MARIETTA, Georgia, July 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- UL (Underwriters Laboratories), a global safety science leader, announced today it has launched the Product Lens™ report, a new chemical disclosure tool to meet marketplace product transparency demands, providing clarity by putting chemical hazards into context.
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The Product Lens™ report was developed to address the needs of architects and designers seeking more transparency about the impacts of chemicals in products. Much of this demand is driven by green building standards and the need for improving the approach of disclosing hazards only. The Product Lens™ program was designed specifically with LEED v4 in mind, and targets the Material Ingredient disclosure credit within the Building Product Design and Optimization grouping.
"UL's Product Lens™ report is unique compared to other reports on the market because it is a hazard disclosure tool that adds context and greater transparency about where the hazards exist within the value chain. This prevents people from focusing on just the risk associated with chemicals and drawing potentially inaccurate conclusions that a product is harmful," said Alberto Uggetti, vice president and general manager of UL Environment. "It adds value to manufacturers who strive to be transparent in their chemical disclosures, and allows their buyers clarity of the actual results so they can make smart purchasing decisions."
The program is a result of collaboration between UL Environment, MBDC and the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, with the Product Lens™ program basing the chemical assessment on the Materials Health Assessment Methodology from the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Products program. The tool was developed in partnership with MBDC and with the input of over 15 A&D professionals. The result is a credible, easy to understand solution for the product transparency demands in the marketplace today.
Ten companies are part of UL Environment's pilot program and have either completed some of their Product Lens™ reports or are in the middle of the process. Some of the participating companies include Allegion, Arauco North America, Belden, Mannington, Milliken and Sherwin-Williams.
Belden, a producer of connectivity and networking products, has been an early adopter. "After thoroughly reviewing various options, we decided to partner with UL Environment, a globally recognized and respected company, to participate in the pilot launch of the Product Lens™ program. The highly visual format of the Product Lens™ report allows for quick interpretation and understanding of potential risks, while also protecting proprietary information. In the near future, Belden will continue to lead the way by obtaining the Product Lens™ reports on hundreds of our products," states Alice Albrinck, Sr. Materials Product Engineer.
Product Lens™ reports are available in UL's Sustainable Product Guide.
About UL Environment
UL Environment works to advance global sustainability, environmental health, and safety by supporting the growth and development of environmentally preferable products, services, and organizations. We help companies achieve their sustainability goals—and help purchasers, specifiers, retailers, governments, and consumers find products they can trust. UL Environment offers environmental claim validations, multi-attribute product certifications, environmental product declarations, indoor air quality certification, product emissions testing, organizational sustainability certification, and consulting. For more information, visit www.ul.com/environment, and connect with us via Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook.
About UL
UL is a premier global independent safety science company that has championed progress for 120 years. Its more than 11,000 professionals are guided by the UL mission to promote safe working and living environments for all people. UL uses research and standards to continually advance and meet ever-evolving safety needs. We partner with businesses, manufacturers, trade associations and international regulatory authorities to bring solutions to a more complex global supply chain. For more information about our certification, testing, inspection, advisory and education services, visit http://www.UL.com.
CONTACT: Sarah Partridge
Marketing Manager, Environment & Furniture
UL Supply Chain and Sustainability
T: +1 (678) 444.4083
C: +1 (404) 277.9118
E: sarah.partridge@ul.com
