Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Green Seal?
   Green Seal is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to safeguarding the environment and transforming the marketplace by promoting the manufacture, purchase, and use of environmentally responsible products and services. Click here for more information about Green Seal (link to About section)

2. What is Green Seal's mission?
   Green Seal's mission is to achieve a more sustainable world by promoting environmentally responsible production, purchasing, and products.

3. What is Green Seal Certification?
   Green Seal Certification ensures that a product meets rigorous, science-based environmental leadership standards. This gives manufacturers the assurance to back up their claims and purchasers confidence that certified products are better for human health and the environment.

4. Where can I find a list of products and services that Green Seal has certified?
   A list of all Green Seal-certified products and services can be found by clicking here. This list is updated on a weekly basis.

5. How do I get my product/service certified by Green Seal?
   The first step in getting a product/service certified is to fill out the Preliminary Application form.

6. What if a standard does not exist for my product/service?
   Green Seal evaluates and certifies products and services to specific environmental standards it has developed in an open, transparent process. If Green Seal does not have a standard in your particular product/service category, Green Seal Cannot yet evaluate and certify your product/service. Click here for other options.

7. Are there fees associated with the evaluation of a product/service?
   Yes, a fee is required for the evaluation of a product or service for certification. The fee is determined based on information provided in the Preliminary Application.

8. What are Choose Green Reports and where can I get them?
   Choose Green Reports are recommendations of environmentally preferable products, with environmental criteria and sources for recommended products. click here for downloadable PDFs of the reports. (They are on our website already.)

9. Why aren't all the products in Choose Green Reports certified products?
   In many cases the Choose Green Reports cover product categories for which Green Seal has not developed environmental standards, and thus Green Seal cannot certify products in those categories. The products recommended in Choose Green Reports appear to meet the prerequisites for being environmentally responsible based on data provided by their manufacturers and screening criteria developed by Green Seal. They provide a good pool of potential purchasing choices. Green Seal accepts no fees from the product manufacturers listed in Choose Green Reports, and manufacturers cannot use recommendations in the Reports in advertising, merchandising, or selling.

10. Where can I purchase Green Seal-certified products?
    While some Green Seal-certified products can be found in retail stores such as Office Depot, Whole Foods, and Lowe's Home Improvement stores, currently the majority of Green Seal's work has been in the institutional or business-to-business market. To find out where a particular product may be purchased, please contact the manufacturer of the product. Links can be found at http://www.greenseal.org/findaproduct/index.cfm

11. If Green Seal doesn't have a standard for a category, how do I choose the most environmentally preferable products?
    Choose Green Reports recommend environmentally preferable products, with environmental criteria and sources for recommended products.

12. How is Green Seal funded?
    Green Seal is a non-profit organization (501(c)(3)) and is funded from numerous sources. These include grants, contracts, revenue from certification and monitoring fees and special projects.

13. Where does Green Seal get its authority to set standards and certify products and services?
    Green Seal operates under the international guidelines for environmental labeling programs, ISO 14020 and 14024, set by the International Organization for Standardization. Green Seal is also a founding member of the Global Ecolabeling Network, which has criteria for membership. Green Seal standards have been recognized and used by the United States Federal Government, many State governments, and other important entities.

14. Does Green Seal apply internationally?
    Green Seal does work internationally through mutual recognition agreements with other national ecolabeling programs. Technically, the Green Seal Certification Mark may be used in foreign markets provided purchasers are given information explaining the basis for the Mark. In most cases, however, Green Seal is used in the United States and the ecolabeling program of another country is used for its own market.

15. How big is Green Seal?
    Green Seal consists of a core professional staff supplemented by additional experts who provide assistance in auditing and specialized research. Green Seal has a long-term relationship with the University of Tennessee's Center for Clean Products and Clean Technologies, which provides some of the research on which Green Seal standards are based.

16. Does Green Seal get a percentage of the sales of products/services it certifies?
    No, Green Seal does not get a percentage of the sales of products/services it certifies. Licensees of certified products/services pay a set initial evaluation and license fee and an annual monitoring fee, based on the number of products/services certified, the size of the company, and other factors.

17. How much do companies pay to get the Green Seal Certification Mark?
    Green Seal's fees are based on the number of products/services submitted for certification, the applicant's annual revenue, and other factors. Green Seal's fees are in line with other major certification programs.

18. What kind of products/services do you certify?
    Green Seal certifies everything from coffee filters to air chillers. See our certified products/services page for a full list of Green Seal-certified products/services. http://www.greenseal.org/findaproduct/index.cfm

19. How do I initiate the process of certification?
    To begin the process of certification, follow the step outlined here and fill out the Preliminary Application. A member of our staff will contact you.

20. How long does the certification process usually take?
    The certification process generally takes about three months, depending on any testing or data requirements that have to be fulfilled. A site inspection is part of the initial certification.

21. Does Green Seal work with government agencies in any way?
    Green Seal works with government agencies through our Greening Your Government Program. We actively advise and assist agencies in their efforts to green their purchasing, operations, and facilities management functions.

22. What companies have Green Seal-certified products or services?
    Many companies have products and/or services certified by Green Seal. A complete list is available on our certified product page.

23. Where are your offices located?
    Green Seal's headquarters office is located in downtown Washington, DC at 1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 827, Washington, DC 20036.

24. How can I get in contact with someone at Green Seal?
    You may contact Green Seal by email at greenseal@greenseal.org, by phone at 202-872-6400 or by fax at 202-872-4324.

25. What Is LEED?
    LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. For more information, please contact the U.S. Green Building Council, which is responsible for this program. LEED standards cite a number of Green Seal Environmental Standards.

26. What is ISO?
    ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization. For more information on ISO, please visit their website

Still don’t have the answer to your question? Email us at greenseal@greenseal.org.