Lowe’s

Supply Chain Disclosure

Lowe’s encourages business-to-business disclosure of chemicals via WERCSmart for at least 10 categories of formulated private-label and brand name products, including chemicals, pesticides, paints, and cleaning products.

Lowe’s has also conducted an audit of its private-brand packaging and continues to collect information from suppliers for packaging on all private-label products including component percentage by material.

Lowe’s encourages business-to-business disclosure via WERCSmart for private-label article products including battery-powered lawn equipment and fluorescent bulbs. It also collects ingredient information for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring.

Lowe’s is in the process of adding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to its mandatory data collection process for suppliers for all new articles including patio and indoor furniture, and other textile product categories.

Supplier Accountability

Lowe’s Vendor Code of Conduct helps ensure private-label and brand-name supplier compliance with its safer chemicals policy.

The company has provided training to its private-label and brand-name product sourcing teams to educate its suppliers about its safer chemicals policy.

Lowe’s conducts protocol testing on private brand products to ensure compliance with its safer chemicals policy, both for products with and without recycled materials.

Consumer Disclosure

Lowe’s has protocol testing for the California Cleaning Product Right to Know Act of 2017 that it applies to cleaning products sold in all states. Vendors are required to create a product label with ingredient disclosure and website address with ingredients listed online.

Lowe’s requires disclosure of types of plastic and packaging materials from all private brand suppliers. The company has set a goal so that by 2025, 100 percent of private brand packaging will include the How2Recycle label, which provides customers with more information on packaging materials.

Lowe’s recently launched its first Sustainability Landing Page on Lowes.com, which includes a “Healthy Homes” section to point consumers to products that don’t contain certain chemicals of high concern (CHCs). The next iteration of the site will include products that meet Safer Choice and Oeko-Tex standards.

Restricted Substances List (RSL)/Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL)

Lowe’s has set restrictions on four classes or groups of Ban the Bad Priority List chemicals including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), organohalogen flame retardants, ortho-phthalates, and organotins in various product categories including flooring, paints, insulation, and fabric care. Lowe’s was the first major retailer to ban methylene chloride and N-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP) in paint removal products.

Reduction/Elimination Goals

In 2023, Lowe’s sent a letter to all of its private brand suppliers announcing that the company is eliminating all expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from private-label packaging by 2025.

Lowe’s published a new packaging goal in 2024 so that by 2030, 100 percent of private-brand packaging will be recyclable, reusable, or compostable.

Chemicals and Plastics Reduction

Over the last two years, Lowe’s has made progress eliminating polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from private-label rope and chains, pool tools, timers and surge protectors, Kobalt tile saws, and water filters. The company’s power tools accessories provider, Wiha, also committed to transition away from PVC packaging. It has also eliminated expanded polystyrene (EPS) from the private-label pool tool and water heater categories.

In 2021, Lowe’s publicly announced a ban on the sale of fabric protection sprays containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including aftermarket carpet treatment sprays.

Investment in Safer Solutions

In 2022, Lowe’s committed to fund a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) alternatives assessment led by GC3 to identify and evaluate the use of safer and PFAS-free durable water repellents for textiles used in outdoor furniture and other product categories.