The ZDHC Foundation, which is working toward zero discharge of hazardous chemicals in the apparel, footwear, leather and textile value chains, has added CPA’s GreenScreen as one of its certification standards, enabling GreenScreen approved textile chemical products to align with ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List’s (MRSLs) Level 1.
With this move, certificates that are issued by GreenScreen can now be used by chemical suppliers to indicate that their textile chemical products conform with ZDHC’s MRSL Level 1 environmental regulations.
“To accelerate the global impact of the organization, we decided right from the beginning not to develop our own certification system for ZDHC MRSL conformant chemistry, but to leverage existing certification bodies instead,” said Scott Echols, ZDHC program director. “We are proud to announce GreenScreen Certified Standard for Textile Chemicals as the sixth ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) accepted provider of services to indicate Level 1 conformance to the ZDHC MRSL.”
CPA, an organization that delivers strategic solutions for green chemicals and other environmentally preferable products, aims to reduce the negative footprint of chemicals. CPA introduced the GreenScreen Certified Standard for Textile Chemicals to allow formulators to communicate steps they are taking to help downstream partners regulate risks related to chemicals and foster more sustainable manufacturing processes.
GreenScreen Certified has three certification tiers based on GreenScreen tools, including GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals, GreenScreen List Translator and the Chemical Footprint Project.
The GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals is an internationally recognized chemical hazard assessment tool that uses a benchmarking scoring system to identify safe and hazardous chemicals. GreenScreen List Translator is an automated screening tool that alerts companies about chemicals of concern, by analyzing information from more than 40 global chemical hazard lists developed by various NGOs and other intergovernmental agencies. As a project of CPA, the Chemical Footprint Project aims to transform global chemical use by measuring and sharing data about safer chemicals progress. The project equips benchmarking companies with support while they make the switch to safer chemical alternatives and minimize their use of potentially harmful chemicals.
Related Stories
GreenScreen will join six other existing certification bodies, including BLC Chem-Map, Eco Passport by Oeko-Tex and the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) as ZDHC Accepted MRSL Conformance Certification Standards. Moving forward, GreenScreen ensured formulations will adhere with ZDHC MRSL’s Level 1 regulations, and have their approved textile chemical products checked and ranked within the ZDHC Gateway-Chemical Module, a compatible ZDHC data exchange platform allowing chemical formulators to share chemical information with apparel, footwear, leather and textile suppliers that align with ZDHC’s regulations.
ZDHC’s newest accepted certification standard comes on the heels of its other chemical compliance efforts. In December, the ZDHC Foundation opened a new Implementation Hub in the Netherlands to help companies adopt more sustainable chemical and environmental practices. The hub, which marks a new chapter for the ZDHC Foundation, will accelerate continued progress around ZDHC’s environmental efforts, including improving companies’ chemical compliance and corporate social responsibility evaluations.