Resources for Verifying Sustainable Products
General Guidance
The resources (referenced websites) in this section can be used to determine whether documentation provided by the contractor confirms the product or service meets the sustainable requirements included in the contract. It is up to the contractor and/or vendor to provide credible and verifiable documentation to demonstrate compliance with all sustainability requirements. The standards, specifications, and ecolabels listed are the same as those specified in the Green Procurement Compilation.
Vendor Compliance Determination: Resources with Multiple Attributes
Visit the Materials and Resources page for terms that help define sustainable acquisition and thereby give an overview of how multiple attributes better identify sustainable products.
Covered Product Types:
- Office Furniture
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product meets the Level 1, Standard e3-2011e. For a list of registered products, see http://levelcertified.org.
Covered Product Types:
- Carpet
- Ceiling Tiles – Acoustical
- Fiberboard
- Flooring
- Gypsum Board
- Joint Sealers
- Paint and Wall Coverings
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product meets CA Section 01350.
Covered Product Types – Indoor Sources of Volatile Organic Chemical Emissions:
- Carpet
- Ceiling Tiles – Acoustical
- Furniture
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product meets the Cradle2Cradle standard.
Covered Product Types:
- Food
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the contractor is on the EPA Food Recovery Challenge list
Covered Product Types:
- Computers & Displays (includes slates and tablets)
- Imaging Equipment (copiers, fax machines, printers, scanners, etc.)
- Televisions
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product is an active EPEAT registered product on the EPEAT Registry. The EPEAT website contains a list of active registered products.
Covered Product Types:
- Forest Products (Paper and Wood)
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product is FSC labeled. The Forest Stewardship Council website contains a list of certified products (scroll down to "Product").
Covered Product Types:
- Adhesives
- Cleaning Products & Services
- Construction Materials & Equipment
- Dishwasher detergent
- Hand Soaps
- Hotels & Lodging
- Napkins, Paper Towels, Tissues
- Paints & Coatings
- Parts washer solution
- Printing and Writing Paper
- Restaurants & Food Service
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms via product label or other language that product is Green Seal certified. The Green Seal website contains a list of certified products.
Covered Product Types: Numerous
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product meets the minimum LEED (third-party certification of structures) requirements for Existing Buildings Operations & Maintenance or New Construction.
Covered Product Types:
- Paints & Coatings
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product meets the minimum MPI Extreme Green Performance Standard, which specifies compliance with Green Performance Standard (GPS-1-12 and GPS-2-12) requirements and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) emissions requirements. For quick identification, the product will be on the MPI Approved Product list with an “X-Green” designation. All X-Green products are listed on the MPI website here
Covered Product Types:
- Food
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the availability of food aligns with the National Park Service Healthy Food Choice Standards.
Covered Product Types:
- Carpet
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product meets the minimum NSF International Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard (referred to by former name of CRI Green Label Plus Carpet Testing Program in LEED standards) requirements (http://info.nsf.org/Certified/Sustain/listings.asp)
Covered Product Types:
- Flooring
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product meets the minimum NSF International Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard (referred to by former name of CRI Green Label Plus Carpet Testing Program in LEED standards) requirements
Covered Product Types:
- De-icer
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product meets the Pacific Northwest Snow-fighters specifications and is on the PNS Qualified Products List.
Covered Product Types:
- Disinfectant
- Rechargeable batteries and battery chargers
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product meets the Responsible Purchasing Network specifications..
Covered Product Types:
- Cleaners
- Degreasers
- De-icers
- Dishwasher Detergent
- Dust Control
- Fires Fighting
- Heating & Cooling Maintenance
- Laundry and Dish Detergents
- Paint
- Tire Additives
- Other
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms via product label or other language that product has the Safer Choice label --formerly Design for the Environment.
Covered Product Types:
- Architectural Coatings/Paints
- Adhesives
- Ceiling Tiles
- Floor Coverings
- Furniture
- Sealants
- Wall Coverings
- Wall Paneling
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms via product label or other language that product is certified.
Covered Product Types:
- Remanufactured Cartridges
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product manufacturer is STMC certified
Covered Product Types: Numerous
- ULE 126 Plastic Trash Bags (formerly EcoLogo 126): Standard and Products
- ULE 175 Toilet Tissue (formerly EcoLogo 82): Standard and Products
- ULE 2759 General Cleaner (formerly EcoLogo 146): Standard and Products
- ULE 2760 Paint (formerly EcoLogo 48): Standard and Products
- ULE 2762 Adhesives (formerly EcoLogo 46): Standard and Products
- ULE 2771 Copy Paper (formerly EcoLogo 077): Standard and Products
- ULE 2777 Floor Cleaner (formerly EcoLogo 147): Standard and Products
- ULE 2784 Hand Cleaner (formerly EcoLogo 104): Standard and Products
- ULE 2785 Toner Cartridges (formerly EcoLogo 39): Standard and Products
- ULE 2792 Parts Wash Solution (formerly EcoLogo 110): Standard and Products
- ULE 2795 Carpet Cleaner (formerly EcoLogo 148): Standard and Products
- ULE 2818 GREENGUARD Gold (Underwriters Laboratories GREENGUARD Certification Program Method for Chemical Emissions for Building Materials, Finishes and Furnishings): Standard, Products, and Further Information
To Access the Standards:
- Once at the URL indicated, click on “Checkout”
- Log on with your user name and password (you’ll have to set that up if you have not already)
- Select “Checkout” once again
- Select “Download PDF” (red box)
- Select “Download Standard (red box)
- Open standard as Adobe Acrobat (pdf) file
- Note: While some Underwriters Laboratories standards are designated as “UL” and others as “ULE,” for this page “ULE” is used throughout for consistency.
