How EPA's Recommended Standards and Ecolabels Address Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

The chart on this page characterizes how standards/ecolabels included in EPA's Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for
Federal Purchasing address Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). The Recommendations help purchasers identify and use private sector
and federal environmental performance standards and ecolabels within federal procurement to help them meet various sustainability goals and
requirements.

Read more information on PFAS.

**These are high-level summaries of often complex and varied approaches to criteria. If you're a federal employee, you may email epp@epa.gov

to gain access to any of the below standards/ecolabels to review the full criteria language **

Standard/Ecolabel

Product Category Where EPA
Recommends the Standard/Ecolabel

Does the
Standard/Ecolabel
Cover Additional
Product Categories?

Summary of Criterion Language

Required or
Optional

BIFMA e3 2019-
Furniture
Sustainability
Standard

• Furniture

No

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Applicants can receive one product
point if the product does not contain
per- and poly-fluorinated compounds
at or above 100 ppm.

Optional

Biodegradable
Products Institute
(BPI)

•	Food Service Ware: Containers,
Cutlery, Dishware

•	Trash Bags

Yes

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As of January 1, 2020

1)	The product formula must not have
fluorinated chemicals — as evidenced
by a technical review of safety data
sheets for all ingredients.

2)	Test results from a BPI-approved lab
showing a maximum of lOOppm total
fluorine.

3)	A statement of no intentionally
added fluorinated chemicals, signed by
the manufacturer.

Required


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Cradle to Cradle
Certifiedฎ Product
Standard

•	Adhesives

•	Carpet

•	Ceiling Tiles - Acoustical

•	Fiberboard, Gypsum Panels,
Wallboard

•	Flooring

•	Furniture

•	Insulation

•	Interior Latex Paint

•	Other Miscellaneous Building Finishes

Yes

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Under Version 4.0 of the Standard, PFAS
are prohibited in certified products at all
certification levels. If present as an
impurity or minor additive, the level
must be <1000 ppm or <100 ppm in any
homogeneous material by weight for
products certified at Bronze and Gold
levels, respectively. Some exemptions
apply for specific materials or parts.

Additional restrictions for PFOS C-8 (10
ppm or less) and PFOA (25 ppm or less).

Required

Declare 2.0

•	Carpet

•	Flooring

•	Furniture

•	Interior Latex Paint

•	Other Miscellaneous Building Finishes

Yes

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Certified products and product
packaging must not contain
Perfluorinated and Polyfluorinated
Alkyl Substances (PFAS) or
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs).

Required

ECOLOGO/UL2777-
Hard Floor Care
Products

• Floor Care

No

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Product shall not be formulated or
manufactured with perfluorooctane
sulfonates (PFOS) and must not
contain more than 150 ppm of
fluorinated surfactants.

Required

ECOLOGO/UL 2795
Standard for
Sustainability for
Carpet and Upholstery
Care Products

• CLEANERS: Carpet, Glass, and
Multipurpose

No

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Certified products shall not be
formulated or manufactured with
Fluorinated surfactants.

Required

Green Seal (GS-1, GS-
11, GS-34, GS-40)

•	Bathroom Tissue

•	PaperTowels

•	Interior Latex Paint

Yes

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PFOA and PFOS are prohibited at or
above 100 ppm in certified products.

Required


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•	Parts Wash Solution

•	Floor Care







Green Seal (GS-37, GS-
41, GS-53)

•	Cleaners: Carpet, Glass, Multi-
purpose

•	Hand Soap

•	Commercial Dishwasher Detergent

Yes

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Under the most recent standard
editions, PFAS are prohibited in certified
products. If present as a contaminant,
the level must be below 100 ppm.

Required

Living Product
Challenge 2.0

•	Carpet

•	Flooring

•	Furniture

•	Interior Latex Paint

•	Other Miscellaneous Building Finishes

Yes

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Certified products and product
packaging must not contain
Perfluorinated and Polyfluorinated
Alkyl Substances (PFAS) or
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs).

Required

NSF/ANSI 336 (2018) -
Sustainability
Assessment for
Commercial
Furnishings Fabric

•	Furniture (single attribute standard
for textiles)

•

No

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Intentionally added PFOS is prohibited
in certified products.

Required

Safer Choice

•	Cleaners (Carpet, Class, Multi-
purpose)

•	Commercial Dishwasher Detergent

•	Floor Care

•	Hand Soap

•	Deicer

•	Parts Wash Solution

Yes

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EPA's Safer Choice program requires
every ingredient used in a product to
meet the stringent hazard criteria of the
Safer Choice Standard for the product
to be eligible for Safer Choice
certification. While the Safer Choice
program does not specifically prohibit
PFAS chemicals, with the growing
understanding of the effects of PFAS,
EPA has determined that these
chemicals no longer meet the Safer
Choice Standard. In March 2023, EPA
will remove the PFAS chemicals
currently included on Safer Chemical

Required


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Ingredients List (SCIL) and they will not
be eligible for use in certified products.



Sustainable Materials
Rating Technology
(SMaRT)

•	Carpet

•	Flooring

•	Furniture

•	Interior Latex Paint

Yes

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Intentionally added PFOS prohibited at
or above the Stockholm Convention on
Persistent Organic Pollutants.

Required

TUV Rheinland -
Green Product Mark

• Furniture

Yes

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Certified products must not contain
PFOS at 0.1% (articles) or 1 ng/m2
(coated material).

Required

If your organization's standard/ecolabel restricts the use of PFAS in the formulation or manufacture of products, please inform us by reaching
out to epp(a)epa.gov.


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