BASF Launches Eco-Label Comparison Site

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Chemical company BASF has launched a website to help customers sort out the crowded world of eco-labels and certifications.

The SELECT (Sustainability, Eco-Labeling and Environmental Certification Tracking) Eco-Label Manager is a database designed for the strategic management of eco-labels, environmental claims, directories and rating systems.

Governments, large retailers, trade associations and third-party organizations now run hundreds of eco-labels and certifications, “leading to a lot of confusion”, according to BASF senior product steward and program leader Pat Meyer.

BASF hopes that its tool will simplify efforts for businesses that now spend considerable time and resources trying to understand and distinguish between all the eco-labels.

An existing directory of certifications, the Ecolabel Index, currently tracks 378 eco-labels in 211 countries and 25 industry sectors.

Recognizing the vast array of eco-claims, the Federal Trade Commission is working to update green advertising standards through proposed revisions to its Green Guides.

Recently the U.K. government released guidelines aimed at combating a “confusing array of advertising labels."

Users of BASF's site can search, analyze and compare the programs in a structured and consistent format, BASF says. They can view program requirements and specifications and assess their products against program requirements.

The tool currently carries data on 100 North Amiercan programs, including LEED and Built Green Canada, with plans to add programs from around the world.

The tool is currently available to preferred BASF customers and stakeholders, and all BASF employees, but others can request access here:  www.selectecolabels.com.

Environment + Energy Leader