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Biodegradable without effluent treatment processes
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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 |
Yes |
No |
No1 |
No2 |
Yes3 |
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1. There is no independent organization behind this label.
2. The producer or manufacturer decides whether to use the claim and is not free from its own self-interest.
3. While there are no standards, the FTC sought public comments for its guidance on the claim.
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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 the biodegradable claim. 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.
The phrase “without effluent treatment processes” is not well-defined, but most likely refers to disposal outside of urban areas, such as through a septic tank system, “gray water” system, or directly into a body of water or onto land.
For other similar general claims, visit label records for "biodegradable" and "biodegrades without forming microtoxins."
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WHO VERIFIES THIS GENERAL CLAIM?
There is no organization that verifies the use of these claims 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 defined “without effluent treatment processes.”
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CONSUMERS UNION EVALUATION:
How meaningful is the label?
The "biodegradable without effluent treatment processes” claim is somewhat meaningful but in some cases can be 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.
If a manufacturer has solid scientific evidence demonstrating that the product will break down and decompose into elements found in nature in a short period of time in systems that do not involve effluent treatment, then claiming that it is “biodegradable without effluent treatment processes” would not be deceptive.
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 extremely slowly, and biodegrades to the compounds DDD and DDE, both of which are more toxic and more dangerous than the original DDT.
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.
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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