Groups Applaud Progress on Cleaning Product Chemical Right-To-Know Effort, Submit Response to State Proposal
Alaska Community Action on Toxics · American Lung Association in New York · Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety Inc. · Autism Society · Beyond Pesticides · Center for Environmental Health · Center for Health, Environment & Justice · Citizens’ Environmental Coalition · Clean New York · Clean Water Action · Consumers Union · Corporate Toxics Information Project · Don’t Waste Arizona · Earthjustice · Empire State Consumer Project · Environment New York · Environmental Advocates of New York · Environmental Working Group · Environmental Community Action, Inc. (ECO-Action) · Food & Water Watch · Grassroots Environmental Education · Great Lakes United · Hampshire Research Institute · Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition, Inc. · Informed Green Solutions · Just Transition Alliance · Learning Disabilities Association of New York State · Midwest Environmental Advocates · Mira’s Movement · New Jersey Work Environment Council · New York Committee for Occupational Safety & Health · New York Environmental Law & Justice Project · New York Public Interest Research Group · New York State United Teachers · OMB Watch · Riverkeeper · Science and Environmental Health Network · Sierra Club (National) · Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter · Upper Green River Alliance · We Act For Environmental Justice · Women’s Voices for the Earth
March 2, 2011
ALBANY, NY – As New York State moves forward with a proposal requiring manufacturers of household cleaners to tell consumers what chemicals are in their products, public interest groups submitted comments this week on the plan. The coalition of 42 public interest groups applauded the agency’s continuing effort, and urged the agency to specifically require companies to disclose any chemicals in their products that cause nerve damage or hormone disruption, even if industry asks to keep this information secret from consumers.
The State’s proposal came after widespread public pressure and a lawsuit brought by advocates to enforce a first-of-its-kind but long-ignored set of 1976 regulations requiring manufacturers of household cleaners to reveal the chemical ingredients in their products and any health risks they pose. The lawsuit was brought against Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Arm & Hammer parent company Church & Dwight, and Lysol-maker Reckitt Benckiser. All four companies, when informed by advocates about the regulations, either ignored the notification or refused to file disclosure reports with the State.
