UL Environment Newsroom
UL Environment regularly shares important news and announcements with members of the trade, general, and business media. All press releases are archived here for easy reference.
February 8, 2013
UL Environment Releases Second Edition of its EcoLogo® Standard for Sustainability for Toys
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), launched today its revised EcoLogo Standard for Sustainability for Toys: CCD 172, which establishes a points-based model for the evaluation of performance, and recognizes manufacturers for sustainability leadership and true innovation with the addition of a Platinum level certification for the highest achievement.
February 4, 2013
UL Environment Validates First Landfill Waste Diversion Claim; GAF Demonstrates Role as Sustainability Leader
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announced today that leading North American roofing manufacturer GAF is the first company to achieve its new Landfill Waste Diversion validation, per UL ECVP 2799.
December 12, 2012
World’s First UL Environment Certification to IEEE 1680.3 Awarded to Samsung 55” LED, 46” LED Televisions
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announces today that it has certified the Samsung 55" LED Television, 46" LED Television to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1680.3 Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Televisions. These Samsung television models are the first to achieve UL’s sustainable product certification to IEEE 1680.3.
December 6, 2012
UL Launches Premier Indoor Air Quality Services in China
Global product testing and certification leader UL (Underwriters Laboratories) today announced the official launch of its indoor air quality (IAQ) services in its Nansha testing service center in Guangzhou, China. This move follows the increasing demand in the Chinese market for a more environmentally healthy lifestyle, and is in line with UL's global commitment of “working for a safer world."
November 30, 2012
Belgian Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions Regulation to Impact Construction Products in Belgium
A draft for a Belgian VOC regulation concerning emissions from construction products has been submitted for European Union (EU) notification by Belgian ministries on October 10, 2012, with important ramifications to manufacturers and suppliers. The Royal Decree establishes “threshold levels for the emissions to the indoor environment from construction products for certain indoor uses."
November 8, 2012
UL Environment to Help Architects & Designers Navigate Sustainable Design Standards at Greenbuild
An array of 300+ ecolabels and assessment tools and an evolution of green codes and standards make it difficult for architects and designers to identify authentically sustainable products. At the upcoming 2012 Greenbuild conference in San Francisco, UL Environment and a panel of experts will discuss ways to navigate the sustainable product landscape in order to meet evolving sustainable design standards.
October 23, 2012
National Technical Approvals Soon Required For Wall Coverings in Germany
Beginning January 1, 2014, national technical approvals will be required for decorative wall coverings designed for indoor use in Germany. This regulation will apply to panelling of cylindrical and plate-type shapes (according to standard EN 15102) made from synthetic and cork materials as well as glass fibre and photo wallpaper.
September 20, 2012
UL AQS Achieves Accreditation for Indoor Air Quality Emissions Testing to the Newest Blue Angel Standard for Electronic Imaging Devices
UL Air Quality Sciences, Inc. (UL AQS), a pioneer and provider of product emissions testing, announced today that it has earned approval as the only U.S. commercial laboratory to provide laboratory testing for the Blue Angel Program’s newest standard for printers, copiers and multifunctional peripherals, RAL-UZ-171. Recently updated, the new 171 standard calls for more stringent reporting of individual VOCs as well as evaluation of ultrafine particle emissions from these electronics during operation.
September 12, 2012
UL Study Finds Consumer Distrust of Cleaning Supplies Despite Jan/San Industry Efforts
A global study from UL (Underwriters Laboratories), a world leader in advancing safety, reveals that consumer distrust of household chemical manufacturers is as strong as the manufacturers' belief that they are delivering safe, reliable, and innovative products. UL Environment, a business unit of UL, predicts that the consumer wariness revealed in the study will influence industrial cleaning practices in healthcare, schools, and other public buildings.
