Green Seal Inc.'s Environmental Standard for Restaurants and Food Services, GS-46, was approved on Sept. 9 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). It is the first Green Seal specification to be approved as an American national standard.

GS-46 is based on real data on the environmental impacts of restaurants and foodservice operators that include the effects of food, energy and water use and supplies. The standard offers a framework to guide operations on how to reduce their environmental impact to achieve Green Seal certification. GS-46, first published in May, was developed with input from stakeholders that include industry trade groups, operators, suppliers, academics and environmental and health organizations.

Green Seal Inc. is a nonprofit group based in Washington, D.C., that identifies consumer and institutional products and services that protect the environment and human health. ANSI is a private nonprofit organization that aims to enhance U.S. global competitiveness by promoting voluntary standardization.