Some 61 percent of manufacturers say products’ environmental impacts are more important than the impact to human health while 61 percent of consumers say human heath impacts are more important, according to an Underwriters Laboratories (UL) study.
This shows manufacturers and consumers are not aligned on the most important impact related to environmental products, UL says.
UL’s annual study, The Product Mindset 2013, once again finds while 90 percent of manufacturers agree that the environment is becoming more important in their decision-making process, 40 percent of consumers say manufacturers are not doing enough in terms of environmentally friendly manufacturing procedures or products. These statistics echo last year’s study results.
Although consumers doubt manufacturers’ environmental commitments, both groups rank the environment as their no. 2 top priority on a scale of one to seven, the 2013 study says.
Manufacturers (72 percent) and consumers (68 percent) do agree price is not a barrier and consumers will pay more for eco-friendly products.
Last week UL and the US Green Building Council (USGBC) debuted a joint environmental product declaration (EDP) intended to increase transparency in building materials and products used in buildings, homes, schools, hospitals and other structures.