September 11, 2012
UL Environment Cites Transparency and Performance as Top Trends in New Green Building Products and Materials Paper
A new white paper published today by UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), explores current and projected trends in green product certifications, building programs, and construction codes, underscoring the value both of transparency and performance-based metrics in sustainability leadership.
August 9, 2012
UL ECO-INSTITUT Approved as Testing Lab for Carpet Label GUT
Leading product emissions and chemical content testing provider UL ECO-INSTITUT, part of UL Environment, announced today that it is approved as a pollutant and emission testing laboratory by the Association of Environmentally Friendly Carpets e. V. (GUT). For more than 20 years, GUT has been considered a leading carpet label in Europe and it is an integral part of the European product information system for textile floor coverings: PRODIS.
August 2, 2012
UL Environment Acquires GoodGuide, One of the Largest Sources of Information on Product-Related Health, Social, and Environmental Impacts
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announced today the acquisition of GoodGuide, one of the world’s largest sources of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of consumer products. GoodGuide’s innovative data platform, which includes web and mobile interfaces, enables manufacturers and retailers to present their products while meeting growing consumer demand for transparency and more holistic product information.
July 24, 2012
UL AQS Offers U.S. Manufacturers the Ability to Test to New European Product Emissions Standards
UL Air Quality Sciences, Inc. (UL AQS), a pioneer and provider of product emissions testing, announced today that it has earned approval as a third-party testing laboratory—the only one in the U.S.—for the German Institute for Structural Engineering (DIBt). Also this year, UL AQS received renewed accreditation as an approved testing laboratory for Germany’s Blue Angel Program for building materials and furnishings. Blue Angel is Europe’s preeminent eco-labeling program offering certification for wood furniture, flooring, paints, adhesives, office equipment and more.
July 18, 2012
Inclusion of New Products and Health-Based Criteria Advance UL Environment’s Printing Inks Standard
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), launched today its revised third-party environmental standard for printing inks: UL 2801. This updated multi-attribute standard now includes criteria for certifying eight new subcategories of printing inks, as well as health-based measures to better protect people and the planet from hazardous substances.
June 26, 2012
Human Health Among Top Priorities in UL Environment’s Revised Standard for Odor Control Products
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), launched today its revised third-party environmental standard for odor control products: UL 2796. This multi-attribute standard will serve as the basis of a UL certification that recognizes environmentally preferable ambient and biologically based odor control products.
June 18, 2012
New International Product Emissions Regulations are Coming, Pushing Manufacturers To Develop and Verify Low-Emitting Products
Increasingly, indoor air quality (IAQ) is shooting to the top of the list of environmental concerns. Internationally, environmental agencies, government bodies and privately-held companies championing good IAQ are releasing programs to help ensure that products sold around the world support healthy indoor environments.
June 14, 2012
UL Environment Certifies First Refrigerator to New Sustainability Standard for Household Appliances; Whirlpool Continues Role as Marketplace Leader
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announced today that leading appliance manufacturer Whirlpool Corporation has become the first company in the marketplace to achieve certification of its products to AHAM 7001/CSA SPE 7001-12/UL 7001, Sustainability Standard for Household Refrigeration Appliances.
June 12, 2012
UL Environment Begins Validating Companies' Claims of Landfill Waste Diversion
UL Environment, a business unit of UL, announced today a series of new environmental claim validation service offerings designed to help companies communicate and promote their efforts to reduce landfill waste. UL Environment’s Zero Waste to Landfill, Virtually Zero Waste to Landfill, and Landfill Waste Diversion claim validations recognize companies that handle waste in innovative and environmentally responsible ways. Companies that achieve a landfill diversion rate of 100 percent qualify for the Zero Waste to Landfill validation. Companies that achieve a diversion rate of 98 percent or greater qualify for the Virtually Zero Waste to Landfill validation. Those that achieve a diversion rate of 80 percent or greater qualify for a Landfill Waste Diversion validation.
