FAR 23.108-2—Chemically-intensive products.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 23.108-2 is a short informational provision about chemically-intensive products and the EPA Safer Choice program. It explains that Safer Choice is EPA’s label for products made with safer chemicals and that, in a Safer Choice-certified product, every chemical ingredient is reviewed through EPA’s scientific process, regardless of percentage, with only the safest ingredients permitted. The section also points users to EPA’s Safer Choice website as the source for additional information on certified products. In practice, this section matters because it gives contracting personnel and contractors a recognized federal sustainability and chemical-safety reference point when considering cleaning products, maintenance products, and other chemically intensive supplies. It does not itself impose a detailed procurement procedure, but it supports informed product selection, market research, and specification development by identifying a credible certification program. For agencies, it helps align purchasing with safer chemical goals; for contractors, it signals that Safer Choice-certified products may be relevant in meeting customer expectations or solicitation requirements.
Key Rules
Safer Choice is EPA’s label
The section identifies Safer Choice as EPA’s label for products that contain safer chemicals. This gives federal buyers a government-recognized benchmark for identifying products with preferable chemical profiles.
All ingredients are evaluated
EPA evaluates every chemical in a Safer Choice-certified product, regardless of percentage. The certification is therefore based on the full formulation, not just the main ingredients.
Only safest ingredients allowed
A product may receive the Safer Choice label only if EPA determines that the ingredients meet its rigorous scientific criteria and are among the safest available for the intended use.
Use EPA resource for details
The section directs users to EPA’s Safer Choice website for information on certified products. That resource is the practical reference for current product listings and program details.
Responsibilities
Agency / Contracting Activity
Use the Safer Choice program as a reference when researching or specifying chemically intensive products, and consult EPA’s website for current certified-product information when sustainability or safer-chemicals considerations are relevant.
Contracting Officer
Consider Safer Choice information during market research, requirement development, and evaluation of product suitability when the acquisition involves chemically intensive products or environmentally preferable purchasing goals.
Contractor
If offering products as Safer Choice-certified, ensure the certification is current and accurately represented, and use EPA’s official program information to support product claims.
EPA
Maintain the Safer Choice certification program, evaluate product formulations, and provide the public resource listing and program information referenced by the FAR.
Practical Implications
This section is mainly a reference point, not a stand-alone purchasing mandate, so users should not treat it as a complete specification or certification requirement by itself.
Contracting personnel should verify current certification status directly through EPA rather than relying on marketing claims or outdated product literature.
Contractors offering cleaning or maintenance products should be careful not to overstate compliance; only products actually certified by EPA should be described as Safer Choice-certified.
When agencies want safer-chemical products, this section helps narrow the market to products with a recognized federal environmental label, which can simplify source selection and reduce chemical-risk concerns.
A common pitfall is assuming that a product is acceptable simply because it contains some safer ingredients; Safer Choice certification applies to the entire formulation and requires EPA review of every chemical ingredient.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) Program. Safer Choice is EPA's label for products that contain safer chemicals. Every chemical, regardless of percentage, in a Safer Choice-certified product is evaluated through EPA's rigorous scientific process and only the safest ingredients are allowed. (b) Resource. For information on Safer Choice-certified products, see https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice .