Safer Chemical Ingredients List
A downloadable spreadsheet of the Safer Chemical Ingredients List (xls) is also available. See the "Updates" tab in the Excel spreadsheet for recently added and/or updated chemicals.
Safer Chemical Ingredients List
- The listed chemicals are safer alternatives, grouped by their functional-use class.†
- Chemicals are marked as a
green circle, 
green half-circle, 
yellow triangle, or 
grey square.‡ - This list includes many of the chemicals evaluated through the Safer Choice Program. It does not include confidential chemicals. There may be chemicals not included in this list that are also safer.
- Some of the chemicals listed in these functional use classes may not be on the TSCA inventory and therefore may not be authorized/allowed for TSCA uses. Additionally, some of the chemicals listed in these functional use classes may not be authorized/allowed for FIFRA or other regulated uses. Persons considering TSCA, FIFRA, or other regulated uses for these substances should engage in appropriate diligence to ascertain whether such use is authorized.
Search: Name or CAS RN
| Code | Common Name | CAS Registry Number | Functional Use |
|---|
Please note: Use of chemicals from the list in product formulations does not entitle the manufacturer to make any claims related to the EPA or the Safer Choice Program or label. Manufacturers may only make such claims after going through formal third-party Safer Choice review, qualifying for the Label based on both ingredient- and product-level criteria (addressing, for example, issues of ingredient purity and physical form, potential synergistic effects, and performance), and entering an EPA Safer Choice partnership. For more information see Steps to Get the Safer Choice Label.
Overview of the Safer Chemical Ingredients List
The Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL) is a list of chemical ingredients, arranged by functional-use class, that the Safer Choice Program has evaluated and determined to be safer than traditional chemical ingredients. This list is designed to help manufacturers find safer chemical alternatives that meet the criteria of the Safer Choice Program.
Before Safer Choice decides to include a chemical on the SCIL, a third-party profiler (i.e., NSF, International or ToxServices) gathers hazard information from a broad set of resources, including the identification and evaluation of all available toxicological and environmental fate data. The third party profiler submits a report to Safer Choice, with a recommendation on whether the chemical passes the Criteria for Safer Chemical Ingredients. Safer Choice staff performs due diligence by reviewing the submission for completeness, consistency, and compliance with the Safer Choice Criteria. If more than one third-party has evaluated the chemical, Safer Choice also checks for differences in the profiles and resolves any conflicts. In some cases, Safer Choice may also perform additional literature reviews and consider data from confidential sources, such as EPA's New Chemicals Program. Safer Choice does not typically examine primary literature (original studies) as part of its review and listing decisions.
The list is not intended to be exclusive. Chemicals may be submitted as part of a formulation that the program has yet to review or a chemical manufacturer may develop a chemical to meet the Safer Choice criteria. If these chemicals meet our criteria, they may be approved for use in Safer Choice-labeled products and added to the SCIL. Chemicals may be removed from the list or have their status changed based on new data or innovations that raise the safer-chemistry bar. Safer Choice will ensure that no confidential or trade secret information appears in this list.
About the List
Safer Choice ensures that no confidential or trade secret information appears in this list.
†The Safer Choice Standard and the Criteria for Safer Chemical Ingredients are protective and address a broad range of potential toxicological effects, including:
- carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive or developmental toxicants;
- persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals;
- systemic or internal organ toxicants;
- asthmagens;
- sensitizers; and
- chemicals on authoritative lists of chemicals of concern.
Additionally:
- Chemicals that exhibit endocrine activity are closely evaluated. Those associated with toxicological hazards are not allowed.
- Impurities can be present in chemicals that are used in Safer Choice-certified products. Safer Choice limits impurities that do not meet its criteria to not more than 0.01 percent in the final product. The safer chemicals list does not include impurities.
- EPA does not list fragrances on the SCIL. Fragrances used in Safer Choice-certified products must meet the Safer Choice Criteria for Fragrances.
*All chemicals in the listing are among the safest for their functional use.
Green circle - The chemical has been verified to be of low concern based on experimental and modeled data.
Green half-circle - The chemical is expected to be of low concern based on experimental and modeled data. Additional data would strengthen our confidence in the chemical’s safer status.
Yellow triangle - The chemical has met Safer Choice Criteria for its functional ingredient-class, but has some hazard profile issues. Specifically, a chemical with this code is not associated with a low level of hazard concern for all human health and environmental endpoints. (See Safer Choice Criteria). While it is a best-in-class chemical and among the safest available for a particular function, the function fulfilled by the chemical should be considered an area for safer chemistry innovation.
Grey square - This chemical may not be acceptable for use in products that are candidates for the Safer Choice label and any currently certified products that contain it may need to reformulate per Safer Choice Compliance Schedules. Manufacturers are invited to provide information to justify continued listing of this chemical on SCIL and use in Safer Choice-certified products. Unless information provided to EPA adequately justifies continued listing, this chemical will be removed 12 months after grey square designation.
Note: Some functional class listings contain both green circle and yellow triangle chemicals because the yellow triangle chemicals fill a functional need not met by the available green circle chemicals. For example, yellow triangle preservatives are needed to meet the full range of antimicrobial efficacy, and yellow triangle solvents are needed to meet restrictions on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in certain product classes.
Additional Resources
See the following resources for additional information on the chemicals in cleaning products:
- ChemView
EPA’s centralized database of information on chemicals subject to TSCA, including EPA assessments, regulatory actions, and health and safety data.
- CleanGredients®
This database of safer chemicals supports the Safer Choice Program by providing a list of chemicals, arranged by component class, that meet the Safer Choice Criteria.
- Household and Commercial Products Association (HCPA) Ingredient Dictionary