UL Environment, a division of UL, announced June 1 that Serious Materials’ EcoRock drywall is the first product to receive UL’s Environmental Claims Validation. Laboratory tests audited the product’s recycled content, VOC emissions, mercury content, and mold resistance, validating the manufacturer’s claims that EcoRock contains 80% recycled content, has low VOC emissions, is mercury free, and is highly resistant to mold.

EcoRock, introduced last year but not available to the market yet, is said to use 80% less energy in production than traditional drywall and does not require heating or burning fossil fuels to manufacture.

“As sustainable products become more available, third-party validation of claims by credible organizations like UL Environment will be crucial to eliminating exaggerated green marketing claims,” said UL Environment president Steve Wenc in the announcement. “UL Environment applies solid science and more than a century of testing expertise to protect consumers from vague, false, or misleading environmental claims.”

Katy Tomasulo is Deputy Editor for EcoHome.