Standards developed for "green" soaps, shower products. . .

Green Seal, a leader in independent eco-labeling in the US "has developed a standard to help consumers identify what is really green and what isn't when shopping the personal care aisle." Green seal certification assures a product contains no harmful ingredients and "works as well or better than its non-green counterpart, and is truly safer." To date, the Green Seal has appeared on "more than 3,000 products and services in over 114 categories."

In September, Greener Package.com will launch Greener Package Guidelines to Sustainability Claims. The guide—designed to combat deliberate "greenwashing"—contains a database that lists participating suppliers who have had their sustainability claims reviewed by an authorized Greener Package third-party reviewer. The guide will also address the far more common problem of different interpretations of terms such as "recyclable," "compostable," "natural," "eco-friendly," "sustainable," etc.