EPA Recognizes Green Product Manufacturers

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently honored 21 organizations for their design, manufacturing, promotion and use of products that improve health and environmental safety.

The EPA announced the Safer Choice Partner of the Year winners on June 10. The awards recognize organizations that exemplify the standards implemented by the Safer Choice program, which aims to help consumers, businesses and purchasers find products that perform well and are safer for human health and the environment. Organizations that meet the Safer Choice Program criteria can publicize their commitment to the environment by placing the EPA’s official Safer Choice label on their products.

Currently, the Safer Choice Program has nearly 500 formulator-manufacturer partners who make more than 2,000 products for retail and institutional customers.

Safer Choice Partner of the Year winners were chosen based on five criteria: participation in the Safer Choice Program; use of the Safer Choice label; promotion and use of products using the Safer Choice label; outreach and education on the Safer Choice Program to consumers and end-users; and innovations in safer chemistry and other efforts.

“These winners demonstrate that Safer Choice-labeled products — which are safer for homes, schools and workplaces, and perform well — can also be good for business,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, in a statement. “The name says it all: Safer Choice products are safer for you, your kids, pets, co-workers, communities and the environment. Our scientists employ a stringent set of human health and environmental safety standards when reviewing products for the Safer Choice program, so a product with the label is backed by EPA science.”

Partner of the Year award winners represent a wide variety of leadership organizations. Participants include Fortune 500 companies, small- and medium-sized businesses, state governments and non-governmental organizations.

The winners fall under the following categories:

Safer Formulator-Manufacturer: Case Medical Inc. (South Hackensack, N.J.); Earth Friendly Products (Garden Grove, Calif.); Jelmar, LLC (Skokie, Ill.); Osprey Biotechnics Inc. (Sarasota, Fla.); The Sun Products Corporation (Wilton, Conn.); and Wexford Labs Inc. (Kirkwood, Mo.)

Safer Chemical Innovator: AkzoNobel (Chicago); Chemlink Laboratories (Kennesaw, Ga.); and Stepan Company (Northfield, Ill.)

Purchaser/Distributor: District of Columbia Office of Contracting and Procurement (Washington); GreenStar Hub (Forest Hills, N.Y.); PRIDE Industries (Roseville, Calif.); and Solutex Inc. (Sterling, Va.)

Retailer: Staples Inc. (Framingham, Mass.); and Wegmans Food Markets (Rochester, N.Y.)

Program Supporter: The Ashkin Group (Los Angeles); Consumer Specialty Products Association (Washington); GreenBlue (Charlottesville, Va.); ISSA, the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association (Northbrook, Ill.); Loyola University Chicago, Institute of Environmental Sustainability (Chicago); and Washington State Department of Ecology/Northwest Green Chemistry (Olympia, Wash.)