7Health and wellness impacts
7.1Prerequisite – key chemical, risk and EMS policies
The organization shall adopt a policy statement. The policy statement shall be publicly available and communicated to all persons working for or on behalf of the organization. In addition to the aforesaid topics the organization shall document the following:
–a chemical management policy that includes a statement of how the company assesses and reduces human and ecosystem health impacts; and
–incorporation of life-cycle thinking into company policies.
7.2Chemical management plan
The organization shall establish a CMP in products and processes to reduce human health hazards or risks as well as negative environmental impacts from chemicals used. Implementation shall occur within 50% of the organizational boundary. Excluded from this plan may be any substance that is present in the same form and concentrations as a product packaged for distribution and use by the general public.
Applicant shall establish and maintain the following requirements:
–procurement control management process that includes hazardous chemical screening, compliance obligations, as well as PPE and disposal requirements;
–chemical inventory tracking that at a minimum states manufacturer, CASRN, quantify, storage location and specific storage requirements, and hazardous chemical disposal requirements;
–the requirements of the United National Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS);
–job specific training for hazardous chemical storage, handling and use;
–emergency response plan that at a minimum includes a spill response procedure.
7.3Alternative assessment and chemical impact reduction strategy
7.3.1Chemical impact reduction strategy
The applicant shall receive one point if it develops and applies a strategy to improve public and environmental health by reducing the use of materials and processes with significant life cycle impacts. Significance shall be based on quantity of chemical used, relative impact, applicable impact categories, likelihood of impact, and/or feasibility.
The strategy shall be based on the findings of 7.5 and 7.7 and provide direction toward achievement relating to optimization objectives outlined in one of the pathways identified in 7.5 or 7.7.
–On initial certification, the applicant shall earn a point by developing the strategy;
–On recertification, the applicant shall earn a point by demonstrating that the strategy is current and updated, and has resulted in impact reduction as evidenced by achievement of additional optimization points in 7.5 and/or 7.7.
7.3.2Assessing chemicals for informed substitution
The applicant may earn up to three organizational points for completing a chemical alternatives assessment and implementing a plan of action as part of the Chemical Impact Reduction Strategy. The applicant shall demonstrate that a process has been established for conducting a chemical alternatives assessment as per National Research Council’s Framework to Guide Selection of Chemical Alternatives, the Interstate Chemicals Clearinghouse Alternatives Assessment Guide, version 1.0 or similar.
7.3.2.1 The applicant shall receive two organizational points if it identifies candidate chemicals meeting product use and design parameters. At a minimum, each candidate chemical shall be evaluated for hazard and exposure assessments, life cycle inventory impact assessment, and performance. The applicant may use screening or higher level analysis. The applicant may add other factors. The applicant shall provide documentation on how it considers these factors in its decision process to achieve informed substitution and shall develop a plan of action relative to the results.
7.3.2.2The applicant shall receive one additional organizational point for implementing the plan of action in 7.3.2.1 and documenting the alternative chemical(s) resulted for all three of the following: in an improved profile for health and the environment similar or improve life cycle impacts and a similar or improved product performance. A summary of this documentation may be publicly disclosed.
7.4Category-specific advances
The applicant may earn up to three points for advanced sustainability features that are significant to the specific product type, but may not be relevant to most business and institutional furniture. One point per advance up to a maximum of three points may be achieved in this section.
7.4.1Ergonomics
The applicant shall receive one point if the product meets the dimensions and adjustment ranges as referenced in the most up-to-date version of the BIFMA G1-Ergonomics Guideline for Furniture Used in Office Work Spaces Designed for Computer Use.
7.4.2Lighting efficiency
This credit applies to products which offer lighting as a standard or optional component, or a lighting accessory product. The applicant shall receive one point by demonstrating compliance to at least three of the lighting efficiency strategies listed below.
–For individual occupant space, lighting luminaire products have individual switches or manual controls to enable occupants to adjust their lighting needs and preferences.
–For all regularly occupied spaces, lighting luminaire products shall have a luminance of less than 2,500 candela per square meter (cd/m2) between 45 and 90 degrees from nadir (LEED).
