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Green Seal Revises Coatings Standard
A nonprofit certifier of sustainability products has expanded its standard for architectural coatings.
Green Seal has revised its GS-11 Standard to cover most types of architectural coatings on the market, according to a statement the company released Monday (Nov. 9).
The new standard includes the previous GS-11 categories and combines them with the nonprofit’s GS-47 Standard. That standard, according to the organization, certified stains and finishes. The new GS-11 includes floor coatings; concrete and masonry sealers; fire resistive coatings; paints; primers; anti-corrosive coatings; and reflective coatings.
Green Seal said the new standard offers greater flexibility for assessing VOCs and aligns with the VOC limits set by the California Air Resources Board. Additionally, the new standard includes stains and finishes for wood and metal that previously were covered by the GS-47 Standard and clarifies criteria for chemical ingredients.
The organization said it reorganized GS-11 to promote safer coatings. To be approved by Green Seal, coatings must not contain certain harmful chemicals including heavy metals; certain phthalates; formaldehyde donors; carcinogens; mutagens; reproductive toxins; hazardous air pollutants; and ozone depleting compounds.
Certain chemicals do get an exception from the standards because they are necessary to achieve acceptable performance and do not have a feasible alternative, according to Green Seal. Those include titanium dioxide; carbon black; crystalline silica; and PCBTF.
Green Seal said its certification process involves a review of product data and manufacturing procedures, and that each product is tested for performance parameters that are applicable to the product. Products also periodically get a review to ensure they still meet the standards, the organization said.
A copy of the revised GS-11 standard is on the organization’s website.
