Green Seal Standard Expanded for Architectural Coatings

Green Seal, the nonprofit certification program for sustainable products, has updated its GS-11 Standard to cover architectural coatings as well as 23 other product categories. The new edition of GS-11 is a combination of the standard’s previous edition and the past GS-47 Standard for Stains and Finishes, which includeded products such as concrete and masonry sealers, fire resistant coatings, and floor coatings. Also added to the new standard are paints, primers, anti-corrosive coatings, and reflective coatings that were previously covered in GS-11.

The new guidelines will align with VOC limits set by the California Air Resources board, address stains and finishes for wood and metal, and provide clarity updates for chemical ingredients that reflect the current market for products. The standard is intended to improve product safety by restricting a list of potentially dangerous chemicals such as formaldehyde, several types of phthalates, carcinogens, hazardous air pollutants, ozone depleting compounds and heavy metals. Learn more and download the revised standard here.

Looking for more information about paint options for your facility? Check out this guide to paints and coatings for FMs.