The Retailer Winter Edition 2023

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UL Solutions is at the forefront of efforts to verify the quality, safety and sustainability of ingredients, materials and components.” ‘‘ Supply chain insights: UL Solutions’ global compliance expertise, data and advanced software offerings help provide transparency and end-to-end compliance throughout the product life cycle. Product stewardship programs: Proactively develop and select safer and sustainable materi als, products and suppliers through stewardship programs aimed to minimize the negative impacts of a product throughout its life cycle. ESG and sustainabilitymanagement software platforms: Help businesses track and measure environmental, supply chain, health and safety management and sustainability data. As chemical regulations increase, restricted substance lists expand, and consumers push for sustainable products, knowingwhat chemicals make up the materials in products is essential. While manufacturing with sustainable chemis try presents challenges, pursuingways to make your products healthier and more sustainable is not just necessary— it’s the right thing to do.

Where recycling is not feasible, efforts are underway to develop rapidly biodegradable materials. However, creating biodegradable materials is challenging, as they are rarely exposed to the appropriate conditions to degrade as intended. There are growing con cerns that biodegradable plastics may release microplastics and problematic chemicals with potentially adverse health and environmental consequences. There is a need for collaborative research between material manufacturers and stand ards organizations. Together, theymust work to establish the necessary conditions for demon strating effective and safe biodegradation and then develop standards relevant to real-world conditions. Helping improve the quality, safety and sustainability of products with UL Solutions UL Solutions is at the forefront of efforts to verify the quality, safety and sustainability of ingredients, materials and components. The goal is to help manufacturers, brand owners and consumers feel confident in product per formance, safety and sustainability. Available services include: Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) certification and testing: ZDHC pro grams helpmanage textile, leather and footwear supply chains to reduce the use and amount of hazardous chemicals discharged. UL certification of materials and products: Comprehensive services to assess the safety, performance and sustainability of plastics, engi neered materials and final products.

Learn about manufacturing through sustaina ble chemistry and contact UL Solutions with questions. 1. OECD (2021), Guidance on Key Considerations for the Identification and Selection of Safer Chemical Alternative, OECD Series on Risk Management, No. 60, Environment, Health and Safety, Environment Directorate, https://www.oecd. org/chemicalsafety/ risk-management/guidance-on-key-consid erations-for-the-identification-and-selec tion-of-saferchemical-alternatives.pdf 2. P. T. Anastas, J. C. Warner, Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998. 3. K. Kümmerer, A.-K. Amsel, D. Bartkowiak, A. Bazzanella, C. Blum, C. Cinquemani, Key Characteristics of Sustainable Chemistry Towards a Common Understanding of Sustainable Chemistry, Dialogue Paper by the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3), Bonn, Germany, 2021, https://www.isc3.org/fileadmin/user_ upload/Documentations_Report_PDFs/ ISC3_Sustainable_Chemistry_key_character istics_20210113.pdf

Craig Rowlands UL.com/Solutions craig.rowlands@ul.com