Cradle to Cradle Opens Public Comment Period for Version Four
Oakland, CA, August 6, 2019-The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute invites all stakeholders to help shape the fourth version of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard during a 60-day public comment period from August 5 to October 4.
The draft standard and public comment form can be found on the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute website at c2ccertified.org. Input received during the public comment period will be considered for inclusion in the final standard, slated for release in 2020.
The Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard provides a continuous improvement pathway for optimizing and verifying products for the circular economy. The Standard helps designers and manufacturers put the Cradle to Cradle design principles into practice and encourages innovation to maximize the positive impacts of their products and materials.
The Cradle to Cradle Certified Version 4 draft standard was developed via a multi-stakeholder process led by the Institute’s Certification Standards Board, an independent standard-setting body comprised of leading manufacturers, independent assessors, and technical subject matter experts. The Institute’s Stakeholder Advisory Council and five Technical Advisory Groups also participated in the development.
According to Dr. Susan Klosterhaus, Institute vice president of science and certification, Version 4 of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard was developed to keep the certification on the leading edge of science-based standards for safe and circular design.
“The draft standard reflects a continued evolution in our understanding of how product design and manufacturing affects environmental and human health issues of critical global concern. As a result, the draft standard reflects rigorous yet feasible requirements across all five certification categories, including material health, product circularity, renewable energy and climate, water stewardship, and social fairness,” said Klosterhaus.
Key changes reflected in the Cradle to Cradle Certified Version 4 draft standard include:
● New general requirements for compliance assurance, environmental policy and management, and measurable improvement.
● New frameworks for product circularity, water stewardship, and social fairness defining global best practices and aligned with leading environmental and social compliance standards.
● A new Restricted Substances List (RSL) designed to help ensure Cradle to Cradle Certified requirements for Material Health align with leading international regulations and with widely accepted best practices for chemicals of concern.
To prepare for participation in the public comment period, the Institute invites stakeholders to attend webinars highlighting key features of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard on August 6 and September 10, 11 and 12. Details available here.
More information about the Cradle to Cradle Certified Version 4 draft standard, including the standard development process and the public comment period, is available on the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation website.