Safer Choice Program

(Formerly Design for the 

Environment)

April 2015

Office of Pollution Prevention & Toxics
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NAME AND LABEL CHANGE

Safer Choice Program was formerly known as the Design 

for the Environment (DfE) Safer Product Labeling Program

View EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy’s 

Video: http://youtu.be/Pc4DWqFlqMo 
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WHY WE REDESIGNED THE LABEL

• To better convey the scientific rigor and benefits of the 

program (e.g., safer for human health) with a label that is 

easier to display on products, materials, and in digital 

media

• To increase consumer and industrial/institutional 

purchaser recognition of products bearing EPA’s Safer 

Product Label 

• To encourage innovation and development of safer 

chemicals and chemical-based products

• At the request of partner companies & stakeholders
• Safer Choice Program

1) Safer Choice Label

2) Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)

o SCIL Review Process

• Potential Benefits to National Organic 

Program

• DfE/OPP Pesticide Pilot Project

• Conclusions

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CONTENTS

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• More than 2,000 safer products / about 500 partners 

• Range of product categories, including:

− Predominantly laundry & cleaning products

− Smaller percentage includes floor care, deicers, holding 

tank treatments and fire suppressants

• Potential for expansion to:

− Personal care products, adhesives , lubricants, and more

Safer Choice Label

SAFER CHOICE LABEL
WHAT DOES THE SAFER CHOICE LABEL MEAN

MTo use the label products must: EAN?

• Meet the Safer Choice Standards 

– Ingredient-level: human health and 

environmental criteria

– Product level: performance, packaging, and 

ingredient disclosure

• Be covered under a Partnership Agreement 

between the manufacturer and EPA 

– Good for 3 years

• Undergo annual audits

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www.epa.gov/saferchoice
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www2.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-ingredients
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http://www2.epa.gov/ www2.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer saferchoice-ingredients#collapse /safer-ingredients
• Define toxicological thresholds and supporting data required 

to determine which ingredients are the safest

• Criteria for functional ingredient classes:

- Chelating Agents

- Colorants

- Defoamers

- Enzymes & Enzyme Stabilizers

- Fragrances

- Oxidant & Oxidant Stabilizers

- Polymers

- Preservatives & Antioxidants

- Processing Aids & Additives

- Solvents

- Surfactants

CRITERIA FOR SAFER CHEMICAL INGREDIENTS

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Human Health Effects

• Carcinogenicity

• Mutagenicity

• Reproductive and 

developmental toxicity

• Neurotoxicity

• Acute and Repeated dose 

toxicity 

• Respiratory sensitization

• Skin sensitization

Environmental Fate and 

Toxicity

• Persistence

• Bioaccumulation

• Degradation products

• Eutrophication

• Aquatic toxicity

• Others (i.e. non-guideline 

organisms)

CHEMICAL HAZARD ENDPOINTS

SCIL 
VALUE OF THE SAFER CHOICE STANDARD

Ensures the use of safer chemicals

• Chemicals that are not allowed:

− Identified through authoritative lists 

− Analogs to chemicals on authoritative lists

− Chemicals with No Data

• Chemicals that are allowed: 

− Criteria for Safer Ingredients

− Data are required to meet these criteria

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SAMPLE OF AUTHORITATIVE LISTS

Authoritative Sources Indicating Carcinogenic Mutagenic Reproductive Toxicity (CMR): 

• International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)

• US EPA. Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), 

• California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). 

• European Commission Hazard Phrases (Annex VI to the CLP Regulation) or Risk Phrases Annex VI to the DSD 

Regulation - indicating possible carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reproductive toxicity

Authoritative Sources Indicating Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic (PBT): 

• US EPA. Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). 

• EU REACH. Substances of Very High Concern due to PBT, vPvB, or vPvT.

• Stockholm Convention Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

• OSPAR List of Substances of Possible Concern. Hazardous Substances List - Sections A-D.

