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- About Us
- About the DfE Label
- Earn the DfE Label
- Labeled Products
- DfE Projects
- DfE's Alternatives Assessments
Program - BPA in Thermal Paper
- Flame Retardant Alternativesto decaBDE
- Flame Retardant Alternativesfor Hexabromocyclododecane(HBCD)
- Flame Retardants in CircuitBoards
- Nonylphenol Ethoxylate (NPE)Surfactants
- Alternatives to Certain Phthalates
- DfE's Life-Cycle Assessment
Program - Lithium-ion Batteries &Nanotechnology
- Safer Detergents Stewardship
Initiative - DfE's Best Practices Partnerships
- DfE's Alternatives Assessments
- Resources
How to Partner, Get the DfE Label on a Product
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The DfE Program reviews and recognizes best-in-class wet chemical-based formulations and products. In our review, we look at each ingredient in a formulation within its distinct functional class (e.g., surfactants, solvents) and compare toxicity and environmental fate profiles to identify the safest ingredients. The DfE Program offers formulator companies the opportunity to partner with DfE--and to use the DfE logo--when they design or reformulate high-performing, cost-effective products with a more positive environmental and human health profile using the safest possible ingredients.
Steps to Partnership Flowchart
STEP 1. Become Familiar with the Program. For background and context, look at "When you see the DfE label on a product, what does it mean?". If you’re a cleaning product manufacturer, read over "Standard for Safer Cleaning Products (SSCP)" (PDF) (31pp, 177K) and the Standards for Safer Ingredients to get a sense of program goals, framework, criteria, and to determine if your product may qualify to bear the DfE label. For manufacturers of other products, read DfE’s "Discriminating and Protective Approach to Product Review and Recognition" (PDF) (12pp, 160K) which includes the DfE criteria in matrix format.
If you are applying for DfE partnership as part of the DfE for Pesticides Pilot, please contact Melanie Vrabel (vrabel.melanie@epa.gov or 202-564-1843). You should familiarize yourself with the Steps to Partnership on this page. It is important to note, with respect to Step 3, that DfE has not yet developed a component class screen for active ingredients in pesticide products. Therefore, DfE will apply its general screen (PDF) (15pp, 150K) pending the development of a customized screen for actives. Inert ingredients will be reviewed as described in DfE's criteria document (PDF) (31 pp, 177K). To learn more about applying for the Pesticides Pilot program, please see http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/labels/dfe-pilot-project-certification-statement-instructions.pdf (PDF).
STEP 2. Profiling of All Formulation Ingredients. Applications for partnership must include a full disclosure of all ingredients and ingredient profiles. A profile is a compilation of all hazard information available on a chemical and includes detailed structure, physical-chemical properties, human health and environmental toxicology, and regulatory/administrative status.
To be able to work with all of the companies that request partnership, DfE has qualified third-party profilers. Qualified third-party profilers have the expertise and objectivity needed to ensure a quality review, with high confidence in the accuracy and reliability of the profile information. NSF, International and ToxServices, LLC are qualified third-party profilers for DfE.
The contact at NSF is Amy McDade at (734) 827-5660 or amcdade@nsf.org. She can provide a free quote for NSF’s service after the product information has been submitted. For more information please see their website: http://www.nsf.org/business/laboratory_services/cleangredient_lab/Formulator.asp 
Dr. Ann Marie Gebhart (amgebhart@toxservices.com; 202-429-8794) is the contact for ToxServices. For additional information, please see their Web site: http://www.toxservices.com/USEPA.html
Cleaning product formulators are encouraged to choose ingredients that are listed on CleanGredients® and have met the appropriate DfE Standards for Safer Ingredients. These ingredients have already been reviewed by a third-party profiler and do not need additional third-party review.
To learn more about CleanGredients®, please see this link: CleanGredients®
For background on third-party profiling, please see this link: Chemical Profiling of All Formulation Ingredients (PDF) (2 pp, 33K)
To better understand the qualifications of the third-party profilers, please see this link: Third-party profiler qualifications (PDF) (1 pg, 15K)
STEP 3. Assessing Ingredients and Identifying Safer Alternatives. Following third-party profiling, DfE will assess the potential health and environmental effects of each ingredient in your formulation and may identify areas for improvement, safer alternatives, or additional information needs. In the context of its functional class, DfE evaluates each ingredient in a formulation based on critical health and environmental endpoints. The functional class context allows DfE to view ingredients as part of a continuum of improved ingredient choices. DfE has developed two types of standards for its technical review process: the General Standard for Safer Ingredients and Functional Class Standards. The General Standard applies to all ingredients not covered by a specific functional-class standards. Using the General Standard as a template, the Functional Class Standards tailor the health and environmental endpoints in the General Standard in a way appropriate to the specific class, designating key, distinguishing characteristics and adjusting thresholds, as necessary. Functional Class standards define and more fully explore the green end of specific ingredient-class continuums. DfE has issued three functional-class standards--the DfE Standard for Solvents, the DfE Standard for Surfactants, and the DfE Standard for Fragrances (Human Health)--and is currently developing standards for fragrances (environmental toxicity and fate) and additional functional-use classes in partnership with broad stakeholder workgroups. Additionally, there are specific environmental toxicity and fate standards for ingredients used in direct release products (products that are used outside and do not go through sewage treatment).
To learn more about DfE Standards for Safer Ingredients, please see this link: DfE Standards for Safer Ingedients
STEP 4. Discussing the DfE Assessment. Once complete, DfE will discuss with you its assessment, recommendations, changes needed to qualify for recognition, and the elements of a partnership agreement.
STEP 5. Entering into Partnership. After the product manufacturer has satisfied DfE’s requirements for the use of safer ingredients, DfE and the manufacturer sign a partnership agreement. The purpose of the Partnership Agreement is to set forth the basis, terms, and goals of the DfE’s voluntary partnership between the partner and EPA. The Partnership Agreement includes provisions covering the following: how the partner formulates the qualifying products; their environmental and human health benefits; and how the partner and EPA/DfE will work together to continually improve the health and environmental profile of the qualifying products and educate the consumer on these improvements and the DfE Program.
Please see this link for a sample Formulator Partnership Agreement (PDF) (10 pp, 44K)
STEP 6. Beginning the Partnership. DfE and your company decide how to announce the partnership and plan near-term activities. DfE welcomes additional products for review, as well as your ideas on how to improve and strengthen the partnership program. Your company should also carefully review the terms of logo use (PDF) (2 pp, 23K).
Please Note: Submission of data under this program is voluntary.
How to Start a Partnership for a New Category of Products
To open a new sector (i.e., product types that DfE has not previously recognized), DfE asks that you contact us directly. Please review the list of product categories to determine whether your product represents a new category. The DfE Program reviews and recognizes best-in-class wet chemical-based formulations and products. Because the program's expertise is chemistry, DfE limits its partnership activities to manufacturers of chemical-based products.
Please contact David DiFiore, DiFiore.David@epa.gov.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved DfE Program collections of information, as defined by the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C 3501 et seq.), under OMB Control No. 2070-0178, valid until 6/30/2013.
