New Green Guides revisions released by FTC

PETERBOROUGH, ON — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has just issued its revised "Green Guides" designed to help companies marketing green products ensure that the claims they make about those products are truthful and non-deceptive, according to a press release.

The FTC used input from hundreds of consumers as well as business and industry representatives to develop the revised guidelines, the release stated.

The updates include new sections not found in earlier guides dealing with carbon offsets, green certifications and claims about renewable energy and materials, the release noted.

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According to the release, the guidelines also do the following:

• Advise companies/marketers not to make unqualified claims about the degradability of their products unless they can prove the entire package and/or product will completely break down and return to nature within one year of disposal
• Clarify the use of such terms as free of and say it is deceptive to claim a product is "free of" a substance but includes another that poses a similar environmental risk
• Provide guidance on using such terms as compostable, recyclable and recycled content.

"There is also a section focusing on green certifications and seals," said Mike Sawchuk, vice president and general manager of Enviro-Solutions Ltd.

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"These are designed to tighten the rules about what certification really means with the goal again of eliminating any deceptive practices," Sawchuk added.

Click here to read the complete release.