INDUSTRY-LEADING
TOOLS & STANDARDS
Upholding a shared responsibility to people and the planet begins with setting the highest standards. From the underlying methodology to the screening logic, and rigorous certification programs, these tools and qualified programs have created a strong foundation for evaluating safer chemistry, specifically focused on cleaners and degreasers.
All approved certification programs meet minimum technical requirements, rely on experienced toxicologists, have a publicly available science-based methodology, and are subject to quality assurance processes to contribute to the ChemWorks registry.
CleanScreen was created to accelerate the availability of safer cleaners and degreasers used in electronics assembly.
CleanScreen is powered by ChemFORWARD’s chemical optimization platform, a shared repository of comprehensive chemical hazard data created by toxicologists who use a globally recognized methodology to classify 24 human and environmental endpoints for each chemical. All data is subject to peer review and continuous improvement. This trusted repository is the foundation for the formulation screening and the optimization tools.
The formulation screening process was strategically designed to help formulators, brands, and manufacturers stay ahead of regulations, ensure human and environmental safety, and build trust through third-party verified transparency.
Access to the CleanScreen App is free for formulators and contract manufacturers to rapidly screen and optimize their products.
PRE-SCREENING
OPTIMIZATION
To support formulators in optimizing their products, Apple has contributed to populating a shared repository of chemical hazard assessments for ingredients commonly found in cleaning formulations with a focus on safer alternatives. This shared repository, managed by ChemFORWARD is available to formulators to help them identify safer and functional alternatives to optimize their products.
IPC-1402 CONFORMANCE
IPC 1402 is a standard focused on Greener Cleaners used in Electronics Manufacturing. It provides a framework for selecting cleaning products that are safer for both workers and the environment. The standard aims to establish pragmatic, minimum criteria for cleaning products, ensuring they can be efficiently used in manufacturing processes while minimizing environmental impact and health risks. Use the CleanScreen App to demonstrate IPC-1402 conformance
CERTIFICATIONS
Clean Production Action recently released GreenScreen Certified,™ for Cleaners & Degreasers in Manufacturing to promote safer chemical use and innovation in the electronics sector and beyond. The certification was developed with Apple who for years has used GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals to assess and promote safer chemicals in their supply chain.
GreenScreen Certified provides criteria for assessing the safety of cleaners with three levels of certification: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. All levels require manufacturers to disclose all intentionally added chemicals in the products; avoid over 2,000 known chemicals of high concern and defined chemical classes (including PFAS and other organohalogens) listed in the Restricted Substances List; meet skin and eye irritation requirements; and perform analytic testing for substances of particular concern.
U.S. EPA Safer Choice certifies products with safer chemical ingredients that meet the Safer Choice Standard. Safer Choice evaluates all ingredients, regardless of percentage, against stringent human health and environmental criteria. Only those chemicals that are the safest in their functional class are allowed. A list of chemicals that meet Safer Choice criteria are available on EPA’s Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL) LINK . Safer Choice has been certifying primarily commercial and retail cleaning products for more than 15 years.
Safer Choice and our third-party qualified profilers can help companies evaluate and improve their formulations to meet the Safer Choice criteria.
ToxFMD Screened Chemistry® evaluates chemical formulations in multiple product sectors, allowing brands and their suppliers to easily identify safer alternatives. A ToxFMD® assessment (which stands for full materials disclosure) includes a comprehensive hazard evaluation of chemicals in a formulation. Cleaning product formulations are also assessed for compliance with region-specific VOC standards, such Chinese VOC standards for cleaning agents.
ToxFMD Screened Chemistry® was created in 2014 to serve the textile and apparel industries and expanded in 2020 to assess cleaning products in the electronics sector.
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