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biodegrades without forming microtoxins
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| LABEL REPORT CARD |
| How meaningful is the label? |
Is the label verified? |
Is the meaning of the label consistent? |
Are the label standards publicly available? |
Is information about the organization publicly available? |
Is the organization free from conflict of interest? |
Was the label developed with broad public and industry input? |
| Somewhat Meaningful |
No |
No1 |
No2 |
No 3 |
No4 |
Yes |
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1. The label can have different meanings for different products, and “without forming microtoxins” is not defined.
2. There are no government or official standards for this term.
3. There is no independent organization behind this label.
4. There is no organization independently certifying this claim. The producer or manufacturer decides whether to use the claim and is not free from its own self-interest.
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LABEL CATEGORY:
General Claims |
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WHERE YOU'LL FIND THIS GENERAL CLAIM:
 CLEANING PRODUCTS
FLOOR, FURNITURE & WOOD CLEANERS
GLASS & METAL CLEANERS
KITCHEN & BATHROOM CLEANERS
LAUNDRY CLEANERS
OTHER CLEANERS
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WHAT THIS GENERAL CLAIM MEANS:
There are no specific standards for biodegradable claims. However, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued general guidelines on how the term should be used. According to their guidance, biodegradable should mean that a product is degradable when exposed to air, moisture, bacteria or other organisms and that the materials will break down and return to nature within a reasonably short time after customary disposal.
There is no guidance regarding the use of the term “microtoxins.” At least some companies using this claim use it to refer to toxic substances that form after the substance biodegrades and combines with other substances in the environment. It may be considered by some to refer to microscopic toxins, although scientists generally use this term to refer to toxins produced by microbes (such as mold).
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WHO VERIFIES THIS GENERAL CLAIM?
There is no organization that verifies the use of these claim other than the company manufacturing or marketing the product. The FTC has issued guidance on how the term “biodegradable” should be used, and took action in the early-mid 1990’s against several companies for making unsubstantiated, misleading, and/or deceptive biodegradable claims. However, the FTC has not issued guidance on use of the term “microtoxins.”
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CONSUMERS UNION EVALUATION:
How meaningful is the label?
The "biodegrades without forming microtoxins” claim is somewhat meaningful but in some cases can be misleading. “Without forming microtoxins” seems to imply some benefit beyond “biodegrades” but is not well-defined, and is possibly misleading.
According to FTC guidance, “biodegradable” should be used to mean that the materials will break down and return to nature within a reasonably short time after customary disposal. What a “reasonably short time” is depends on where the product is disposed. For products that go down the drain, like detergents and shampoos, FTC guidance states that “a reasonably short period of time” would be about the same time that it takes for sewage to be processed in wastewater treatment systems.
Of course, just because a product or ingredient is biodegradable does not mean it is healthy or safe for you or the environment. For example, DDT biodegrades to the compounds DDD and DDE, both of which are more toxic and more dangerous than the original DDT.
To learn more about what is meant by this term, as applied to a specific product, consumers must contact the manufacturer. If a manufacturer has solid scientific evidence demonstrating that the product will break down and decompose into non-toxic by-products found in nature in a short period of time, then claiming that it is “biodegradable without forming microtoxins” is not deceptive.
Foods, drugs, and cosmetics are required to list their ingredients (with a few exceptions, such as fragrances in cosmetics), but household cleaning products are not required to disclose their ingredients (except for disinfectants or other ingredients considered to be antimicrobial pesticides).
Does an organization verify that the label standards are met?
No. The FTC can investigate labels after they have been put on the market if they feel they are deceiving the consumer under section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act to prevent deception and unfairness in the marketplace. However, it does not routinely check or verify “biodegradable” claims.
Is the meaning of the label consistent?
No, the label can have different meanings for different products, and “without forming microtoxins” is not defined.
Are the label standards publicly available?
No, there are no standards behind the label.
Is information about the standard organization publicly available?
No, there is no independent organization behind the label.
Is the organization behind the label free from conflict of interest?
No. There is no organization independently certifying this claim. The producer or manufacturer decides whether to use the claim and is not free from its own self-interest.
Was the label developed with broad public and industry input?
Yes, the FTC sought public comments when its guidelines were developed.
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LINKS FOR MORE INFO:
Federal Trade Commission, "Sorting Out Green Advertising Claims"
Federal Trade Commission, "Complying with the Environmental Marketing Guides"
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