It Starts with Data
The Greenlist™ program is grounded by a rigorous, ongoing effort to collect best-in-class data about ingredients and their impacts. This includes reviewing supplier information and filling any gaps with other publicly available, scientifically rigorous data from sources like the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s TOXNET and the European Chemicals Agency database.
Setting Standards for Safe
At a high enough exposure, any ingredient, even water, can be dangerous. And at a low enough exposure, everything is safe. The key is to identify the level at which an ingredient can be used safely.
Our hazard assessment provides a starting point. If the science indicates a potential hazard, we assess risk based on how a product will be used, who will be exposed to it, to how much, for how long and how often.
We look at the broadest likely exposure scenarios, as an extra margin to establish a “safer than safe” standard.
Four Steps to Better
Grounded by data and our safety standards, we put each ingredient through a four-step evaluation that combines hazard and risk assessment.
The steps look at each ingredient for: 1) chronic human health hazards, 2) long-term environmental hazards, 3) acute risks to human and environmental health, and 4) other potential effects such as allergic reactions.
Risk assessments are triggered for any ingredient that doesn’t pass the hazard criteria. The results guide our product development.
