Green Seal will no longer certify any paints and coatings, floor care products, adhesives, and degreasers containing any per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly called “forever chemicals.”
Green Seal has long prohibited products containing one type of PFAS, long-chain PFAS. The ban will now extend to the other category, short-chain PFAS. Green Seal says it is taking this action because short-chain PFAS have “the same harmful health and environmental effects as the legacy PFAS they are replacing.”
PFAS break down slowly in the environment and are found in the blood of people and animals. Studies have linked PFAS to many harmful health impacts such as decreased fertility, development delays in children, increased risk of cancer, diminished immunity to infections, and hormonal interference, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“A recent study found that half of tested paint products contain PFAS, which may be used for glossiness, to reduce peeling, or for stain resistance or water repellency,” according to a Green Seal news release. “Most acrylic and wax floor finishes on the market contain PFAS as leveling and wetting agents, and PFAS are also used to increase wettability in adhesives or the reduce flammability in cleaning and degreasing agents.”
Green Seal certified paints and coatings qualify toward points for both the LEED Low-Emitting Materials credit and the LEED v4.1 Material Ingredient Optimization credit.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Apr 9, 2018
U.K. business leaders call for zero-carbon buildings by 2030
Real estate, construction industry executives among those supporting the goal.
Codes and Standards | Apr 5, 2018
In Houston, proposed rules would require building above 500-year flood level
Change would impact 85,739 pieces of property.
Codes and Standards | Apr 4, 2018
New ASTM standard supports stucco use in construction
Provides way to measure tensile strength in vertical applications.
Codes and Standards | Apr 3, 2018
LEED v4.1 O+M for Existing Buildings available for beta testing
Update said to be most inclusive and transparent platform to date.
Codes and Standards | Apr 2, 2018
Experts chosen for ICC, ANCR buildings resilience benchmarks project
Specialists to focus on community preparedness for disasters.
Codes and Standards | Mar 29, 2018
Contractors have paid $5.2 million for failing local resident employee mandate on Detroit arena
Companies were only able to meet half of the 51% local worker requirement over course of the project.
Codes and Standards | Mar 28, 2018
Washington State moving to promote mass timber construction with legislation
Bill would require all 12-story or less public buildings to be built with mass timber.
Codes and Standards | Mar 27, 2018
Los Angeles appoints its first chief design officer
Responsibility for enhancing civic architecture and urban design.
Codes and Standards | Mar 26, 2018
National Roofing Contractors Assn., releases updates to its Roof Wind Designer app
Significant changes to online wind-load calculator.
Codes and Standards | Mar 22, 2018
Global construction waste to almost double by 2025
Concerns in Houston, Minnesota over environmental impacts.