–Lighting luminaire products have a light source with a CRI of 80 or higher. Exceptions include lamps or fixtures specifically designed to provide colored lighting for effect, site lighting, or other special use.
–Lighting products have a rated life (or L70 for LED sources) of at least 24,000 hours (at 3-hour per start, if applicable.
–Lighting luminaire products shall have maximum concentration values tolerated by weight of the following hazardous substances: lead at 0.1% (1000 ppm), mercury at 0.1% (1000 ppm), cadmium at 0.01% (100 ppm), hexavalent chromium at 0.1% (1000 ppm), polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) at 0.1% (1000 ppm), andpolybrominateddiphenylethers (PBDE) at 0.1% (1000 ppm) per RoHS2 Directive2011/65/EU.
–Glare – all task lights shall have a prismatic lens, baffle, reflector system or shielding device configured to minimize glare and shield the lamp from the view of a seated user.
–Furniture finishes shall meet the following thresholds for area-weighted average surface reflectance: 45% for work surfaces, and 50% for movable
7.4.3Lighting to mitigate health risks
LED lighting to mitigate and reduce possible health risks associated with scientifically known health risks. This credit applies only if the product line is being assessed includes lighting products.
The applicant shall receive one point if its lighting products meet the following.
–The measured percent of flicker from LED lamps integrated systems (driver, LED array, dimming controls, and daylight sensors) shall be 10% or less across the entire dimming range. All LED lamps will be noise free and have a power factor of at least 0.9 for bulb powers greater than or equal to 5W (audible noise measurement of less than 24 dBA at 1 meter from the lamp (or lamps – up to four must be tested together).
–Lamps must have a flicker index of 0.001 times the frequency lamp average light output periodic frequency, highest percent flicker, and highest flicker index that is reported shall have a maximum flicker index of 0.15.
The LED luminaire wiring shall be compliant with the currently adopted US National Electrical Code (NEC) and all applicable required listing of the local jurisdiction and applicable state electrical code. The ELF magnetic field exposure measured levels (tRMS) shall be less than 2 mG (200 nI) measured at any distance beyond 0.5 ft. All metallic components shall be ground per code.
7.4.4Targeted chemical elimination
The product is eligible for one point if it meets all of the following and makes any specifying restrictions to this criteria required of purchasers publicly disclosed.
Product does not contain added flame retardant chemicals at levels above 1,000 parts per million by weight of the homogenous material (excluding electrical components). Upholstered seating required to comply with TB 117-2013 must be labeled as not containing flame retardant chemicals consistent with the manner described in Section 19094 of the California Business and Professions Code.
A product required to comply with TB 133 or ASTM E1537 must meet the following criteria:
–no halogenated flame retardant chemicals may be used; and
–any flame retardant chemicals must be fully assessed using GreenScreen v1.2 (or newer) and meet the criteria for benchmark 2, 3, or 4 (i.e., no benchmark 1 chemicals allowed).
Product does not contain long-chain, short-chain, per and poly-fluorinated chemicals as defined in section 3 alkyl compounds or fluorinated polymers used as stain/oil/water repellant treatments at or above 100 ppm.
Product does not contain any added or built in chemical antimicrobials. Antimicrobials are only allowed when:
–antimicrobial is registered with EPA for use under FIFRA (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act) as an agent for infection control to support a public health claim, and published data exist showing efficacy in a hospital/clinical setting measured by a reduction in healthcare associated infections (HAIs);
–added to materials or products with the sole purpose of preserving the product;
–triclosan and triclocarban are explicitly prohibited for any use;
–product contains less than 1% (one percent) of polyvinyl (PVC) by weight, excluding electrical components; and
–product complies with ANSI/BIFMA e3-2014 Furniture Sustainability Standard, Sections 7.6.1 and 7.6.2 using either the concentration modeling approach or the emissions factor approach. Test results shall be modeled using the open plan, private office, or seating scenario in ANSI/BIFMA M 7.1, as appropriate.
7.5Product level chemical inventory, assessment and optimization
The organization shall design safer products by using design for the environment (DFE) protocol (consistent with 3.12) to identify and assess the human health and ecosystem health impacts of chemicals of concern by one of the three pathways listed below 7.5.1, 7.5.2, or 7.5.3.
