Health & Pollution
Toxic Releases
IntentMany of the chemicals found in building materials, as well as those used or created throughout the product’s life cycle, are known or suspected of being toxic to human health or the environment. Compounds like carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxicants, teratogens, endocrine disruptors, or acute or chronic toxicants pose serious risks to human and animal health. Many more compounds have not yet been adequately tested for toxicity. Of particular concern are chemicals that are known to be persistent and bioaccumulative toxicants (PBTs). PBTs remain in the environment for weeks, months or years without breaking down to safer compounds, travel long distances from their origin and concentrate as they move up the food chain, with small releases leading to high concentrations of concern in humans. This category measures and rewards efforts to reduce and eliminate the use and generation of persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic, and/or untested chemicals in the life cycle of the product.
IdealThere are no persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic and/or untested chemicals used or generated in the extraction and processing of feedstocks, manufacturing of products, or elsewhere in the life cycle of a product.
Key MetricsUse and generation of PBTs, vPvBs, known or suspected carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxicants, teratogens, endocrine disruptors and acute or chronic toxicants.
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