On September 13, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began a public comment period on a proposed update to its Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing (Recommendations) that help federal government purchasers and other buyers use private sector standards and ecolabels to buy products that are more sustainable and climate-friendly and contain safer chemical ingredients. 89 Fed. Reg. 74940. In its September 10, 2024, press release, EPA states that the update proposes adding 14 standards and ecolabels to the Recommendations across three new product categories, covering healthcare, laboratories, and clothing and uniforms, and expanding the existing food service ware sub-category. EPA seeks public input on the addition of the following standards and ecolabels in the following product categories. EPA notes that the standards and ecolabels meet all applicable baseline criteria in the Framework for the Assessment of Environmental Performance Standards and Ecolabels (Framework) and are proposed additions to the Recommendations.

Healthcare

• Medical Devices [Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Class I and II]:
  • Greenscreen Certified^® Standard for Medical Supplies and Devices; and 
  • Greenhealth Approved for Medical Equipment. 
• Medical Supplies:
  • Greenscreen Certified^® Standard for Medical Supplies and Devices;
  • Greenhealth Approved for Medical Equipment; and
  • Nordic Ecolabelling for Sanitary Products.

Laboratories

• Laboratory Operations:
  • My Green Lab Certification. 
• Laboratory Equipment & Supplies:
  • ACT Ecolabel from My Green Lab.

Clothing and Uniforms

• Finished Clothing:
  • Nordic Ecolabelling for Textiles, Hides/Skins, and Leathers;
  • Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard; 
  • Global Organic Textile Standard; and 
  • European Union (EU) Ecolabel for Textile Products [Pending]. Note: EPA states that it “designed the Framework principally for the assessment of standards and ecolabels developed by the private sector.” Because the EU developed and operates the EU Ecolabel, the United States and the European Commission Services “are discussing whether and how to include it in the Recommendations.” EPA has marked the ecolabel as “pending” while those deliberations continue.
• Clothing Textiles/Fabrics:
  • Nordic Ecolabelling for Textiles, Hides/Skins, and Leathers; 
  • Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard;
  • OEKO-TEX Made in Green; 
  • OEKO-TEX Standard 100; 
  • Global Organic Textile Standard; and
  • GreenScreen Certified^® Standard for Furniture and Fabrics.

Cafeteria and Food Service

• Reusable Food Service Ware:
  • GreenScreen Certified^® Standard for Reusable Food Packaging, Food Service Ware, & Cookware; and 
  • Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard. 
• Certified Compostable Food Service Ware:
  • GreenScreen Certified^® Standard for Single-Use Food Service Ware & Thermal Paper; 
  • Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard (Platinum Level in Product Circularity); and
  • BPI Commercial Compostability Certification Scheme. 
• Certified Recyclable Food Service Ware:
  • GreenScreen Certified^® Standard for Single-Use Food Service Ware & Thermal Paper; and
  • Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard (Platinum Level in Product Circularity). Note: EPA states that “[t]he environmental benefits associated with these standards and ecolabels are contingent upon the availability and use of applicable end-of-life/waste management services.” EPA provides current best practices for the procurement of Food Service Ware sub-categories at https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/identifying-sustainable-food-service-and-food-service-ware.

EPA also seeks public input on the removal of the following standards and ecolabels in the following categories, including the reason for removal.

• Ecologo/UL 2771 Standard for Sustainable Paper Products. Product Category: Copy Paper. Reason for removal: standard retired in 2023;
• Sustainable Furnishings Council Exemplary. Product Category: Furniture. Reason for removal: ecolabel discontinued in 2021;
• Sustainable Materials Rating Technology (SMaRT). Product Category: Carpet, Flooring, Furniture, Interior Latex Paint. Reason for removal: Product registry has not been updated within the past three months; unable to demonstrate the existence of a competent third-party certification program;
• Clear Roads Qualified Products. Product Category: De-icer. Reason for removal: Unable to demonstrate the existence of a competent third-party certification program;
• International Living Futures Institute: Declare. Product Category: Carpet, Flooring, Furniture, Interior Latex Paint, Other Miscellaneous Building Finishes. Reason for removal: Unable to demonstrate the existence of a competent third-party certification program;
• International Living Futures Institute: Living Product Challenge. Product Category: Carpet, Flooring, Furniture, Interior Latex Paint, Other Miscellaneous Building Finishes. Reason for removal: Unable to demonstrate the existence of a competent third-party certification program; and
• EPEAT Registered (Criteria for the Sustainability Assessment of Network Equipment for the Global Electronics Council EPEAT^® Ecolabel and the TÜV Rheinland Green Product Mark). Product Category: Network Equipment and Cloud Services. Reason for removal: According to EPA, this ecolabel was originally added to the Recommendations based on a previous requirement in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) that required federal agencies to procure EPEAT registered electronic products. The FAR was recently updated and no longer contains that requirement.

Comments are due October 15, 2024.