Greenguard, NSF Working on Emissions Standard

Atlanta, GA, April 28, 2010--The Greenguard Environmental Institute and NSF International said they are developing a health-based standard that addresses chemical emissions from products.

The standard will streamline the myriad methods currently used for measuring and limiting chemical emissions from products, and will incorporate the most recent science on human health and toxicology to provide acute and chronic chemical exposure limits, the organizations said. 

The final GEI-NSF standard will be a tool for sustainability programs; federal, state, and local governments; code officials; architects and designers; health professionals; specifying professionals; and consumers by helping them choose products that minimize air pollutants in indoor environments.

“Building occupants are exposed to thousands of chemicals emitted from products—many of them harmful—and few programs address more than a small percentage of these compounds,” said Henning Bloech, executive director of GEI.

 “I am hopeful that this effort will go beyond existing programs and create a new, health-focused leadership standard that consumers, manufacturers, and building codes and rating systems can adopt to minimize chemical exposure.”

The GEI-NSF standard will be developed under the American National Standard Institute’s (ANSI) Essential Requirements for adoption as an ANSI Standard.

“This collaboration was a natural fit for our two organizations, as GEI and NSF both strive to protect public health as part of their mission,” said Jane Wilson, director of standards development for NSF International.