What does EPA Safer Choice mean?

What the program does

Safer Choice is a voluntary EPA program. Manufacturers who want the mark submit their formulas, and the program reviews the ingredients against its criteria, with a focus on human health and the environment. Products that meet the standards may carry the label, and the EPA lists certified products on its website.

Because the program is run by a government agency, the mark is a different kind of signal from a brand's own phrases such as gentle or natural. It is still a label with a defined scope, so it is worth knowing what that scope is.

What the label does and does not tell you

• It tells you the product went through the program's ingredient review and met its criteria for that product category.
• It does not mean the product is free of all chemicals, since cleaning products work through chemistry.
• It does not replace the directions on the label, and products should still be used and stored as instructed.
• It does not make claims about performance or price, so compare those separately.

How to confirm a product

The EPA publishes a searchable list of Safer Choice products. If you see the mark on a package and want to be certain, look up the product or brand on the program's site. You may also see a related label, Safer Choice with a fragrance-free designation, which is a separate tag for products that meet that additional requirement. Check the exact wording on the label before assuming it applies.

Do not confuse the mark with look-alike claims. A green leaf, a badge reading eco-safe or an unnamed seal with no program behind it is not the same thing. If a seal does not name a certifier, treat it as the brand's own claim.

Where it fits in your shopping

Use the mark as one filter among several: it is helpful when you compare cleaners, detergents or dish soaps and want something with a government-run ingredient review behind it. Then look at unit price, fragrance preferences and packaging. Our guides to eco-friendly all-purpose cleaner, dishwasher detergent and hand soap show where the mark may turn up.

Sources

• EPA Safer Choice program
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)