Since being founded in 1964, United Laboratories has always sought better, safer chemical technologies.

When the world thought it couldn’t live without chlorinated solvents in the seventies, United developed the Solar Solvent line, citrus-based solvents derived from renewable resources that were far less hazardous to users and the environment.

In the 1980s when butyl was the king of degreasers, United began formulating using naturally occurring enzymes and bacteria. Ultimately, enzymes and later bacteria, became the industry standards for many degreasing, drain maintenance and wastewater applications.

In 1992, when supposed “environmentally friendly” chemical products were starting to be marketed under a shroud of green, United called the industry out by defining its products according to definable, unwavering Earth Smart® standards.

In the early nineties, United developed Harvest Gold, the world’s first Earth Smart® solvent line, developed from renewable agricultural products.

As we welcomed in the new millennium, we sped up the innovation wheel with the development of several Earth Smart ® chemical lines that still remain unmatched in the industry:

• ESA, the world’s first Earth Smart® Acid line
• DEVOUR POWER, a highly effective gram-negative bacteria product line
• SMART SOLVE®, a VOC-Free, all-natural solvent line

Dating back to the beginning, there’s a slew of industry leading, “green” innovations developed by United. And, we’ve been doing it since before it was the trendy thing to do.

“Why?” you ask. Because it’s the responsible thing to do. And at United Laboratories, Responsible Innovation™ is in our Nature.

When it comes to defining a United product’s “greenness,” there is nothing better than our set of Earth Smart® standards. There’s no grey area here and there’s certainly no greenwashing. A product either meets the standards—and thus is classified as Earth Smart®—or it doesn’t. It’s been that way since 1992.

What has changed is the list of standards. When we launched Earth Smart® in 1992, there were only three standards:
    • Must have only zeros or ones on HMIS® numbers
    • Must contain no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
    • Must contain no hazardous components

In 2007, we added:
    • Must contain no Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs)

Our newest Earth Smart® standards are as stringent as they come. No doubt about it, creating Earth Smart® products that meet these standards—and work—is a challenge. But we’re up to the task. Because, after all, Responsible Innovation™ is in our Nature.