SGS green mark Series | Navigating the risks from hazardous substances in consumer goods

The use and disposal of chemicals is now recognized as a major problem in our modern world. For humans, exposure to these substances can lead to a wide range of health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, allergies, and cancer. In the environment, they can damage ecosystems and cause air and water pollution that leads to a loss of diversity. 

As the world’s population approaches eight billion, the way we use and dispose of hazardous substances must now be addressed.  

Chemicals are everywhere

A study conducted by the Silent Spring Institute and the University of California in 2023 found that over 100 different types of common consumer products reported in California Air Resources Board (CARB) inventories also contained at least one chemical linked to cancer or reproductive and development problems. It found that 33 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) listed under California Proposition 65 (Prop 65) as hazardous to health were listed as ingredients in 105 different consumer product categories and, in many cases, these products harbored multiple hazardous chemicals. 

The widespread presence of potentially harmful chemicals can be attributed to their diverse applications, including adhesives, degreasers, lubricants, and sealants during manufacturing. Some, like per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are also intentionally added to products like clothing, furniture, and cookware for their oil and water-repelling properties, while others, like diethanolamine (DEA), are used in soaps, shampoos, and cleaners for their foaming abilities, despite being classified as carcinogens. 

Understanding the risks

While low exposure from infrequent use in small doses may be innocuous, the ubiquity of these chemicals in our daily lives means there is a significant risk to human health and the environment. Some of them may be classified as VOCs and, since these can easily transform into a gas, there is the real possibility of exposure without direct contact.  Moreover, many of these chemicals are classified as very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB), heightening the environmental risk and prolonging the potential for exposure.

Addressing consumer concerns

Increasingly aware of these risks, consumers are driving demand for safer and more sustainable products. In response, manufacturers and retailers are making environmental attribute claims for their products relating to chemical use. However, if those claims are misleading or ambiguous (greenwashing), then this will lead to reputational damage. 

Independent assessment helps build trust in environmental attribute claims. As part of the SGS Green Marks solution, the SGS Hazardous Substances Assessed Mark is a clear demonstration to consumers that a product has passed specific criteria relating to between 200 and 300 substances identified as high risk. It shows the product meets a range of safety and sustainability requirements and allows these to be marketed in an easy-to-understand fashion. 

Relevant to a wide variety of consumer goods, the SGS Hazardous Substances Assessed Mark uses different test standards depending on the product being assessed:

• TX-GMSA-100 – apparel, footwear, accessories, home textiles and textiles, leather, and plastics used in these products
• EE-GM – electrical and electronic equipment not used by children
• IPC 1402 – cleaners used in electronic manufacturing

Once a product has been confirmed as compliant, it is certified for either one year (TX-GMSA-100) or three years (EE-GM and IPC 1402).

Certification helps to highlight the better chemistry of the product and it shows the manufacturer and their processes are in line with the global trend of eliminating the use of toxic and bioaccumulative chemicals.

SGS green marks

The SGS green marks are proven ways to demonstrate the validity of environmental attribute claims to buyers. Each mark covers an individual attribute claim, such as product carbon footprint, product carbon reduced, hazardous substances assessed, recycled content, PFAS screened, biobased, PVC free, industrial compostable, and biodegradability. 

Products that show compliance with pre-defined standards can carry one of the SGS green marks series. Each mark contains details of the environmental claim, the standard(s) it has been assessed against, and a QR code that allows the consumer to verify the truth behind the label and its claim. 

At a time when concerns over chemical use are growing, the SGS green marks are proven ways to build a brand’s reputation and take advantage of the opportunities created by an increasingly eco-minded consumer base. 

Please subscribe and contact us at TIC Mall for more details.  

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