The intent of the identification and assessment process is for the product manufacturer to collect data from the supply chain. The chemical constituents are to be reported and referenced by Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number (CASRN). Chemical constituents of metal alloys can be based on generic composition defined by appropriate standards organizations. No further review of wood and other natural fibers is required; however, products using these materials shall report added chemical constituents as defined below.
7.5.1Product level full material inventory pathway
Applicant may obtain points under 7.5.1.1 and additional points under 7.5.1.2 or 7.5.1.3 or 7.5.1.4.
7.5.1.1Chemical inventory and assessment
The applicant may earn points if it identifies and assesses all chemical constituents down to 100 parts per million for homogenous materials that add up to maximum total of 4 points for 7.5.1.1:
–75% by weight of final product (2 points); or
–90% by weight of product (4 points); or
–99% by weight of product (6 points).
The 100 ppm threshold shall be reported for each homogenous material present in the product. Residuals and impurities known or suspected to be present at or above 100 ppm of the material by weight shall be included in the inventory of chemical constituents. Documentation shall include an explanation of methods by which residuals and impurities were considered for each material. The weight of materials assessed shall equal at least 75%, 90%, or 99% of the product weight to meet the requirements of this credit. The chemicals shall be assessed against GreenScreen List Translator, the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals and/or GreenScreen Benchmark score as defined in GreenScreen v1.2.
7.5.1.2Elimination of priority human and ecosystem health hazards (GreenScreenList Translator)
The applicant shall receive product points for providing documentation supporting the conclusion that the product does not contain any chemical constituent present in aggregate at or above 0.01% (100 ppm) of
the finished product by weight that are assessed with the GreenScreen List Translator as LT1 or LTP1 and/or with a full GreenScreen assessment score of BM1 per the table below:
Points for not containing chemical constituents with the following hazard score% by weight of final product / No LT1 or LTP1 using GS List Translotor / No BM1 using full GS assessments
75% / 4 / 8
90% / 5 / 10
99% / 6 / 12
7.5.1.3Elimination of priority human and ecosystem health hazards (GHS)
The applicant shall receive product points for providing documentation supporting the conclusion that the product does not contain any chemical constituents on the full inventory that are present in aggregate at or above 0.01% (100 ppm) of the finished product by weight that are assessed with the GHS Category 1 for the following GHS hazard classifications: reproductive toxicant, including endocrine activity, and carcinogen, and does not exceed EPA’s or EU’s P and B criteria (for P and B the applicant may use data or the PBI profiler).
% by weight of final product / Points for not containing chemical constituents in GHS Category 175% / 6
90% / 8
99% / 10
7.5.2Product level – Annex B pathway
7.5.2.1Inventory and assess – intermediate level
The applicant may earn three points if it identifies and assesses all homogeneous materials for chemicals of concern down to 100 parts per million, using the list from normative Annex B, for materials that add up to 99% by weight of the final product. If Annex B chemicals of concern are present at or above 100 ppm, the concentration of each chemical of concern shall be reported for each homogenous material.
The total weight of materials assessed shall equal at least 99% of the total product weight to meet the requirements of this credit.
7.5.2.2 Inventory and assess – advanced level
The applicant may earn points if it identifies and assesses all chemical constituents down to 100 parts per million for homogenous materials that add up to (maximum total of 4 points for 7.5.1):
–75% by weight of final product (2 points); or
–90% by weight of final product (3 points); or
–99% by weight of final product (4 points).
The 100 ppm concentration shall be reported for each homogenous material present in the product. The weight of materials assessed shall equal at least 75%, 90% or 99% of the product weight to meet the requirements of this credit.
7.5.2.3Products optimization
The organization shall provide documentation supporting the conclusion that the product does not contain chemicals of concern, as listed in Annex B in the following classifications at levels greater than 100 ppm based on the overall weight of the certified product. The applicant shall receive two points for each classification for which documentation supports the conclusion that individual chemicals of concern (including categories such as lead compounds) are not pesent at or above 100 ppm (maximum eight points available):
–persistent bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT); and
–reproductive toxicant; and
–carcinogen; and
–endocrine disrupter
7.5.3Chemical category pathway
The applicant shall receive a maximum of six product points by completing an inventory and hazard assessment (7.5.3.1 for 4 points) and an exposure assessment (7.5.3.2 for 2 points) for all four functional class-chemical class categories listed in Table 7.5.3.1 for the product in its ready to install state.
