WASHINGTON, March 4, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Green Seal, the nation's leading non-profit authority on safer and more sustainable cleaning and facility care products, announced today that Essity's Tork Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitizer and Physicians Group Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitizer are the first hand sanitizers in the marketplace to earn coveted Green Seal certification.
Green Seal screened 100% of the Tork Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitizer and Physician's Group Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitizer formulas for carcinogens, reproductive toxins, skin irritants, phthalates, parabens and contaminants before awarding the certifications. The products also were required to meet uncompromising performance standards, use ingredients that do not pollute waterways, and use environmentally preferable packaging materials. Detailed certification criteria is available here.
Learn more about Tork Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitizer here, and Physicians Group Gel Hand Sanitizer here. Both products are also available on Amazon, which cites Green Seal as a trusted third-party verifier of safer formulations and sustainable product attributes.
Green Seal's new hand sanitizer certification standard was created with input from public health and industry experts amid concern about toxic ingredients in hand sanitizers.
With the COVID-19 pandemic spurring many first-time producers to enter the market, the FDA has warned consumers to avoid more than 200 hand sanitizer products due to incorrect formulations and high levels of hazardous ingredients including methanol (wood alcohol) and the contaminant 1-propanol. Meanwhile, even when properly formulated, hand sanitizers available in the U.S. can include hazardous ingredients linked to cancer, allergies, skin and eye irritation and other harmful health effects.
"Formulating with safer and more sustainable ingredients is vital for a product people apply to their skin dozens of times a day," said Doug Gatlin, CEO of Green Seal. "There is a critical market gap right now where buyers know to beware of toxic or ineffective hand sanitizers but are hard-pressed to quickly and easily identify safer options. Green Seal certification gives consumers, purchasers and facility managers confidence that they are buying a hand sanitizer that has been independently verified to the highest standard for health, safety and effectiveness."
Receiving the first Green Seal hand sanitizer certification for our Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitizer is a testament to our industry-leading efforts to deliver safe, effective and sustainable quality solutions to the marketplace," said Brian Kincaid, Product Management Director at Essity. "This distinction, which comes at a time when hand hygiene has never been more important, reflects our unwavering commitment to improving well-being through innovative and sustainable products and solutions."
"At Physicians Group, Inc., we recognize that both safety and sustainability extend beyond our own hand sanitizer manufacturing operation in Florida, we want to do our part to increase peace of mind across all of our B2C and B2B customers," said Dr. Gary Kompothecras, CEO of Physicians Group, Inc. "Each of our supply chain partners plays a critical role in helping us produce a hand sanitizer that is an eco-friendly and quality product for you and your loved ones. For all of these reasons, this first of its kind Green Seal certification for hand sanitizer is an exciting step in our sustainability journey."
Green Seal's hand sanitizer certification standard is part of the non-profit's initiative to harness its expertise to provide products, services and guidance that help protect people from both COVID-19 and negative health impacts from toxic chemicals.
- Green Seal Guidelines for Safer Cleaning and Disinfection for schools and workplaces have been adopted by commercial cleaning companies servicing more than 1 billion square feet of space and are referenced by leading green building organizations such as WELL.
- SEIU 32BJ, the largest union of property service workers in the U.S., has partnered with Green Seal on COVID-19 training for its members.
- More than 30,000 Green Seal certified products are used in offices, schools and homes each day, including cleaning products and hand soaps critical to de-contaminating buildings and protecting people.
To learn more about Green Seal's hand sanitizer leadership standard and Green Seal-certified products, visit http://www.greenseal.org/hand-sanitizers.
Media Contacts:
Green Seal: Taryn Tuss, [email protected]
Tork®: Weber Shandwick, [email protected]
Physician's Group: [email protected]
ABOUT GREEN SEAL
Green Seal® is a global nonprofit organization with a mission to transform the economy for a healthier, greener world. Since 1989, Green Seal has applied rigorous standards for health, environmental sustainability and product performance to its certification programs to empower better purchasing decisions. Green Seal has certified thousands of products, services and spaces from hundreds of leading companies including 3M, Ecolab, Georgia Pacific, Hilton, Westin, Marriott and Staples, and is specified by countless schools, government agencies, businesses and institutions. Today, the Green Seal certification mark is a universal symbol that a product or service meets the highest benchmark of health and environmental leadership. Visit greenseal.org.
ABOUT TORK®
The Tork brand offers professional hygiene products and services to customers worldwide ranging from restaurants and healthcare facilities to offices, schools and industries. Our products include dispensers, paper towels, toilet tissue, soap, napkins, wipers, but also software solutions for data-driven cleaning. Through expertise in hygiene, functional design and sustainability, Tork has become a market leader that supports customers to think ahead so they're always ready for business. Tork is a global brand of Essity, and a committed partner to customers in over 110 countries. To keep up with the latest Tork news and innovations, please visit: http://www.torkusa.com.
ABOUT ESSITY
Essity is a leading global hygiene and health company. We are dedicated to improving well-being through our products and services. Sales are conducted in approximately 150 countries under the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and other strong brands, such as JOBST, Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, Vinda and Zewa. Essity has about 46,000 employees. Net sales in 2019 amounted to approximately SEK 129bn (EUR 12.2bn). The company's headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and Essity is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. Essity breaks barriers to well-being and contributes to a healthy, sustainable and circular society. More information at http://www.essity.com
ABOUT PHYSICIANS GROUP
Physicians Group, Inc. is a manufacturer of hand sanitizer. Our hand sanitizer is proudly made in the USA with raw ingredients and materials sourced in the USA. Recognizing that both safety and sustainability extend beyond our manufacturing of our hand sanitizer, we are on an eco-friendly start to our sustainability journey.
Media Contact
Taryn Tuss, Green Seal, 202-697-4182, [email protected]
SOURCE Green Seal
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