Third-party environmental data certification for small businesses

Third-party environmental data verification is a certification required by mass retailers for certain products. Target Accelerators connected with the team who manages Target’s third-party environmental data verification process to help you learn more about the WERCS certification process, and get the scoop on which products require it.

What products require third-party environmental data verification certification?

Note that the following are examples for reference, and not a comprehensive list of every item that requires registration.

• Chemical-containing or aerosol articles: Products containing a powder, gel, paste, scented oil, or liquid that is not intended for human consumption and/or an item that contains a compressed gas or propellant.
• Articles that are advertised or labeled to kill, repel, or prevent the growth of any living organism: Anti-microbial products, anti-bacterial products, herbicides, pesticides.
• Any non-food liquids that are not hazardous: Non-aerosol sunscreens, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and cosmetics.
• Over-the-counter (OTC) medications including vitamins and dietary supplements: Items with drug facts or supplement facts labels. This also includes pet supplements, shampoos, and any OTC medications for your pets.
• Batteries or products that contain batteries: Lead acid that are in riding toys and scooters; lithium in laptops, cell phones, and power banks; button cell batteries in talking toys, calculators and watches.
• Food products contained in aerosol cans, liquid cooking oils, cooking sprays or drink enhancers: Examples of aerosol food products include whipped creams, frostings, non-stick cooking sprays and cheese products.
• Office, and arts and craft supplies: Think items like ink, toner, glues, markers, paints and modeling clay.

Third-party environmental data verification certification process

If your products fall within the categories listed above, and Target has confirmed they will be carried in the Target assortment, they will need third-party environmental data verification certification before your product can be ordered or made available online.

The certification process is used to comply with federal, state, and local regulations for transportation, storage, disposal and/or health and safety; specific item information is needed to properly classify environmentally sensitive products.

To protect vendor product formulations, Target uses a third-party environmental data vendor (TPEDV) to analyze the formulation information and store the regulatory information derived from the formulation information, as well as a safety data sheet (SDS) that Target can access per OSHA guidelines. There is a fee from the TPEDV for registering products that depends on the number of registrations a vendor has. That fee is between the TPEDV and the Vendor. Target pays a separate fee to the TPEDV to access and receive the regulatory information for the products.

The TPEDV systems are not connected to Target systems. Most of the information required by our TPEDV is different than what is entered into Target systems. The TPEDV will ask for the composition and chemical and physical properties of the product along with other information necessary to apply the correct regulations to the product. Once the registration is submitted to the TPEDV, the TPEDV usually takes up to three business days to review the information. After the TPDEV completes their review, the TPDEV sends the regulatory information to Target to process and approve products for ordering. Target systems take at least 24 hours to receive, identify, and process the TPDEV regulatory data to approve items.

Once approved, you are ready to move forward in the product launch process at Target. Target appreciates our current and future vendor’s partnership in the continued commitment to comply with federal, state and local regulations, and in lessening Target’s impact on the environment and the communities Target serves as part of its broader commitment to co-create an equitable and regenerative future together with our guests, partners and communities.

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