UL To Give GREENGUARD Certification Presentation At Las Vegas Market

Furniture World News Desk on 12/13/2014

Scott Steady

The Specialty Sleep Association (SSA) and UL jointly announced that Mr. Scott Steady, Product Manager, Volatile Organic Compound (VOC’s) Emissions Testing and Certification, UL Environment will be giving a presentation to the furniture and mattress/ bedding industry on chemical emissions and the UL GREENGUARD Certification program. The program will be entitled: “GREENGUARD: Clearing the Air on Chemical Emissions Claims.” and will be held in Las Vegas World Market Center, Room C-174, Monday, January 19th from 4 PM until 5:30 PM.

Dale T. Read, President of the Specialty Sleep Association (SSA), says that the association and its BEDFAX® program is very pleased to sponsor this in-depth informative program that reaches out to all furniture and home furnishings suppliers, manufacturers and retailers who wish to understand the GREENGUARD Certification program and how it works to back-up chemical emission claims concerning their products with technical data.

Discussing the topic of chemical emissions, also known as VOC Emissions, Scott Steady explains, “Most of our exposure to environmental pollutants occurs by breathing indoor air. Bedding and furniture products can emit chemicals such as formaldehyde and other VOCs that can cause odor, irritation, and other health effects. As consumers seek healthier, more sustainable products, increasing scrutiny has been placed on manufacturer’s health and sustainability claims. The GREENGUARD Certification program tests products to strict chemical emissions limits, which contribute to the creation of healthier interiors. GREENGUARD Certification provides the market with solutions and resources to identify products with lower chemical emissions, and provides manufacturers with credible tools to legitimize and promote their sustainability efforts.”

The January program will provide concrete information to manufacturers and marketers of furniture and bedding products including:

• What is the importance of Indoor Air Quality and how does it affect health?
• Learn what GREENGUARD Certification is, the technical requirements, the certification process and how it differs from other programs
• How GREENGUARD Certification provides value to manufacturers, consumers and retailers
• What manufacturers can do ensure the product claims they make are accurate and credible.

The SSA’s Read states “This is another SSA sponsored program in a series focused on educating and informing manufacturers and retailers about contents labels, certifications, truth in marketing claims and consumer transparency. In the past SSA has sponsored speakers such as Environmental Consultant Vicki Worden of Worden Associates; Lori Wyman of Control Union who spoke on the Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS) ; and Attorney James Kohm, Enforcement Attorney for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ‘Green Guides.’ This is one more service the SSA is providing to our members to keep them and their bedding industry colleagues informed in the arena of marketing claims, standards and certifications,” says Read.

About GREENGUARD Certification: UL's GREENGUARD Certification program helps manufacturers create - and helps buyers identify and trust - interior products and materials that have low chemical emissions, improving the quality of the air in which the products are used. All certified products must meet stringent emissions standards based on established chemical exposure criteria.

About UL: UL is a premier global independent safety science company that has championed progress for 120 years. Its more than 10,000 professionals are guided by the UL mission to promote safe working and living environments for all people. UL uses research and standards to continually advance and meet ever-evolving safety needs. UL partners with businesses, manufacturers, trade associations and international regulatory authorities to bring solutions to a more complex global supply chain. For more information about our certification, testing, inspection, advisory and education services, visit http://www.UL.com.

For more information on the Specialty Sleep Association ( SSA) and the Winter 2015 Las Vegas Market, go to: www.sleepinformation.org