• Chemicals determined to exceed Safer Choice’s thresholds for persistence, bioaccumulation, and aquatic 

toxicity when addressed through the TSCA Work Plan Chemical process.

Respiratory Sensitizers: 

• European Commission Hazard Phrases (Annex VI to the CLP Regulation) or Risk Phrases (Annex VI to the DSD 

Regulation) indicating possible respiratory sensitization: H334, R42.

Dermal Sensitizers: 2 lists

Other Authoritative Lists: 12 lists

SCIL 
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EXAMPLE: UNINFORMED SUBSTITUTION

 2-Butoxyethanol

• Frequently included in lists of 

solvents of concern

− Cal/OSHA Hazardous Substances 

List

• Human health concerns include 

hemolysis leading to toxicity in 

kidney, spleen and liver.

• Not allowed in Safer Choicelabeled products

 2-Propoxyethanol

• Not widely recognized as a 

solvent of concern

− Not on Cal/OSHA Hazardous 

Substances List

• Similar human health 

concerns including hemolysis

leading to toxicity in kidney, 

spleen and liver.

• Not allowed in Safer Choicelabeled products

SCIL 
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SAFER CHEMICAL INGREDIENT LISTING PROCESS

Review Process

www2.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-ingredients
• List of chemicals that meet Safer Choice Chemical Criteria 

• More than 650 chemicals that may be used in Safer Choicelabeled products

• Living list 

− Additions and/or status changes of listed chemicals

− Refresh every 3 years

• Responsive to stakeholders

• Established September 2012

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SUMMARY SAFER CHEMICAL INGREDIENTS LIST (SCIL)

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www2.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-ingredients
USES FOR SCIL

Product Formulators

• To research and verify that proposed formulations will be 

eligible for the DfE label

• As a sustainability measure for non-DfE products

Chemical Manufacturers

• Are using criteria as a benchmark for new chemicals, e.g., Dow, 

BASF, AkzoNobel, Eastman, Segetis

EPA ChemView Portal 

• Interactive web access to EPA chemical information with a 

focus on identifying safer chemicals (www.epa.gov/chemview)

Potential New Use: Organic Pesticide Formulators

• Research and identify previously reviewed chemicals for use in 

new formulations

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POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO NOP

• Provides methodology for inert ingredient evaluation

 Inert ingredients will be evaluated for 

o Potential Human Health and Mammalian Toxicity and Sensitization

o Aquatic Toxicity (and other ecological endpoints if available)

o Toxicity of Parent Compound and Degradate compounds

o Environmental Persistence and Bioaccumulation Potential

• Third-Party Profiler provides a comprehensive report for 

the inert ingredient

• Listing ingredients on SCIL allows Organic Pesticide 

Formulators to make informed decisions on using safer 

ingredients

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Pilot project with EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) to 

recognize pesticide products such as disinfectants and sanitizers 

• 2009 list of authorized actives included:

- hydrogen peroxide, lactic acid, & citric acid

• List of actives expanded in 2012 to include:

- ethanol & isopropanol

• Currently, 9 products have met the criteria and may use the DfE 

label

• Project webpage with the list of qualifying products: 

http://go.usa.gov/g4fj

DfE/OPP ANTIMICROBIAL PILOT PROJECT

| Office of Pollution Prevention & Toxics | OPP Pilot Project
Safer Choice Labeled Products:

www2.epa.gov/saferchoice/products

Safer Choice Standard for Safer Products:

www2.epa.gov/saferchoice/standard

Safer Choice: Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL): 

www2.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-ingredients

Safer Choice Program and Label Redesign:

www2.epa.gov/saferchoice/learn-about-safer-choice-label

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Safer Choice Webpages

| Office of Pollution Prevention & Toxics | Conclusion
Clive Davies

Davies.Clive@epa.gov

202-564-3821

THANK YOU!

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Jamie Suski

Suski.Jamie@epa.gov

202-564-3190

www.epa.gov/saferchoice
| Office of Pollution Prevention & Toxics |

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