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms via product label or other language that product is UL certified (formerly “EcoLogo” label by Terra Choice and prior to that “Environmental Choice” label).
Vendor Compliance Determination: Resources with Single Attributes
Visit the Green Procurement Compilation for information on designated product requirements. This information can be used to better understand the designated product requirements and how to verify whether contractors/vendors are providing compliant products.
Covered Product Types:
- Custodial Services
- Films and Packaging
- Food Services/Cafeteria
- Grounds Maintenance
- Intermediates
- Minor Construction
- Miscellaneous
- Operations and Maintenance
- Personal Care and Toiletries
- Safety Equipment
- Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance
Compliance Determination Option 1: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms via product label or other language that product is BioPreferred.
Compliance Determination Option 2: If only biobased content is provided, visit BioPreferred website and search for product category. The webpage for each product category states the required minimum biobased percentage that the product must meet. After determining the required percentage, compare this percentage to the biobased content stated in the contractor provided documentation. When the contract specifies a higher biobased content percentage than USDA BioPreferred, this higher biobased content percentage should be verified.
Covered Product Types:
- Cups
- Cutlery
- Take Out Containers
- Food Waste Bags
- Yard Waste Bags
- Resins and Coatings
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product is on the BPI Certified Products list.
Covered Product Types:
- Fiberboard – Medium Density
- Hardwood Plywood
- Particleboard
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product complies with CA ATCM 93120.
Covered Product Types:
- Construction Products
- Landscaping Products
- Non-Paper Office Products
- Paper and Paper Products
- Park and Recreation Products
- Transportation Products
- Vehicular Products
- Miscellaneous Products
Compliance Determination Option 1: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms via product label or other language that product meets CPG.
Compliance Determination Option 2: If only recycled content is provided, visit the CPG website and search for product category. The webpage for each product category states the required minimum recycled content percentage that the product must meet. After determining the required percentage, compare this percentage to the recycled content stated in the contractor documentation. When the contract specifies a higher recycled content percentage than EPA CPG, this higher recycled content percentage should be verified.
Covered Product Types:
- Building Products
- Commercial Appliances and Food Equipment
- Residential Appliance
- Electronics
- Heating & Cooling
- Lighting & Fans
- Office Equipment
- Water Heaters
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms via product label or other language that product is ENERGY STAR certified. Verify that information on the ENERGY STAR website.
Covered Product Types:
- Boilers
- Chillers
- Electric Resistance Water Heaters
- Exterior and Industrial Lighting
- Fluorescent Ballasts and Luminaries
- Water-Cooled Ice Machines
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms that product meets the minimum energy efficiency requirement stated on the FEMP website. This website lists the minimum energy efficiency required for each product type. After determining the minimum efficiency, compare this efficiency to the energy efficiency stated in the documentation provided by the contractor.
Covered Product Types:
- Computer - Desktop
- Computer - Thin Client
- Computer - Workstation
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms via product label or other language that product is a FEMP Low-Standby Power product as denoted on the FEMP website
Covered Product Types:
- Flooring and Flooring Adhesives
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the product meets the minimum Air Emission Certification of volatile organic compound free flooring and flooring adhesives. Check the FloorScore Site.
Covered Product Types:
- Food
Compliance Determination: The USDA organic seal verifies that the product has 95 percent or more certified organic content and confirms no genetically modified organisms. USDA organic is “a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.” Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms via product label or other language that product is USDA certified organic.
Covered Product Types:
- Adhesives and Sealants (Rule #1168)
- Architectural Coatings (Rule #1113)
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by the contractor confirms the product meets the minimum volatile organic compounds specified in SCAQMD (Rule #1168 and Rule #1113).
Covered Product Types:
- Fuel
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms the freight transportation contractor is on the EPA SmartWay Partner list.
Covered Product Types – Indoor Sources of Volatile Organic Chemical Emissions:
- Adhesives, Coatings, and Inks
- Aerosols
- Cleaning Solvents
- Fire Suppression and Explosion Protection
- Foam Blowing Agents
- Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
- Sterilants
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms that product is an acceptable substitute for an ozone-depleting substance or high-global warming potential substance as stated on the SNAP website. This website lists acceptable substitutes for each product type. If proposed product is listed as ozone depleting substance or high-global warming potential substance, then work with contractor to use an acceptable substitute as listed on the website.
Covered Product Types:
- Landscape Irrigation Controllers
- Showerheads
- Spray Valves-Commercial Pre-Rinse
- Urinals-Flushing
Compliance Determination: Determine if documentation provided by contractor confirms via product label or other language that product has the WaterSense label.
Additional Resources
- Ecolabel Index - Big Room Inc. index of ecolabels. Payment for use of the Ecolabel Index is required.
- Responsible Purchasing Network has published a set of Green Purchasing Best Practices Guides for the National Association of State Procurement Officials.