Cradle to Cradle Certified products have been added to the list of third-party certifications recognized under The Home Depot expanded Eco Options program.
Established by The Home Depot in 2007, Eco Options is a voluntary program that recognizes products that have less of an environmental impact than comparable products in five categories: energy efficiency, water conservation, healthy home, clean air and sustainable forestry. The program allows Home Depot to track environmental product improvements and promote environmentally preferred products to store associates and customers.
Suppliers may now use Cradle to Cradle Certified and the Material Health Certificate from the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute at an achievement level of Silver or higher in the material health category to qualify for the program. Cradle to Cradle Certified evaluates products against five categories: Material Health, Material Reutilization, Water Stewardship, Renewable Energy, and Social Fairness. Companies have the option of earning a Material Health Certificate by meeting Cradle to Cradle Certified standards for material health only.
The Home Depot recognition of Cradle to Cradle Certified within its Eco Options program, along with its chemical strategy, signals its commitment to continuing to address chemical improvements in products and marks a fundamental change in the building products industry.
“We recognize the role we play in the value chain for home improvement products, especially lumber and manufactured goods,” says Ron Jarvis, vice president of environmental innovation for The Home Depot. “We believe that better transparency is the key to retailers and consumers making informed purchasing decisions that will improve the long-term environmental impact of the industry.”
“The Home Depot recognition of Cradle to Cradle Certified and the Material Health Certificate as part of its Eco Options program and the chemical strategy mark steps forward for the building products industry and consumers,” says Lewis Perkins, president of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. “Cradle to Cradle Certified offers a pathway for Home Depot and its suppliers to work together on improving the human and environmental health and safety of products for the built environment. It also gives consumers the assurance that Cradle to Cradle Certified products have been verified according to rigorous third-party standards for material health and sustainability.”
The Cradle to Cradle certification program includes more than 250 manufacturers with more than 550 certifications worldwide, representing over 20,000 Cradle to Cradle Certified products. Visit the products registry and material health registry to find products that have achieved the Cradle to Cradle Certified product standard and the Material Health Certificate.