Add as a preferred source on Google

Green Seal Launches Expanded Standard for Paints, Coatings, Stains and Finishes

  • 11/09/15

WASHINGTON, DC – Green Seal™, the nation’s first independent nonprofit certifier of sustainable products and services, has introduced a revised version of its GS-11 Standard that is expanded to cover most types of architectural coatings on the market today.

This new edition of GS-11, a compilation of the previous edition of GS-11 and the GS-47 Standard for Stains and Finishes, includes floor coatings, concrete and masonry sealers, and fire resistive coatings, in addition to the paints, primers, anti-corrosive coatings and reflective coatings previously covered. Clear and transparent coatings are also included in the 24 product categories that are now eligible for certification.

The new Green Seal standard offers greater flexibility for the assessment of VOCS and aligns with VOC limits set by the current California Air Resources Board. The standard also addresses:

  • Stains and finishes for wood and metal, previously covered by the GS-47 Standard
  • Updates for clarity on certain criteria for chemical ingredients, reflecting the current market for leadership products

GS-11 ensures that certified paints, coatings, stains and sealers deliver satisfactory performance. Each product is tested for performance parameters applicable to the intended use of that product.

With the rapid advances in formulation technology Green Seal redesigned GS-11 to promote the creation of safer coatings by restricting a comprehensive list of harmful chemicals, including heavy metals, certain phthalates, formaldehyde donors, carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, hazardous air pollutants and ozone depleting compounds. Certain exceptions are made for titanium dioxide, carbon black, crystalline silica and PCBTF because they are necessary for acceptable performance and feasible alternatives are currently lacking.

Green Seal’s certification process involves an in-depth review of product data and manufacturing procedures, including an on-site audit of manufacturing facilities. Periodic monitoring is required to maintain certification.

To download the revised GS-11 standard or apply for Green Seal certification, visit www.greenseal.org/gs11.

About Green Seal, Inc.
Green Seal, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 1989 to safeguard the health of people and the planet. Green Seal provides science-based environmental certification standards that are credible, transparent, and essential to helping manufacturers, purchasers, and consumers make responsible choices that positively impact business behavior and improve quality of life. Thousands of products and services in over 390 categories have been certified to meet Green Seal standards. Green Seal provides public education and guidance for creating a more sustainable world. Call 202/ 872-6400 for more information, or visit www.GreenSeal.org for links to all Green Seal standards and certified products and services.

Featured

  • DLR Group Appoints New K–12 Education Practice Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has named its new global K–12 Education leader, Senior Principal Carmen Wyckoff, AIA, LEED AP, according to a news release. Her teams have members in all 36 of the firm’s offices in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Europe, and Asia.

  • UT System Board of Regents Approves $108M Housing Complex

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently announced the approval of a new, $108-million housing complex at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), according to a news release. The facility will stand four stories and have a total of 456 new beds for freshmen students.

  • University of Kentucky Receives $150M Gift Toward New Arts District

    The University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees recently received a $150-million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, according to a university news release, to build a new arts district on the campus in Lexington, Ky. The new district will feature a new College of Fine Arts building and a multi-hundred-seat theater, among other amenities.

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

Digital Edition