EPAâs Safer Choice program formally recognizes safer products where all ingredients have an environmental and human health profile showing that they are the safest in their functional use class. Under the encouragement of this program, leading companies have made great progress in developing safer, highly effective chemical products. Since the programâs inception in 1997, formulators have used the program as a portal to EPAâs unique chemical expertise, information resources, and guidance on greener chemistry. Safer Choice program partners enjoy Agency recognition, including the use of the Safer Choice program logo on products with the safest possible formulations. In the future, EPA expects much greater program participation due to rising demand for safer products. This information collection enables EPA to accommodate participation by more than nine formulators each year and to enhance program transparency.
Information collection activities associated with this program will assist the Agency in meeting the goals of the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) by providing resources and recognition for businesses committed to promoting and using safer chemical products. In turn, the program will help businesses meet corporate sustainability goals by providing the means to, and an objective measure of, environmental stewardship. Investment analysts and advisers seek these types of measures in evaluating a corporationâs sustainability profile and investment worthiness. Safer Choice Product Recognition program partnership is an important impetus for prioritizing and completing the transition to safer chemical products. The Safer Choice Product Recognition program is also needed to promote greater use of safer chemical products by companies unaware of the benefits of such a change. EPA has tailored its request for information, and especially the Safer Choice Product Recognition program application forms, to ensure that the Agency requests only that information essential to verify applicantsâ eligibility for recognition.
US Code:
42 USC 13103(b)(5)
Name of Law: Pollution Prevention Act, Section 6604(b)(5)
There is an increase of 362 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by OMB. This increase reflects EPAâs estimate of a greater number of respondents, due to historical experience and increases in the expected future number of responses due to greater consumer awareness and demand for products with the Safer Choice label. This increase is partially offset by reduced per-response burden estimates based on expected efficiencies created by using the Salesforce-based Safer Choice Community on the part of respondents. This change is an adjustment.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
DfE Formulator Program - Application for Product Recognition (Partnership Agreements)