Cardiff company consults with US Green Seal to implement industry-wide standards

A global biosciences company with its European headquarters in Cardiff, has been in instrumental in the introduction of new Green Seal Standards that will ensure products in the cleaning industry, in particular ‘spray-applied’ microbial-based cleaning products, are safer for the end-user and more eco-friendly.

Genesis consulted with Green Seal in the USA in November 2021 to help develop the new standards, which deal with the revision to criteria for products in spray packaging.

The revisions to the criteria cover speciality cleaning products for household use and industrial and institutional use, as well as laundry care products. Six additional health protective requirements for microorganisms in cleaning products were introduced, alongside three additional requirements for ‘spray-applied’ microbial-based cleaning products.

For microorganisms in cleaning commodities, microorganisms cannot be genetically modified, must be WHO Risk Level 1 certified and susceptible to antimicrobial agents or one of five major antibiotic classes. Microorganism strains must be identified through a taxonomic review provided by a full-service culture collection and a Certificate of Analysis must demonstrate no pathogenic microorganisms are present. Finally, the product ingredient line must include the microbial ingredient.

Specifically for spray-applied microbial-based products, the new criteria states that items cannot be formulated with fungal or mould species, labels must proclaim that the products should not be sprayed into the air, and microbial species must be approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)’s Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) list or undergo inhalation exposure testing and demonstrate a bioaerosol level of no greater than 10,000 CFU/m3.

Alongside these additional requirements for spray-applied microbial-based cleaning products, there are nine core health protective requirements for all products: they cannot be acutely toxic via ingestion or inhalation, include carcinogens, reproductive toxins or mutagens, and cannot cause skin sensitisation or eye damage, be high VOC or combustible.

Dr. Emma Saunders, General Manager for Genesis Biosciences, said: “After consulting with Green Seal, it is extremely satisfying to see our recommendations included in the new standards. The amends will support, what is a very exciting and evolving industry, and companies like Genesis who are using naturally occurring microbials to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemical solutions.”

A spokesperson for Green Seal said: “Green Seal has proposed several important improvements to our standard criteria for microbial-based cleaning products to better recognize leadership in this popular product category.  These updates will remove unnecessary requirements and provide more opportunities to highlight healthier, safer options for buyers.”

For more information, visit www.genesisbiosciences.co.uk.