Updated FTC Green Guides: What Environmental Services managers need to know

The terms “green” and “environmentally friendly” are common vernacular in the cleaning industry; unfortunately they are often loosely applied and lead to greenwashing. The latest revisions of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Green Guides should put an end to misleading environmental marketing claims. 

First introduced in 1992 to help marketers avoid making misleading claims, the Green Guides were revised in 1996 and again in 1998. However, a lot has changed in the last 14 years and the new rules, released in 2012, include new guidelines for environmental claims that were not common in 1998. 

Product manufacturers are updating their marketing materials to comply with the new guidelines. Distributors, too, will soon follow suit, making sure their catalogs, brochures and even sales pitches are up-to-date — or face stiff penalties. 

An article in the July issue of Housekeeping Solutions provides information to help custodial managers familiarize themselves with these changes in preparation for future purchases.

Read the article.