Chemspec, Inc.

901 North Newkirk StreetBaltimore, MD21205 – 410-675-4800 FAX 410-675-0038

September 20, 2004FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ECOgent: First North American Product

to Win EU’s Eco-Label Approval

Baltimore, MarylandUSA. Chemspec, exclusive manufacturer of ECOgent developed by Cogent Environmental Solutions of Ontario, Canada is pleased to announce that ECOgent General Purpose Cleaner has been granted the European Union’s Ecolabel and the right to display its official ECO Flower logo (shown at right). ECOgent General Purpose Cleaner qualifies for the EU Eco-label because it is a totally nontoxic, all-natural product and made of renewable ingredients. (

The Flower Logo is a symbol of the European Eco-label program and is the premier European award for products meeting higher environmental standards. ECOgent General Purpose Cleaner (registered under US Patent # 6,432,395 “Cleaning Composition Containing Naturally Derived Components”) was formulated by Michael Rochon, principal of Cogent Environmental Solutions. As a result of Mr. Rochon’s quest to produce a product that would allow “Cleaning Without Harming,” Michael Rochon is committed to developing new naturally based cleaning technologies that satisfy consumers’ desires for easy-to-use cleaning products while addressing their valid environmental and health concerns.

ECOgent General Purpose Cleaner currently enjoys distinction as the only cleaning product in North America to be certified by four independent “green” certification bodies including:

  • Green Seal (GS37) meeting Green Seal’s environmental standard for industrial and institutional cleaners based on reduced human and aquatic toxicity and reduced smog production potential;
  • Environment Canada’s Environmental Choice Criteria PRC-097 “Cleaning Product with Low Potential for Environmental Illness and Endocrine Disruption”;
  • The Envirodesic Certification Program – “Certified for maximum indoor air quality and for use around individuals with chemical hypersensitivities”;
  • And the European Union’s Ecolabel, signified by the Eco Flower logo: the premier European award for products meeting higher environmental standards.

ECOgent General Purpose Cleaner is made from 100% biologically derived renewable resources. It contains no pesticides, preservatives, petrochemicals, phosphates, EDTA, NTA, or dyes. Animal testing was avoided at all stages of development. ECOgent General Purpose Cleaner biodegrades under aerobic and anaerobic conditions and is not aquatically toxic at levels likely to enter the environment. ECOgent is safe for the general public, suitable for chemically sensitive individuals, and friendly to children, pets and the environment. ECOgent can be used to clean most surfaces. Cogent adopted the beluga whale as a symbol for its new product, because evidence shows that belugas are absorbing toxic residues in Canadian waterways.

Michael Rochon sums up the state of the cleaning industry: “To date we have been using many cleaning compounds that cause more harm than good, both to the people in our buildings and to the environment. Now we have the power to clean without harming and consumers are eager to change. The irony is that the only reason we clean a building is to try to make it healthier. Asthmatics have known for years that cleaning compounds made them sick. We designed ECOgent with the asthmatic and chemically sensitive individual in mind, since our buildings need to be safe for everyone. And ECOgent’s natural ingredients and biodegradability under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions enable it to conform to the most stringent municipal discharge laws as well. We think we have produced something that is truly sustainable.”

ECOgent was made available for commercial and institutional consumers in Canada, the U.S.A. and Europe earlier this year under license to Chemspec of Baltimore, Maryland. As of this month, ECOgent General Purpose Cleaner is also available to the growing number of household consumers who prefer to use products that are certified for safe use by everyone in the family. The new ECOgent Household Cleaning Kit contains two bottles of ECOgent concentrate and a special dilution sprayer with a water bottle, that lets consumers dial the cleaner strength needed for each household task. Two micro fiber cloths are also included to enhance cleaning and minimize cleaner use. The kit will make up to 120 bottles of household cleaner, and is safe and easy for all family members to use.

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Contacts: Todd R. Evans, Chemspec, 800-638-7370,

Michael Rochon, Cogent Environmental Solutions, 877-994-9908

Bruce Small, Envirodesic Certification Program, 905-702-8615