Ever wonder what the little planet icon on the back of method's bottles signifies?
It is the Design for Environment (DfE)
program of the US EPA, and indicates the superior environmental quality and safety
of the products that bear it. DfE works with makers of household products like method
to review ingredients we use and recognizes those that use safer chemistry. We work
closely with DfE's team of engineers and scientists to perform a review of each
of the ingredients in the formulations we submit. DfE validates that the ingredients
we choose are safe for people and safe for the environment - "recognized for safer
chemistry," as they put it. We like DfE for the rigor of their assessment work.
They take the same approach we do: that products should be made with inherently
safe materials, rather than formulating with hazardous materials and trying to manage
over-exposure to those ingredients. DfE researches a broad range of health and environmental
characteristics for each proposed ingredient, so you can be certain that any product
that bears the DfE logo is truly greener and safer. Since we first starting working
with them in 2006, DfE has recognized over 50 method products - which accounts for
every one we've submitted to them. The rigor and credibility of an EPA office are
why we choose to work with their recognition process.
SDSI
A side program of the DfE is the safer detergents stewardship initiative (SDSI),
where companies can be recognized for their commitment to using surfactants that
break down safely in the environment. Method is recognized as a SDSI 'champion',
the highest level of recognition within the program, for committing to develop and
sell exclusively products containing surfactants that have been proven to be safe
for people and the environment.