June 5, 2012
UL Now Serving as Official Green SquaredSM Certifier, Awards Certification to Three Tile Manufacturers
UL, a global safety science company, announced today that it has awarded Green Squared certification to three leading tile product manufacturers as part of a new collaboration with the Tile Council of North America (TCNA).
May 24, 2012
UL Collaborates with EPEAT® as Part of Pilot Program to Verify, Register Environmentally Preferable Electronics
UL, a global safety science company, announced today its collaboration with EPEAT®, a North American environmental rating system for electronics, as a trusted provider of environmental claim verification services. The formation of this alliance represents another way in which UL can serve as one-stop sustainability solutions provider to manufacturers in the electronics industry.
May 17, 2012
UL Environment Collaborates with Perkins+Will and Interface to Develop ‘EPD Transparency Brief’
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announced today the launch of its EPD Transparency Brief, an innovative, single-page supplement to the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) that provides an at-a-glance look at a product’s most critical lifecycle-based environmental impact information.
May 15, 2012
UL Acquires Germany-Based eco-INSTITUT, Deepening Indoor Air Quality Expertise and Expanding Global Testing Services
UL, a world leader in advancing safety, announced today the acquisition of eco-INSTITUT, a leading product emissions and chemical content testing provider based in Cologne, Germany. The combined expertise of eco-INSTITUT and UL uniquely positions UL as a full-service provider for clients looking to test and certify to any major North American and European product emissions standard.
May 8, 2012
UL Announces Global Certification for Environmentally Preferable Cleaning Products at ISSA INTERCLEAN®
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announced today the launch of a globally applicable, lifecycle-based environmental product certification for janitorial and sanitation products.
May 3, 2012
New Tool from UL Environment’s SQ® Program Helps Manufacturers Gauge Sustainability Efforts
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announced today the launch of a free web-based tool that will help manufacturers assess their corporate sustainability efforts. Part of UL Environment’s Sustainability Quotient (SQ) Program, this tool provides manufacturers with a preliminary analysis of their sustainability initiatives relative to the requirements of the UL 880 standard. The tool also aggregates responses from all survey respondents and provides an overall benchmark of sustainability progress to date.
May 1, 2012
UL Environment Adds Biodegradability Claims to Revised Standard for Garbage Bags and Retail Bags
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), launched today its revised third-party environmental plastic film standard: UL 126. This multi-attribute standard will serve as the basis of a UL certification that recognizes environmentally preferable garbage bags and retail bags.
March 21, 2012
UL’s New Environmental Product Declaration Continuing Ed Course Earns AIA and GBCI Accreditation
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announced today that its continuing education unit (CEU) on transparency and ecolabels has been accredited by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), providing an exciting new opportunity for design professionals to earn up to two credential maintenance hours.
February 10, 2012
UL Environment Releases First North American Standard Addressing Toxicity, Environmental Impact of Children’s Toys
Toy manufacturers wishing to demonstrate environmental leadership and a commitment to safeguarding children’s health can now pursue certification to North America’s first and only third-party environmental toy standard: UL 172.
December 6, 2011
UL Environment Launches Sustainability Quotient (SQSM) Program to Help Businesses Quantify Environmental and Social Progress
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announced today the launch of its Sustainability Quotient (SQ) Program, a comprehensive system of assessing, rating, and certifying the sustainability initiatives of corporations at an enterprise level. The SQ Program is based on a series of auditable standards, including UL 880: Sustainability for Manufacturing Organizations, with the first edition being released today, and UL 881: Sustainability for Service Sector Organizations, which is in development.
November 9, 2011
UL Environment to Address New Products with Environmental Standard for Printing Cartridges
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announced today the release of the newly-revised Standard for Sustainability for Printing Cartridges, which—for the first time—can be applied to both original toner cartridges and refurbished cartridges and be certified by UL Environment in the U.S.
