Greener cleaners

摘要

As it braces for a makeover this year, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s voluntary Design for the Environment (DfE) programme is seeking to replicate in the consumer arena its profile among institutional purchasers as a sought-after, and in some cases mandated, eco-label logo that can be found on thousands of products. Located in the agency’s office of pollution prevention and toxics, the programme aims to promote safer product design and green chemistry alternatives through “informed substitution” of chemicals. It also conducts alternatives assessments to evaluate the environmental and health impacts of potential alternatives to “problematic chemicals”. The assessments are conducted as risk management actions for chemicals subject to Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) work plans or as part of the agency’s chemical action plans, for example on the use of flame retardants in furniture and circuit boards, and bisphenol A in thermal paper