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              Ireen claims" can be found
in many advertisements and labels today.
They're the marketing response to
consumers' increasing interest in
protecting the environment.

    Institutional consumers also care about
buying "green." Indeed, the President of
the United States recently issued Executive
Orders encouraging federal procurement
officers to purchase recycled and
environmentally preferable products.
    National guidelines issued by the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC), with the
cooperation of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), are available to
help companies make sure their green
claims don't run afoul of the law. The FTC
Act prohibits deceptive acts or practices,
including deceptive representations in
advertising, labeling, product inserts,
catalogs, and s4les"presentations.

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    The FTC's Guides for the Use of
Environmental Marketing Claims explain how
the FTC Act is enforced when it comes to
environmental claims. The Guides provide a
framework for the use of environmental
advertising and labeling claims in the
marketplace: they reduce consumer confusion,
help establish a level playing field for
competition, and reduce the legal risk for
marketers. That's important because
increasingly, local and state jurisdictions are
relying on. tjae Guides'for direction on
enforcement^'tNi ,..    .     E?^l
qualify'erMfOnmentai claimsrfliat are broad or
 ^    •"  .-..¥'. =-  iff ,**,
vague—or a^i&|hem altogether. For
example, broad claim?like "environmentally safe"
or "environmentally friendly" should be
qualified—or avoided—because they can convey
a wide range of meanings to consumers that
may be difficult to substantiate.

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      , -     
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toxic, and chlorine-free), but they do not
scientifically define environmental terms
or establish product performance
standards.

   —-^ message from the U.S. Environmental
     Protection Agency and the Federal Trade
  Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection
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                           test
    Environmentally Preferable
 Purchasing'  (EPP)  promotes
 federal government use of products
 and services that have.-reduced
 impacts on human, health and the
..'•enviroiiJiieiit, '-'Such pi|rchases':a.re.
 required'-by.:•Executive Order
         ^^

 :<*£nvifo'nme''iitai.ly' preferable 'pro-
 ducts are products'- and '•services
"'jf hat] have a'lesser or reduced.effect
,,0,0   human •'.'••.health   and  'th:e
•'environment,;.w.hen compared to
.other .'products "arid: services /that
..serve the sarniB'purpose."-'•

     —Executive Order 12873, Federal
     Acquisition, Recycling^ and Waste
.;\";   ..  •'•-'•'••-....'  ,' Prevention.
                ••••-••'" ";':20,'1S93
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I FTC and EPA
  urge you to
review-the FT(
   Guides,
' examine your
\ environmental
  claims^ and
   make any
: 	necessary
   changes.
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