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Environmental Advisory: Federal Government to Set Standards for “Environmentally Preferable Goods and Services”

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USEPA has invited standards organizations (e.g. ASTM, NSF, ASQ, private organizations) to help it develop standards for "Environmentally Preferable Goods and Services." 64 Fed. Reg. 2640 (Jan. 15, 1999).

This proposal should be of great interest and potential concern to any company that (1) sells products or services to retail customers, (2) provides raw materials or services within the supply chain that might be "environmentally sensitive," or (3) does business with the federal government. It may affect a number of activities within a company, including product design, sales and marketing, purchasing, government relations, government contracting and environmental services. Comments on USEPA's notice are due by March 31.

This initiative represents one of the more significant steps in USEPA's hastening evolution toward more extensive targeting and regulation of products, product constituents, and services.

"Environmentally preferable" means that USEPA will establish standards that select environmental "winners" and "losers" among types of products. These standards will include pronouncements against certain chemicals contained in products, used in product manufacture, or used in connection with a service.

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