EPA Announces Inclusion of Green Squared Certification

The Tile Council of North America (TCNA) announced that Green Squared®, the American National Standard Specifications for Sustainable Ceramic Tiles, Glass Tiles, and Tile Installation Materials, has been added to the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing. These recommendations were made to all U.S. government purchasing officials to aid in identifying and procuring environmentally sustainable products and services.

Green Squared involves one industry, one standard, and one mark and covers the gamut of products used in a tile installation. As the first multi-attribute sustainability standard developed for tiles and tile installation materials, Green Squared uses the transparency and consensus of the ANSI process combined with third party certification to evaluate, validate, and communicate products which have a positive impact on the environment and society.

Green Squared covers product characteristics, manufacturing, end of product life management, progressive corporate governance, and innovation in an effort to establish sustainability criteria for products throughout their full lifecycle.

Jim Jones, assistant administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, U.S. EPA, commented, “By allowing federal buyers to make more informed decisions on environmentally preferable products and services, federal agencies are leading by example, stimulating the supply of greener products and services, and protecting our health and the environment.”

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