OAKLAND, CA — The Federal Trade Commission announced Monday it will begin reviewing its environmental marketing guidelines in January, a year before the review was originally planned.
A flurry of green marketing claims led to the agency's decision to take a look at its Green Guides, which were last updated in 1998. The guides offer guidance for companies making green claims, such as for compostability, recyclability, and recycled content.
The agency's first workshop in January will focus on how companies market carbon offsets and renewable energy certificates.
The announcement comes a week after the release of a report from TerraChoice Environmental Marketing showing that the vast majority of green marketing claims are inaccurate or inappropriate.
The firm researched more than 1,000 consumer products with environmental claims and found that all but one violated at least one of the report's "Six Sins of Greenwashing."
The Federal Trade Commission is requesting comments on the Green Guides in regard to their costs, benefits, and effectiveness. The first comment period will be open through Feb. 1.