On the Watch for Greenwash
Sustainable building is hot, and a flood of new products tout vague and cryptic claims about being green. Referred to as “Greenwashing,” these exaggerated assertions range from minor overstatements to outright lies.
A study conducted by environmental marketing agency, TerraChoice, identified six patterns in greenwashing. Some of which are described below. When shopping for insulation, beware of false green claims by following simple steps:
Sin of No Proof:
What is it? - Product claims that offer no evidence or certification.
Is the claim misleading?
All testing data that verifies the claims made about the product must be available to support all product claims. For instance, ICYNENE LD-R-50™ exceeds the renewable content requirements. The result has been determined via testing in accordance with ASTM D 6866. The evidence of this claim can be found in the first Verification of Attributes Report VAR – 1002 issued to ICYNENE LD-R-50™
Sin of Fibbing:
What is it? - Products that cannot back up certified organic or green claims or they are unable to prove certification.
Is the claim misleading?
A manufacturer should offer documentation that supports/ proves its claims to avoid committing this sin.
For example, ICYNENE LD-R-50™ complies with VOC requirements for use in both schools and residential buildings, which makes it an Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) as per CHPS E.Q. 2.2/Section 01350.
As proof of this compliance, ICYNENE LD-R-50™ is listed in the Low Emitting Material (LEM) table on CHPS website.
Sin of Vagueness:
What is it? - If the product claim doesn’t explain itself, the claim is vague and meaningless.
Is the claim misleading?
If you think about it, all insulation products can claim to be green because they all insulate to save energy (in varying degrees). But can the manufacturer provide details for all environmental impacts of the product like packaging used, manufacturing process, etc.?
For instance, ICYNENE LD-R-50™ is an “environmentally-friendly” product based on the following:
NATURAL: The castor oil used in ICYNENE LD-R-50™ requires no chemical additives, is naturally filtered, and is safe enough for use in personal care products such as lip balm.
LOW EMBODIED ENERGY: Castor oil’s production process has very low energy dependence consisting of only de-husking and pressing. Harvesting is manual.
SUSTAINABLY HARVESTED: Castor crops are non-irrigated (relying primarily on natural rainfall), saving scarce water supplies.
RAPIDLY RENEWABLE CONTENT: As per USGBC’s definition, castor oil is considered rapidly renewable content requiring less than 10-year re-growth timeframe.
Weed through greenwash by following this simple guide. For a full checklist, click here.
To contact an Icynene Licensed Dealer in your area click here.