EWG VERIFIED™ is a trademark licensing program that follows a published set of health standards independently developed by EWG's research team. EWG VERIFIED is a mark consumers can trust. The program is grounded in science and backed by EWG’s decades of expertise assessing consumer products for health and safety.

With thousands of products on the market, it can be overwhelming to know which ones are safer and healthier for your family. The EWG VERIFIED mark lets consumers make healthy purchasing choices more easily. When consumers search product aisles for the EWG VERIFIED mark, they know that products bearing it are free from EWG's chemicals of concern and meet our strictest criteria for transparency and healthfulness.

EWG VERIFIED for cleaning products takes EWG's widely acclaimed Guide to Healthy Cleaning rating system one step further by requiring companies to submit significantly more detailed information to confirm they are free from ingredients of concern that harm health and the environment, disclose their ingredients to consumers and meet stringent air quality standards.

To be authorized to use the EWG VERIFIED mark, a cleaning product company must meet all our rigorous criteria and provide additional information not typically found on the product label. This is part of EWG’s effort to drive the market toward greater transparency.

If your values align with EWG’s, and you are committed to creating safer products with greater transparency, this program allows you to convey that your products meet EWG's strictest criteria, setting your products apart from others on the market. Specifically, the EWG VERIFIED mark helps to:

• highlight quickly and easily that your product meets EWG's strictest standards, which makes healthier shopping decisions easier for consumers.
• demonstrate that your company’s values align with EWG’s in their commitment to using better ingredients and dedication to transparency.
• move the market toward safer, more transparent products.
• support EWG’s groundbreaking research.

In addition, your product is highlighted on EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning website and on www.ewg.org/EWGVERIFIED as an EWG VERIFIED product.

Revenue generated by EWG VERIFIED helps EWG assess whether products qualify for the program and ensures that EWG is able to continue its critical research and distribute it to consumers and beyond. EWG's research gives consumers access to the information they need to make smarter choices and push policymakers to strengthen weak and outdated regulations. EWG works continually to keep its research, consumer guides and databases up to date and accurate.

Yes. EWG VERIFIED will continue to expand to other household products. We started with personal care products and have already expanded to household cleaners and diapers. Our goal is to develop the program to help people make healthier purchasing decisions in all aspects of their lives.

The entire process, along with the criteria and required documentation, is described here. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

EWG developed a strict set of criteria to evaluate which products are eligible for the EWG VERIFIED mark. In the case of cleaning products, the criteria include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Products must be formulated to minimize the potential for harm to people and the environment.
• Products cannot contain any ingredients on EWG's "Unacceptable" list.
• Products cannot contain any ingredients on EWG's "Restricted" list that do not meet the restrictions set by authoritative bodies and industry institutions.
• Products must fully disclose all intentionally added ingredients, including those used in fragrance.
• Products must meet air quality standards.
• Products must pass microbial challenge tests.

The complete criteria can be downloaded here.

See the complete list of eligible product types in the criteria document here.

EWG compiled a list of "Unacceptable" ingredients for cleaning products based on a variety of health, ecotoxicity and/or contamination concerns. The full list can be downloaded here.

EWG's "Restricted" list for cleaning products is based on restrictions set by authoritative bodies and industry bodies. The restrictions include, but are not limited to, concentration, use and contamination. The complete list can be downloaded here.

The complete criteria for cleaning products eligibility can be downloaded here.

The EWG VERIFIED mark is valid for only up to three years. After three years, a company must resubmit its product information and complete the verification process again if it wants to keep the mark on its product.

In addition, EWG reserves the right to test products carrying the mark at any time to ensure they meet our strictest standards, as outlined in our EWG VERIFIED criteria.

EWG VERIFIED is a trademark licensing program that follows a published set of health standards independently developed by EWG's research team. The program, currently available in the personal care and cosmetics, household cleaners and baby diaper categories, is designed to facilitate participation by companies of all sizes and stages of development.

Costs for participation vary widely, generally ranging from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars per year, based on factors such as company size and stage of development, pricing structure options, number and sales of EWG VERIFIED products, and related considerations. Typical fees include an application fee, evaluation fee and trademark usage royalty or annual flat fee. The EWG VERIFIED license agreements generally are for an initial term of three years and include standard licensing provisions, including with respect to quality control.

Revenue generated by the EWG VERIFIED licensing program helps to support the assessment process necessary to determine whether products meet EWG's health standards and ensures that EWG can continue its critical research and distribute it to consumers and beyond.

To learn more, please contact [email protected].

The EWG VERIFIED mark can be displayed on:

• product labeling and packaging
• company websites
• sales and promotional materials

The time required for completing the EWG verification process varies. It depends in part on the number of products being submitted and the potential need for additional documentation. Once you have submitted a complete application, allow two to four weeks for processing and completing initial review.

The EWG VERIFIED mark is valid for up to three years. If your company wants to maintain the mark beyond that time, you have to resubmit your product for verification.

No. As part of the verification process, companies explicitly allow EWG to upload their product information to the Guide to Healthy Cleaning database to verify that the product scores an A or B. There is no need to submit the information to the guide first.

An A or B score is only one component of EWG's verification criteria. There are other reasons your products might not qualify for the EWG VERIFIED mark. For example, they may fall into a category that is ineligible for verification.

The complete set of criteria used to determine whether a product is eligible for EWG's verification program can be found here.

If you have additional questions about your product's eligibility, please contact [email protected].

If your product contains a restricted ingredient, you will be prompted by EWG to submit documentation proving you comply with the restriction. If you have further questions, contact [email protected].

Yes. The EWG VERIFIED mark on a product is specific to that formulation. If the formulation changes, your company must resubmit the product for verification. If you have further questions, contact [email protected].

No. One of the criteria of EWG's verification is complete ingredient disclosure. To be eligible for the EWG VERIFIED mark, manufacturers must disclose all ingredients on the product’s label and website.

EWG reviews and updates the criteria and “Unacceptable” and “Restricted” lists once a year to reflect the latest in science, regulations and other relevant considerations. If changes are made to these lists that affect a product's compliance, companies have 18 months to make the necessary changes to the formulation and packaging or to submit the appropriate substantiating documentation. After the 18-month period, companies may no longer manufacture or distribute products with the EWG VERIFIED mark that do not comply with the new lists.

EWG conducts an annual science and criteria update and review. During this time, we may add new references and findings to ensure that ingredient and product scores reflect the latest scientific understanding. If, because of this update, your product's score increased to something outside the eligible scoring range for the VERIFIED program, it will no longer be in compliance with the EWG VERIFIED criteria. Should this happen, EWG will notify you of this status change and you will have 18 months either to reformulate and resubmit your product to regain compliance or to remove the EWG VERIFIED mark from your product packaging and associated materials.

Yes. For a product to be eligible for VERIFIED, the overall product score must be A or B, below our hazard threshold. Depending on the specific ingredients, it is very possible to have an A- or B-scoring product with ingredients that are outside of that range.

No. We are aware of misleading statements from third parties providing services to assess and review formulations against leading safety standards including EWG VERIFIED standards. EWG does not use or have accredited third party organizations for our EWG VERIFIED or EWG Reviewed for Science programs, and our science, standards and algorithms are continually being updated. For brands and formulators seeking adherence to EWG’s strictest standards, whether seeking certification or Skin Deep score improvement, our EWG Reviewed for Science consultancy program is the safest option to ensure compliance.

Consumers: [email protected]

Cosmetics companies: [email protected]