EPA finalizes recycled content levels for packaging bearing Safer Choice label

 

The agency acknowledged there may be exceptions where packaging performance creates barriers.

The U.S. EPA finalized updates Thursday to its voluntary Safer Choice and Design for the Environment label, with new requirements around how product packaging is formulated. The program evaluates cleaning, laundry and similar product categories against health and environmental safety criteria.

It was the first time that the standard has been updated since 2015, including to reflect packaging sustainability, said EPA’s Jennie Romer, deputy assistant administrator for pollution prevention in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, in a statement. Updates include requiring packaging to be recyclable or reusable and contain recycled content. Packaging also needs to be formulated without chemicals of concern like PFAS.

Draft updates in November 2023 were followed by a comment period that drew feedback from industry groups such as Ameripen, the American Chemistry Council, the Can Manufacturers Institute and Consumer Brands Association. Companies including Clorox and Procter & Gamble also commented on packaging aspects.