Section 13 Interagency Product Standards and Ecolabels Subgroup

Transcription

1 Section 13 Interagency Product Standards and Ecolabels Subgroup Listening Sessions November 2011

2 What makes a product green? Biodegradability Eutrophication Durability Embodied Water Material Optimization Global Warming Potential Human Health CMRs Habitat Alteration Green Products Waste PBTs End-of-life Disposal Embodied Energy Air Quality Water Efficiency Ozone Depletion Potential Resource Extraction

3 The response many certifications, many claims Enviro-friendly Naturally derived EarthSmart NonPolluting Virtually nontoxic Sustainablysourced No additives Forest Friendly Garden Safe Green EcoSafe Healthy Recyclable

4 Effective market infrastructure for green products Buyers can easily find products meeting effective, green standards Verification system against standards Standards, tech assistance, & incentives for green products Environmental/health impact data and tools

5 Subgroup Objective Ensure product-related acquisition goals of Executive Order are met through guidelines for selecting product-related environmental sustainability standards and/or ecolabeling programs

6 Subgroup Structure Section 13 Interagency Workgroup Interagency Product Standards and Ecolabels Subgroup GSA / EPA co-chairs Includes DOD, DLA, USDA, NIST, NIOSH, VA, NASA, DOC, DOI, and more.

7 Project Approach Phase I Grounding - October 2010 Phase II Draft guideline development - June 2011 Phase III Guidelines Assessment - Summer/Fall 2011 Survey of standards/labelling organizations Consultation among Feds Listening Sessions with industry, NGOs Phase IV Report Final Draft to CEQ - February 2012 Expected to be released for public comment - March 2012

8 Guideline Influencers Type Name Type of Organization Status Data Ecolabel Index Fields Info provider Vers Principles/ Best practices EPA s Preferred Characteristics for Standards for Green Products Green Products Roundtable: Preferred Practices for Organizational Credibility ISEAL Alliance: Credibility Principles WWF: Must-Be Principles for voluntary standards Government Multi-stakeholder Consortium Standards Association Environmental NGO Ratings Consumer Reports: Label Report-Card Consumers Association NRDC Label Look-up: Leaf Rating Scheme Die Verbraucher Initiatieve: Labelonline.de rating system Environmental NGO Consumers Association Internally developed for Interagency WG Draft, Draft Available, 2010 Available, 2006 Available, 2011 Available, 2008

9 Guideline Influencers Type Name Type of Organization Status Standards/ Codes ANSI Essential Requirements ISO/IEC Guide 59 Code of good practice for standardization ISO Environmental labels and declarations general principles Standards Association - US Standards Association - International Standards Association - International nd ed ISO Environmental labels and declarations Type 1 Environmental Labelling Principles and Procedures ISEAL Code for Standard Setting, V5.01 Standards Association - International Standards Association International & Voluntary

10 Guideline Influencers Standard name Description Year ISO/IEC Guide 65 ISO Accreditation ISO/IEC ISO/IEC ISO ISO/IEC ISO/IEC General requirements for bodies operating product certification systems Conformity assessment -- General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies General criteria for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection. Conformity assessment -- Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories Conformity assessment -- Supplier's declaration of conformity -- Part 1: General requirements Conformity assessment -- Supplier's declaration of conformity -- Part 1: General requirements

11 FSC Organizations Surveyed GreenSeal BIFMA SCS SFI SMART TCO Development FSC Forest Management, Chain of Custody & recycled Content GreenSeal Level Floor Score, Indoor Adv; Sustainable Product; Biodegradable; Other SFI Sustainable Materials Rating Technology (SMaRT) TCO The Carbon Neutral Company Certified Carbon Neutral UL Environment GreenGuard, Ecologo, ULE sustainably certified (wallboard, doors) GEC/IEEE NSF EPA/DOE EPA EPA USDA DOE EPA EPEAT NSF Carpet, Textiles, Wallcoverings, Resilient Flooring, Roofing Membranes Energy Star WaterSense DFE BioBased FEMP Designation Purchasing Specifications Recovered Materials Advisory Notices (RMANs)/ CPG

12 Guideline Categories 5. Market The extent to w hich it is used and recognized in the market. 1. Standard Setting How the standard w as created. 4. Program Management How it is managed, governed and operated. 3. Conformity Assessment The certification, verification and auditing processes by w hich entities are assessed against the standard. 2. Standard Substance The content, relevance and effectiveness of the criteria in the standard. Overview of Section 13 Product Standards/Eco-labels Subgroup

13 Standard Setting Notification Balanced Participation Transparency Consensus Due Process Appeals

14 Standard Substance Product performance Scientific basis of criteria Verifiability Life cycle consideration Multi-attribute consideration Hot spots focused Hazard-based approach Encourage impact and ingredient disclosure

15 Conformity Assessment Conformity assessment and auditing procedures Transparency Balance of interest Complaints and appeals Independence

16 Ecolabel Program Management Transparency Balance of interest Complaints and appeals Accessibility Independence

17 Market Assessment Transparency (related to who has been certified; which requirements they met) Accessibility to information re: certified products Periodic evaluation of certification program impacts

18 Implementation Considerations Selecting Standards and Labels Comparative matrix Rating System Sector-specific approaches Hotspots Buyer Tools GSAAdvantage! Government branding

19 Policy Issues Standard substance: environmental definitions, evaluation methodology, weighting? Conformity assessment: third party vs. self declaration? Market issues: federal leadership vs. market readiness? Implementation: who creates & maintains the list? Overview of Section 13 Product Standards/Eco-labels Subgroup

20 Questions? GSA co-chairs Brennan Conaway EPA co-chairs Alison Kinn Bennett Joni Teter Libby Sommer Rita McBride (Communications Coordinator) 20