Published: Tuesday, April 22, 2008
How green is your household cleaner?
Not all products' environmental claims are equal
EVERETT -- With the spirit of Earth Day in mind, you may be inspired to grab a "green" product as you prepare to do some spring cleaning.
Take a walk down the cleaning products aisle at the store and you're likely to find a natural or green section. The introduction of Clorox's Green Works line has helped push green cleaners into the mainstream. However, consumer groups warn that not all green claims are equal, just as not all products provide the same environmental benefits.
Earlier this year, prominent environmental group the Sierra Club announced that, starting in April, it would lend its name and label to Clorox's Green Works products line. The environmental group's endorsement did not come without controversy. The Sierra Club will receive an undisclosed fee, which is based partly on product sales, for its endorsement.
The group noted that the cost of natural cleaning products, which can carry a price that is 50 to 100 percent higher than conventional goods, has deterred people from buying environmentally friendly cleaning products. With about 44 percent of consumers saying they want to use more natural cleaning products, the Sierra Club said that Clorox makes that goal affordable with Green Works.
"To us, this is a sign that major companies see the green market maturing and recognize it's possible to manufacture and sell products that will be good for business and for the planet," said Carl Pope, executive director for the Sierra Club, at the January announcement.
Clorox, which says its green products work as well as its traditional cleaning goods, markets its new line as 99 percent natural. But claims like these make consumer groups and the Federal Trade Commission uneasy.
The average consumer, for instance, might not realize there isn't a federally approved definition for natural. Clorox says its natural ingredients used in Green Works products have to be biodegradable, come from renewable resources and not be petroleum-based.
Natural is also a term used by Minnesota-based Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day brand. On its Web site, the company notes that it uses naturally derived products "whenever possible" but says it sometimes has to use a "safe synthetic" ingredient.
That's why the Federal Trade Commission suggests that consumers should review carefully environmental claims on labels and in advertisements. The commission is supposed to stop deceptive marketing or business practices in the marketplace. Although it has developed guides to environmental marketing claims for companies, those guides aren't enforceable by law.
Last November, TerraChoice, an environmental marketing group, released findings on "greenwashing" -- the practice of misleading consumers about the environmental benefits of a product or service. The group reviewed 1,018 products and found all but one made false or misleading green claims.
"Consumers are inundated with products that make green claims," said Scott McDougall, TerraChoice's president. "Some are accurate, certified and verifiable, while others are just plain fibbing to sell products."
TerraChoice works for EcoLogo, a government eco-labeling program based in Canada.
Web resources
For more information on green cleaning products, visit these Web sites:
U.S. EPA's Design for the Environment: www.epa.gov/dfe
Federal Trade Commission on green advertising: www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/general/gen02.shtm
Green Seal's approved cleaners: www.greenseal.org/findaproduct/ cleaners.cfm
Consumer Reports Greener Choices: www.greenerchoices.org
TerraChoice's Six Sins of Greenwashing: www.terrachoice.com
Reporter Michelle Dunlop: 425-339-3454 or mdunlop@heraldnet.com.
Take a walk down the cleaning products aisle at the store and you're likely to find a natural or green section. The introduction of Clorox's Green Works line has helped push green cleaners into the mainstream. However, consumer groups warn that not all green claims are equal, just as not all products provide the same environmental benefits.
Earlier this year, prominent environmental group the Sierra Club announced that, starting in April, it would lend its name and label to Clorox's Green Works products line. The environmental group's endorsement did not come without controversy. The Sierra Club will receive an undisclosed fee, which is based partly on product sales, for its endorsement.
The group noted that the cost of natural cleaning products, which can carry a price that is 50 to 100 percent higher than conventional goods, has deterred people from buying environmentally friendly cleaning products. With about 44 percent of consumers saying they want to use more natural cleaning products, the Sierra Club said that Clorox makes that goal affordable with Green Works.
"To us, this is a sign that major companies see the green market maturing and recognize it's possible to manufacture and sell products that will be good for business and for the planet," said Carl Pope, executive director for the Sierra Club, at the January announcement.
Clorox, which says its green products work as well as its traditional cleaning goods, markets its new line as 99 percent natural. But claims like these make consumer groups and the Federal Trade Commission uneasy.
The average consumer, for instance, might not realize there isn't a federally approved definition for natural. Clorox says its natural ingredients used in Green Works products have to be biodegradable, come from renewable resources and not be petroleum-based.
Natural is also a term used by Minnesota-based Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day brand. On its Web site, the company notes that it uses naturally derived products "whenever possible" but says it sometimes has to use a "safe synthetic" ingredient.
That's why the Federal Trade Commission suggests that consumers should review carefully environmental claims on labels and in advertisements. The commission is supposed to stop deceptive marketing or business practices in the marketplace. Although it has developed guides to environmental marketing claims for companies, those guides aren't enforceable by law.
Last November, TerraChoice, an environmental marketing group, released findings on "greenwashing" -- the practice of misleading consumers about the environmental benefits of a product or service. The group reviewed 1,018 products and found all but one made false or misleading green claims.
"Consumers are inundated with products that make green claims," said Scott McDougall, TerraChoice's president. "Some are accurate, certified and verifiable, while others are just plain fibbing to sell products."
TerraChoice works for EcoLogo, a government eco-labeling program based in Canada.
Web resources
For more information on green cleaning products, visit these Web sites:
U.S. EPA's Design for the Environment: www.epa.gov/dfe
Federal Trade Commission on green advertising: www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/general/gen02.shtm
Green Seal's approved cleaners: www.greenseal.org/findaproduct/ cleaners.cfm
Consumer Reports Greener Choices: www.greenerchoices.org
TerraChoice's Six Sins of Greenwashing: www.terrachoice.com
Reporter Michelle Dunlop: 425-339-3454 or mdunlop@heraldnet.com.
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