Safer Choice Program Authorization Act of 2026

This bill authorizes the Safer Choice Program within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to identify and promote products with safer chemical ingredients for human health and the environment, building on existing voluntary EPA programs. Sec. 3, Definitions: Defines key terms including the Safer Choice Program, Safer Choice Standard, Design for the Environment Standard, Safer Chemical Ingredients List, qualified third-party profilers, and the Safer Choice and Design for the Environment labels. Sec. 4, Establishment of the Safer Choice Program: Requires the EPA Administrator to carry out a voluntary Safer Choice Program to identify and promote products meeting the Safer Choice or Design for the Environment standards, with the purpose of advancing pollution prevention. The Administrator may update these standards after public notice and comment. Sec. 5, Program Administration: Outlines the Administrator's duties, including establishing product submission and review procedures, making certification determinations, providing technical assistance, consulting stakeholders, conducting public outreach, holding annual public stakeholder meetings, and recognizing program partners. The Administrator must set criteria for qualified third-party profilers to support technical evaluations, but final determinations remain with the Administrator. Profilers must be independent and avoid conflicts of interest. The Administrator shall coordinate with other federal agencies like the FDA and CPSC to promote consistency. Sec. 6, Safer Choice Criteria: Requires a science-based evaluation considering human health hazards (e.g., carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity), environmental hazards (e.g., persistence, bioaccumulation), product performance, packaging sustainability, and ingredient transparency. Eligible product categories include those already recognized under the Safer Choice Standard and others as determined by the Administrator. The Administrator must maintain and update the Safer Chemical Ingredients List and require full ingredient disclosure for product certification, subject to confidential business information protections. Sec. 7, Labeling; Unauthorized Use: Participation is voluntary. The Administrator may authorize use of the Safer Choice label for products meeting the Safer Choice Standard and the Design for the Environment label for products meeting the Design for the Environment Standard. These labels are EPA marks, and unauthorized or misleading use is prohibited, with enforcement actions including notification, suspension of authorization, or referral for civil action. Sec. 8, Reporting and Transparency: Requires the Administrator to submit an annual public report to Congress on program implementation, including the number of certified products, updates to standards, outreach activities, and recommendations. The Administrator must also maintain a public database of authorized products. Sec. 9, Authorization of Appropriations: Authorizes $6,000,000 per fiscal year from 2028 through 2034 to carry out the Act. Sec. 10, Effective Date; Severability: The Act takes effect upon enactment, and if any provision is held invalid, the remainder of the Act remains in effect.