June 16, 2011
UL Environment Services to Help Building Products Qualify for New LEED Pilot Credit Program
UL Environment Inc., a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), and its affiliates are among the first organizations whose services help building products qualify for the recently released Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Pilot Credit 43, Certified Products. LEED has become synonymous with Green Building over the last decade and is the name of the green building guidelines set forth by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). Projects earn points that contribute to meeting the LEED requirements. Today’s announcement acknowledges that qualified products evaluated by UL Environment can contribute extra innovation points toward LEED certification.
June 14, 2011
UL Environment Releases Industry Wide Sustainability Requirements for Doors
UL Environment, Inc., a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announces today that it is releasing a new set of standard requirements, UL ISR 102, which will help gauge the environmental and human health impacts of door slabs, including those that are meant to swing, hang or glide. ULE ISR 102 provides a detailed account with which to evaluate the impacts related to producing a variety of door types. Door manufacturing is measured throughout the materials management, energy use, water use, manufacturing and operations, health and environment, product performance, product stewardship and innovative practices of production. These new guidelines will help architects, designers and LEED-APs select environmentally preferable swinging door slabs.
June 7, 2011
Samsung Replenish Becomes World's First UL Environment Certified Mobile Phone
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announces today that it is releasing a new set of sustainability requirements, UL ISR 110, the first edition of a collaborative effort to develop a sustainability standard for mobile phones. UL ISR 110 is the first set of requirements specifically drafted for use in evaluating mobile phones to identify those phones having the least environmental impact.
April 27, 2011
Sustainability Author and Expert Heather Gadonniex Joins UL
UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announced today that its business unit, UL Environment, has hired Heather Gadonniex as the organization’s new Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) program manager. For more than a decade, Gadonniex has developed and led strategic sustainability initiatives to drive revenue generation and advised on sustainable company and public policies. Gadonniex is co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Greening Your Business and managed the development of the first US registered EPD in the countertop industry. At UL Environment, Gadonniex will lend her expertise on sustainability standards and certifications, life cycle assessment, strategic positioning and client service delivery to UL Environment’s EPD program.
February 14, 2011
UL Environment Issues Highest Available Sustainability Certification for Laptops
UL Environment Inc., a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announced today that it has issued its first-ever Gold level Sustainable Product Certification (SPC) for the laptop category to the Lenovo ThinkPad T420 laptop, scheduled to be launched later this year. This UL Environmental SPC Gold certification indicates a product has met the most stringent and prestigious of three levels of compliance in the industry-wide sustainability standard for laptops, IEEE 1680.1.
February 2, 2011
UL Environment Expands Portfolio with Addition of GREENGUARD Certification Programs
UL Environment, a business unit of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), an independent product safety certification organization, announced today that it has reached an agreement with Air Quality Sciences, Inc. (AQS) to acquire AQS and its certifying body, the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. AQS and GREENGUARD are the market leaders in North America for product emissions testing and third-party indoor air quality certification.
January 12, 2011
UL Environment Releases Interim Requirements for its First Corporate Sustainability Standard
UL Environment Inc., a global leader in environmental evaluation and certification and wholly owned subsidiary of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), announces the publication of ULE ISR 880, which will be used to evaluate the sustainable activities of manufacturing organizations. The document will be open for public comment for a period of 60 days following this announcement. Simultaneously, UL Environment will also be launching a pilot program which will lay the groundwork for a certification program due to release later this year. ULE 880: Sustainability for Manufacturing Organizations will be published shortly after the final public comment period ends.
August 31, 2010
ULC Standards Acquires Environmental Certification and Advisory Firm TerraChoice
ULC Standards, an independent, not-for-profit standards development organization, today announced that it has acquired majority ownership of TerraChoice, a global leader in environmental certification and green marketing, and exclusive manager of the EcoLogo™ Program. TerraChoice joins UL Environment as part of the Underwriters Laboratories global network providing environmental services to companies around the world. TerraChoice’s Canadian operations, office location and staff will remain in place to provide uninterrupted service to its more than 500 customers. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
