While many products carry a “green” or eco-friendly logo, not all live up to their claims according to local environmentalist Josh Brandon.
Brandon works with the Green Action Centre and said consumers must be savvy about selecting environmentally friendly products.
“On most products that are making green claims, there’s some falsification or exaggeration or a lack of information they’re giving to customers,” said Brandon.
Brandon said consumers should take a look at what’s really in their cleaning products before purchasing them based on an eco-friendly claim.
“If those ingredients aren’t particularly clear, or if they’re leaving things out or there are a lot of ingredients you don’t know what they’re referring to, ask yourself is this the right purchase for you and your family?” said Brandon.
But that can be difficult for consumers. Unlike food and cosmetics, companies selling cleaning solutions aren’t required to include their ingredients on the bottle.
Consumers can rely on smartphone apps to help them determine exactly what they’re buying.
The Goodguide app allows consumers to scan a barcode for a product to find out more about it. It provides a quick guide to the product’s relative health, environmental and societal impact. It also indicates if it has been tested on animals, is fragrance-free or its packaging is made from recycled materials.
Another option is Ecolabel Index, a website that deciphers hundreds of environmental seals of approval commonly found on products.
Finally, Brandon said consumers can always contact companies directly, and they should not be afraid to ask what’s in the products they are buying.
Shawn Nesbitt of Organza Market said it doesn’t have to be that complicated. The lines carried in his store are vetted for their ingredients.
“They have gone through various certifying bodies that give the consumer the confidence that they don’t have toxic ingredients in them,” said Nesbitt.
And some brands include ingredients directly on the bottle, even though they are not required to by law. Seventh Generation sells a line of household cleaners and body products that list their ingredients right on the bottle.
Nesbitt also said you don’t necessarily need to figure this out on your own.
“I’d say it’d be easy if you knew or had heard which lines were reliable,” said Nesbitt.
And once consumers have selected a brand they’re confident in, they shouldn’t have to spend too much time hemming and hawing over products in the cleaning aisle.
