;
• Clean Safety & Health in Food Trucks (CleanSHiFT) Team, Seattle, Washington;
• The Clorox Company, Oakland, California;
• Colgate-Palmolive, New York, New York;
• Design for the Environment Logo Redesign Coalition: Environmental Defense Fund, The Natural Resources Defense Council, The Clorox Company, The Procter & Gamble Company, and Reckitt;
• Dirty Labs Inc., Portland, Oregon;
• ECOS, Cypress, California;
• Grove Collaborative, San Francisco, California;
• The Hazardous Waste Management Program, Seattle, Washington;
• Holloway House, Inc., Fortville, Indiana;
• The Home Depot, Atlanta, Georgia;
• Household & Commercial Products Association, District of Columbia;
• Jelmar, LLC, Skokie, Illinois;
• Lemi Shine, Austin, Texas;
• LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, San Francisco, California;
• Mother Africa, Kent, Washington;
• Novozymes North America, Raleigh, North Carolina;
• The ODP Corporation, Boca Raton, Florida;
• The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio;
• PurposeBuilt Brands, Gurnee, Illinois;
• Sensitive Home, Greenbrae, California; and
• Solutex, Sterling, Virginia.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on August 11, 2022, that it updated the Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL), “a living list of chemicals by functional-use class that EPA’s Safer Choice program has evaluated and determined meet the Safer Choice Standard.” EPA added 22 chemicals to the SCIL. EPA states that to expand the number of chemicals and functional-use categories on the SCIL, it encourages manufacturers to submit their safer chemicals for review and listing on the SCIL. In support of the Biden Administration’s goals, the addition of chemicals to the SCIL “incentivizes further innovation in safer chemistry, which can promote environmental justice, bolster resilience to the impacts of climate change, and improve water quality.” According to EPA, chemicals on the SCIL “are among the safest for their functional use.”
 
EPA also changed the status for one chemical on the SCIL and will remove the chemical from the list in one year “because of a growing understanding of the potential health and environmental effects.” According to EPA, the chemical was originally listed on the SCIL based on data from a closely related substance that EPA marked with a grey square earlier this year. EPA’s process for removing a chemical from the SCIL is first to mark the chemical with a grey square on the SCIL web page to provide notice to chemical and product manufacturers that the chemical may no longer be acceptable for use in Safer Choice-certified products. A grey square notation on the SCIL means that the chemical may not be allowed for use in products that are candidates for the Safer Choice label, and any current Safer Choice-certified products that contain this chemical must be reformulated unless relevant health and safety data are provided to justify continuing to list the chemical on the SCIL. EPA states that the data required are determined on a case-by-case basis. In general, data useful for making such a determination provide evidence of low concern for human health and environmental impacts. Unless information provided to EPA adequately justifies continued listing, EPA then removes the chemical from the SCIL 12 months after the grey square designation.
 
According to EPA, after this update is made, there will be 1,055 chemicals listed on the SCIL. EPA is committed to updating the SCIL with safer chemicals on a regular basis. EPA states that the SCIL is a resource that can help many different stakeholders:

• Product manufacturers use the SCIL to help make high-functioning products that contain safer ingredients;
• Chemical manufacturers use the SCIL to promote the safer chemicals they manufacture;
• Retailers use the SCIL to help shape their sustainability programs; and
• Environmental and health advocates use the SCIL to support their work with industry to encourage the use of the safest possible chemistry.

EPA’s Safer Choice program certifies products containing ingredients that have met the program’s rigorous human health and environmental safety criteria. The Safer Choice program allows companies to use its label on products that meet the Safer Choice Standard. The EPA website contains a complete list of Safer Choice-certified products.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safer Choice Program announced on March 28, 2022, that it is accepting submissions for its 2022 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards. 87 Fed. Reg. 17287. EPA states that it developed the Partner of the Year Awards “to recognize the leadership contributions of Safer Choice partners and stakeholders who, over the past year, have shown achievement in the design, manufacture, selection and use of products with safer chemicals, that further outstanding or innovative source reduction.” EPA “especially encourages submission of award applications that show how the applicant’s work in the design, manufacture, selection and use of those products promotes environmental justice, bolsters resilience to the impacts of climate change, results in cleaner air or water, or improves drinking water quality.” According to EPA, all Safer Choice stakeholders and program participants in good standing are eligible for recognition. Interested parties who would like to be considered for the award should submit to EPA information about their accomplishments and contributions during 2021. EPA notes that there is no form associated with this year’s application. EPA will recognize award winners at a Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards ceremony in fall 2022. Submissions are due May 31, 2022.

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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A.

On September 22, 2021, as part of Pollution Prevention Week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized 33 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners for their achievements in design, manufacture, selection, and use of products with safer chemicals. Michal Freedhoff, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), commented on the winners’ achievements, stating: “Today, we recognize the leadership and accomplishments of Safer Choice partners and stakeholders for their work helping consumers and commercial buyers identify products with safer chemical ingredients, without sacrificing quality or performance. Additionally, I’m excited to see that the work done by many of this year’s awardees support the Biden-Harris Administration’s goals of addressing climate change and advancing environmental justice.”
 
This year, award applicants were encouraged to demonstrate how their work with safer chemistry bolsters resilience to the impacts of climate change, promotes environmental justice, and results in cleaner air or water. In the upcoming year, EPA hopes to build on award winners’ work by expanding the Safer Choice program to make products containing safer chemicals increasingly available to underserved communities. Winners of this year’s award include small- and medium-sized companies, women-owned companies, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and associations.

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