Stop the Chemical Industry From Undermining Your Right to Know!

Jamie McConnell Director of Programs & Policy

Women have long been the voice for our right to know. From harmful chemicals in cleaning products, to toxic flame retardants in mattresses and furniture, the movement to demand our right to know what’s in products has been driven and led by women. Because you have raised your voices, major companies have started to disclose more ingredient information, ground breaking policies have passed, and as a result we have more information than ever before on what chemicals we are being exposed to in cleaning products, furniture, children’s products and more.

And now chemical manufacturers want to take away all the gains you have made on your right to know and take away your ability to choose safer products. They just introduced a bill erroneously titled the “Accurate Labels Act” (S. 3019/H.R. 6022) in Congress that would completely eliminate state requirements for labeling and disclosure.

That means labels that currently let you know if a product has chemicals known to cause cancer, hormone disruption, birth defects, and other serious issues would completely go away.

Having ingredient information and other warning information on labels helps us to not only choose safer products, it also helps steer the market toward the use of safer ingredients so manufacturers don’t have to put a warning label on their product or disclose a nasty ingredient on the label.

The chemical industry’s attempt to undermine our right to safer products is a complete affront to all we have worked for over the last decade and totally flies in the face of what women, and consumers generally, want. Consider this:

• A 2015 survey of 1,000 U.S. moms found that 73% of those surveyed, “often do research to understand the safety of ingredients to which their family is exposed.”[i]
• In a 2013 survey consumers reported ingredient transparency as a “very important” or “important” factor in purchase decisions like food and beverage (82%), beauty and personal care (82%), and household products (82%) [ii]
• A 2012 survey of consumer attitudes found that 86% of people polled believed “ingredient transparency “ is one of the most important issues for companies to address.[iii]
• A 2015 Harris poll found that 60% of women in the United States report that they read labels on personal care products and avoid products that contain certain chemicals. [iv]

We need to stand up to the chemical industry and stop this terrible bill. Click here to take action and tell your congressperson the chemical industry doesn’t have the right to take this important information away from you.

If you want more detailed information about the bill, click here. And don’t forget to take action!