The Advantages of Switching to GREENGUARD Certified Products
Individuals often want to know how to purchase products that won’t harm them. They may buy organic foods or invest in specialty skincare products to reduce the number of toxins their skin absorbs as they complete their daily hygiene routine. Many people don’t realize, however, that the furnishings in their homes or offices are damaging their health. Fortunately, once people learn this, they can choose safe products for humans.
GREENGUARD Certified products are increasingly popular today. This certification shows the VOCs present in the furnishings remain below the acceptable level. However, consumers must consider all furnishings in a space to ensure they have an accurate picture of their exposure to VOCs. Why is this certification important?
Why GREENGUARD?
People will find numerous certifications to look for when purchasing home goods. How can they know which ones are most important? Countless individuals rely on GREENGUARD because they know UL Solutions, the company behind GREENGUARD, screens for over 10,000 volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The certification company doesn’t test products once and forget about them. Routine monitoring and annual testing are required if a company wishes to maintain its certification. This ongoing process helps distinguish UL Solutions GREENGUARD certification from other certification programs today.
The Importance of Certification
People spend most of their time indoors today, negatively affecting their health. Air pollution levels are significantly higher in buildings than outdoors, and much of this pollution comes from VOCs. Building materials, such as flooring and furnishings, emit these chemicals without humans detecting them. The GREENGUARD certification process ensures that the products are low-emitting, leading to a healthier indoor environment. The company offers two levels of certification, with many companies opting for Gold certification because they consider it the industry standard.
Some people never notice the VOCs in their homes. Others, however, become ill when exposed to high levels of VOCs. Laminate floors are known for being high in these chemicals. To improve their health, people might need to remove any laminate flooring in their homes and replace it with engineered wood floors. This example is one of countless found in homes and businesses today.
Off-Gassing
Off-gassing is the process by which chemicals are leached into the air. People often comment on the new car smell, which is actually VOCs being released into the air. When these chemicals are released, indoor air quality declines. Once the odor dissipates, people might assume they have nothing to worry about. However, these chemicals are affecting their health in countless ways.
A person might experience eye, nose, and throat irritation. Drowsiness, rapid heart rate, and tremors have been reported after exposure to certain chemicals, and a person might find they have sustained kidney or liver damage with repeated exposure. Minimizing VOCs in the home or office is essential to prevent these health issues, and GREENGUARD certification shows the products have little or none of these chemicals.
The Drawback of GREENGUARD Certification
Consumers must consider the total amount of VOCs in an area. Unfortunately, GREENGUARD certification only tells consumers that the product has acceptable levels of VOCs. It doesn’t provide information about the total amount, making it difficult to determine the total amount in a given area.
GREENGUARD certification provides consumers with information about VOCs in the products they are purchasing. They need this information to protect their health and ensure the safety of those around them. Learn more today about the certification process and why it is essential. Men and women with this information will want to purchase GREENGUARD-certified products whenever possible.
