Certification standards in the USA

The Ecologo is a voluntary certification administered by UL Environment. They have over 130,000 products in their Sustainable Product (SPOT) database, with a range of accreditations and certifications. They offer services to architects and designers, manufacturers, retailers, and customers. The ECOLOGO Certification Program certification is a multi-attribute, lifecycle based environmental certification that indicates a product has undergone rigorous scientific testing, exhaustive auditing, or both. It proves compliance with stringent, third-party environmental performance standards.

More info: ECOLOGO® Certification Program | UL

The Green seal is a voluntary certification administered by The Green Seal Inc. in the USA. Products are certified against the Green Seal standards, which span household, business and hospitality cleaning products, and food packaging. More than 33,000 products meet the Green Seal standards for uncompromising performance, safety and health. The certified product list is available on their website.

More info: Green Seal®

EPEAT certification program is a voluntary certification administered by the Global Electronics Council (GEC). Products meeting EPEAT criteria are listed on the EPEAT online registry. The United Nations Environment Programme recognizes type 1 eco-labels as the most reliable. The eco-label covers products from the technology sector. labels are covered by ISO14024 and ISO14020 standards, and assessments are made over the product life cycle.

More info: Sustainable Electronics – Global Electronics Council

The TerraCycle label advises that a product has been made with recycled products. Application for the label is voluntary and there is no third party certification requirement. When the logo is present on a product TerraCycle has manufactured, it means the product was made from waste that would have otherwise gone to a landfill or been incinerated. TerraCycle runs national waste collection programs in 10 countries where non-recyclable post-consumer waste is collected and made into new products and materials. Consumers earn incentives, paid to a charity or school of their choice, for each unit of waste received by TerraCycle.

More info: TerraCycle

This is a voluntary scheme to certify the content of recycled material. It is an ISO 17065 compliant process ensuring that recycled content claims are accurate, truthful, and consistent. The Green Circle certified product database lists all the products that have been certified. GreenCircle follows ISO 14021 and the US Federal Trade Commission standards on recycled content claims. GreenCircle conducts a thorough review of the actual bills of material/recipes for a product, raw material purchases, the organization's supply chain (chain of custody), production, and a visual confirmation of raw materials used via a site audit.

More info: GreenCircle's Recycled Content Verification Process

The US EPA manages multiple certification schemes spanning several areas including water, vehicles, engines and equipment, pesticides, waste isolation and hazardous chemicals. They also have a sustainable marketplace for green products and services.

More info: EPA Certifications