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navigating the wide world of eco-labels can be confusing at times. To clear things up, this week we rounded up six ways eco-labels can help consumers and businesses stay sustainable - no matter what their interests are.

There are an estimated 455 eco-labels in use, creating a poorly regulated "wild west" that does little to inform consumers about the products they buy and often have no verifiable criteria, experts say. "There are too many labels out there. And too few of them are the real thing," says Valerie Davis, co-founder of EnviroMedia

A new report by Greenpeace finds that palm oil suppliers to the world's largest brands have cleared more than 1,300 square kilometres of rainforest - an area the size of the city of Los Angeles - since the end of 2015.

The government has charted a zero-waste plan that aims to abolish single-use plastic by 2030. Malaysia is the first country in Southeast Asia to take bold action to tackle plastic pollution.

A growing number of billion-dollar companies are showing that sustainability can be a real driver of profits, writes Freya Williams. Companies such as Tesla, Chipotle Mexican Grill, IKEA, Nike and Whole Foods Market are making serious money through eco-friendly business models. "The green giants are turning a strategy of sustainability or social good into a billion-dollar business proposition, and profiting in the process," Williams explains

The eco-diapers business gDiapers has reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission on allegations that gDiapers' products aren't as easily compostable as the company claimed. The company will stop posting such claims unless they are verified

The Indonesian Palm Oil Pledge, a group of the world's biggest palm oil companies committed to building an industry free of deforestation and labour exploitation, has disbanded less than two years after it was launched.

Greenpeace said that 16 out of the 27 products from Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Trussardi and Versace were found containing toxic substances, including nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). The highest concentration of NPEs was detected in a Louis Vuitton branded ballerina shoe.

In a bid to appeal to eco-conscious consumers, McDonald's will start selling Rainforest Alliance-certified espresso and Marine Stewardship Council-certified fish sandwiches. "We feel there's a tipping point coming. We see the consumer starting to care. Consumer expectations are rising," explains Bob Langert, vice president of sustainability for McDonald's

Forests and consumer campaign groups have called on the global coffee chain to step up its sustainability commitment and ensure its baked products do not use palm oil grown from destroyed forests and tiger habitats.

The world's leading certification body for ethically sourced palm oil has ordered a total ban on deforestation by its members, amid growing pressure from both companies and consumers.

Palm Oil Free Certification programme launches in UK and Australia A new certification programme has launched to validate consumer products that make no use of palm oil, which has been blamed for fuelling deforestation in Asia. Set up by a group of women experts, the Palm Oil Free Certification Accreditation Programme (POFCAP) is now in operation in Australia and the UK following approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, IP Australia, and IPO UK. Fourteen other nations have applied to introduce the label. Australia-based eco cleaning products company Clean Conscience is the first to carry the label, and the group is working with a host of other companies on certification. Despite improvements to tackle deforestation, POFCAP said "only 17% of all palm oil used can be classed as 'non-conflict'". The scheme is based on extensive research and trusted methods to trace all potential palm oil and palm oil derivative ingredients of a product back to their source. (Business Green)

Packaging remains a considerable challenge for businesses looking to reduce their impacts, but innovators such as food-service supplier Eco-Products and Finnish startup Sulpac are helping to accelerate the transition to lower-impact models through cross-industry partnerships and sustainable packaging solutions.

Environmentalists would prefer that everyone drank tap water -- but with consumers still clamoring for bottled beverages, water companies are trying to find ways to make their products more eco-friendly. Just Water uses bottles made from "green" plant-derived plastics, while other companies offer water in cardboard or easy-to-recycle aluminum packaging.

A glass of wine can require as much as 14 gallons of water to make, prompting Fetzer Vineyards to try a wriggly wastewater solution invented in Chile.