Table 7.5.3.1
Functional Class (A) / Chemical Class (B) / Product Materials (C)Flame retardants / All chemical classes / All homogeneous materials in the product that contains FRs
Antimicrobials (AM) / All chemical classes / All homogeneous materials in the product that contain AMs
Stain and water repellants / Fluorinated chemicals / All surface material that contain fluorinated stain repellants
Plasticizers / Ortho-phthalates / All homogenous materials in the product that contain orthophthalates as plasticizers
7.5.3.1 Inventory and hazard assessment
For each of the categories listed in Table 7.5.3.1, the scope of the inventory is to identify and list all chemical constituents of the specific chemical class (B) that were intentionally added to provide the specified function (A) in the specified materials (C) in the product.
The inventory shall document the following:
–identity of homogeneous material and the components of the product that use these materials;
–function of each intentionally added chemical
–for chemical constituents that are considered trade secrets or intellectual property, the exact chemical identity (chemical name and CASRN) may be withheld, and the requirement for inventory can be satisfied by providing a) trade name of the chemical(s) and b) manufacturer of trade named chemical(s).
–description of the chemical class of each chemical;
–amount of each chemical(s) to be reported as a typical value (specific concentration or range) in units of ppm:
–since the chemical was intentionally added to provide the function in the ready to install state of the product there is no deminimis threshold for reporting the amount present.
Hazard assessment
A hazard assessment of the inventoried chemicals shall be performed by screening against at least one of the following: Annex and/or the Global Harmonized System (GHS); and/or using the GreenScreen List Translator; and/or the GreenScreen Full Assessment benchmark score.
7.5.3.2Exposure assessment
Upon completion of 7.5.3.1, the applicant shall receive an additional two product points by completing an exposure assessment of the inventoried chemicals, following the 2-step process described below.
Step 1:Assess whether the product is designed to maintain integrity and prevent release over the expected product service life.
a)Is there a barrier present? (yes, no)
b)Is the chemical(s) reacted into the material? (yes, no)
c)Will chemical(s) be released during aging and wear? (no, yes)
If responses to a) and b) are no, proceed to Step 2; if response to c) is yes, proceed to Step 2. If Step 2 is not triggered, the applicant shall document Step 1.
Step 2:Collect chemical parameter data:
Collect the physical property data listed in Table 7.5.3.2 for each of the inventoried chemicals.
Although the chemical identify of chemical constituents may be protected by confidential business information, the properties listed in Table 7.5.3.2should be reported on a Safety Data Sheet or be made available upon request.
Table 7.5.3.2: Physical property data for exposure assessment
A. Hazard Context PropertyIs there a potential for the effect? / B. Parameter for response.
(choose relevant parameter) / C. Levels indicating unlikely contact
1. For respiratory (inhalation) effects / Vapor pressure (VP) or
- Boiling point (as alternative to VP)
- Melting point (as alternative to VP)
BP is greater than 240-206 °C
MP is greater than 25 °C
And Dustiness/aerosol particle size (physical form of chemical present in final product / If present, particle size is larger than 100 um.
2. For skin (dermal absorption) / Octanol-water coefficient log Kow or Log P, and / Log Kow or Log P is greater than 4
Molecular weight of chemical / MW is greater than 500
7.5.3.4Optimization
The applicant shall receive an additional 2 points if it can be demonstrated that the product does not contain any chemical constituents that are categorized by any of the chemical class-functional combinations listed in Table 7.5.3.1 that meets 7.5.1.2 and/or 7.5.1.3. As an alternative, the applicant shall receive 1 of the 2 points if it can be demonstrated that the product contains chemical constituents that are categorized by any of the chemical class-functional combinations listed in Table 7.5.3.2, Column C. For both of these options, at a minimum, the applicant must complete the inventory step (per credit 7.5.3.1) and public disclosure requirements per credit 7.5.4).