UL Environment, Marietta, Ga., USA, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), has launched its revised UL 175 Standard for Sanitary Paper Products. This new standard consolidates, revises, and updates the following five ECOLOGO Certification Criteria Documents (CCDs): CCD-082 Toilet Tissue, CCD-083 Facial Tissue, CCD-084 Table Napkins, CCD-085 Kitchen Towels, and CCD-086 Hand Towels. 

Certification of products under the new version of the standard offers numerous advantages for manufacturers, with a main advantage being an even greater focus on protecting human health, as well as additional broad sustainability requirements relating to the sourcing of fiber, and for further reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

"We are continuously working on advancing our standards to support reduced environmental and human health impacts," explained Angela Griffiths, director of research and service delivery at UL Environment. "As the scientific body of knowledge around the effects of sourcing, manufacturing, and using sanitary paper products has increased, and as manufacturing and the manufacturing life cycle have become more sophisticated, we are updating our standards to reflect this new knowledge and ability in our certifications." 

Highlights to the updates in the standards relating to human health and safety include enhanced restrictions on the use of active components that are potentially bio-accumulative and hazardous, and additional restrictions on use of chemicals that are classified as potentially carcinogenic, which have oral toxicity or which are very toxic to aquatic life, which may cause genetic damage, or which are classified as heavy metals. Additionally, any fragrance used may not include ingredients on the European Union's allergens list and must be IFRA (International Fragrance Association) certified.
 

Environmental sustainability and impact updates include new criteria on packaging requirements: requirements for the sustainable sourcing of fiber (including a revised recycled content component and clearer rules for how to evidence the sourcing of fiber); improved limits on energy consumption; and requirements for biodegradable organic compound additives, including for optical brighteners.

A free copy of the updated standard is available online.