Global nonprofit Green Seal® now prohibits any per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Green Seal-certified floor care products, adhesives, paints and coatings, and degreasers, in line with the ecolabel’s commitment to eliminate these harmful “forever chemicals” from the supply chain for consumer products.  

Green Seal is among the first eco-certifiers to enact an aggressive ingredient prohibition that addresses PFAS as an entire chemical class. Mirroring the definition used in the majority of U.S. state-level PFAS bans, the nonprofit defines PFAS as a chemical with one or more fully fluorinated carbon atoms— the most expansive definition, encompassing more than 14,000 chemicals. 

Green Seal-certified products meet one of the highest benchmarks for safety and environmental protection in the marketplace. Because of Green Seal’s stringent criteria, certified paints and coatings qualify toward points for both the LEED v4.1 Low-Emitting Materials credit and the LEED v4.1 Material Ingredient Optimization credit. 

Now, the organization also will verify that certified paints and other building restoration products are formulated without any PFAS, putting participating brands in a leadership position on this toxic chemical and protecting companies against greenwashing by substantiating their sustainability claims. The update to building restoration product criteria follows a similar update to Green Seal’s criteria for cleaning and personal care products.  

“Both producers and buyers know the hazards of PFAS but lack reliable ways to ensure products are formulated without these toxic chemicals,” said Doug Gatlin, Green Seal CEO. “Green Seal’s standard criteria eliminate PFAS from the product formula while maintaining performance requirements, so buyers can confidently choose safer and more sustainable products.” 

PFAS have carbon-fluorine bonds that make them very stable and effective at repelling oil, water, and heat. This unique chemical structure also makes them resistant to degradation, meaning they persist in the environment as so-called “forever chemicals.” PFAS are now found in the blood of most people around the world and are linked to numerous adverse health effects, including cancer, reproductive harm, and decreased immune response. 

PFAS frequently are used as functional ingredients in building restoration products. A recent study found that half of tested paint products contain PFAS, which may be used for glossiness, to reduce peeling, or for stain resistance or water repellency. Most acrylic and wax floor finishes on the market contain PFAS as leveling and wetting agents, and PFAS are also used to increase wettability in adhesives. 

Find the full list of Green Seal certified products in Green Seal’s product directory. 

With the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) confirmed two measles cases on March 11. The Oklahoma cases both reported exposure associated with the Texas and New Mexico outbreak.

“These cases highlight the importance of being aware of measles activity as people travel or host visitors,” said Kendra Dougherty, OSDH director of infectious disease prevention and response. “When people know they have exposure risk and do not have immunity to measles, they can exclude themselves from public settings for the recommended duration to eliminate the risk of transmission in their community.”

Additionally, on Tuesday, New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) reported the case count for measles has risen to 33, including a new case in Eddy County, the first outside of Lea County. CNN reported NMDOH now considers the state’s outbreak to be connected to the one in West Texas as the measles strain is linked genetically.

Most of the New Mexico measles cases involve unvaccinated residents. State health officials said this is not a rapidly expanding outbreak, but a situation where cases have been occurring steadily over time. To date, one of the cases has required hospitalization.

“Any measles diagnosis is a concern, and we are watching every case closely,” said Dr. Miranda Durham, NMDOH Chief Medical Officer. “We are heartened by the number of New Mexicans getting vaccinated in response to this outbreak.”

Since Feb. 1, nearly 9,000 New Mexicans have received the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine— as compared to 5,342 MMR vaccinations in the same period last year, NMDOH reported.

Also on Tuesday, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported 223 cases have been identified since late January in nine West Texas counties. Twenty-nine of the patients have been hospitalized in the state, and one unvaccinated school-aged child with no underlying conditions died on Feb. 26. The most Texas cases are reported in Gaines County, where the outbreak was first identified. Cases have reached 156 in the county, which also had the third highest vaccine exemption rate in Texas last year, as CMM previously reported.

Even with climbing case counts, experts believe these numbers are a severe undercount, CNN reported. With the latest total of 258 cases from the West Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma outbreak, measles cases for this year are already approaching last year’s total of 285 cases in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Additionally, on Tuesday the New York State Department of Health confirmed its first case of measles in outside of New York City in 2025, the third case in the state this year. The case was identified in a patient less than 5 years of age who resides in Suffolk County and was confirmed at the Department’s Wadsworth Laboratory in Albany. The child is hospitalized.

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has been notified of the first case of measles diagnosed in 2025 in a Los Angeles County resident who recently traveled through Los Angeles International Airport.

“With measles outbreaks happening both in the United States and internationally, this recent case in our county highlights how important it is for anyone who has not been immunized to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County health officer. “Measles spreads easily through the air and on surfaces, and a person infected with measles can pass it on to others before they feel sick or have symptoms. Young children and those who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems are at a higher risk for life-threatening complications from infection. Getting the MMR vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and stop the spread of this dangerous disease.”