ISSA & Ecoform Progress on Development of Environmental Label

Attachment 3616Press Release: Lincolnwood, IL, USA, March 8, 2010—Progress is being made in the development of the Information-Based Environmental Label (IBEL), according to Jack Geibig, president of Ecoform, the company collaborating with ISSA in the creation of this next generation of environmental labeling for the commercial cleaning industry. “With the recent development of several key metrics, we have made significant progress in the development of an information-based environmental label in just a few short months,” said Geibig, who is leading the development of IBEL.

IBEL will complement existing eco-label programs, such as those for chemical cleaners, and will also provide a uniform platform for communicating the environmental attributes for the hundreds of product categories for which eco-label programs do not exist.

As of February 24, metrics have been developed for the following environmental attributes of chemical cleaners:

• Fragrances
• Color and dyes
• Combustibility
• Post-consumer packaging content
• Recyclable packaging content
• Bio-based material content

The individual metrics are being developed through the use of a work-group process, the results of which are then reviewed and vetted by the group’s Core Development Committee. To date, the work group has considered seven different metrics, modified the list of future metrics to consider, and established a productive format in which to present information related to future metrics.

In addition, Ecoform recently launched a page on its Web site dedicated to the IBEL-development process. The IBEL Development page contains a calendar of upcoming calls with specific topic details; an archive of information developed during the IBEL process, including summaries of work-group and Core Development Committee calls; an area dedicated to recent IBEL activities, where you can keep informed; and a bulletin board for discussing metrics or asking questions. This Web page is open to anyone and will be updated frequently now that IBEL development is moving rapidly forward. The page can be accessed at: www.ecoform.com/ibel.html.

Ecoform and ISSA announced their intent to develop IBEL at ISSA/INTERCLEAN® 2009. Cooperating with Ecoform’s Geibig in leading the development process is a Core Development Committee composed of key stakeholders, including health and environmental advocates, unions, state and federal government representatives, eco-label organizations, large and small cleaning-product manufacturers, contract cleaners, and institutional purchasers. For a complete list of members of the Core Development Committee, go to www.issa.com/ibelfacts.