Press Releases - Women's Voices for the Earth

‘Chem Fatale’ Report Highlights Dangers in Feminine Care Products

05 Nov 2013

Hormone disruptors, carcinogens, among toxic chemicals found in tampons, douches, wipes and more FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C.— “Chem Fatale,” a new report by Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE), details how the feminine care industry sells products containing unregulated and potentially harmful chemicals, including preservatives, pesticides, fragrances and dyes. The report kicks off a new campaign that will target Proctor & Gamble, makers of Tampax and Always, to disclose the ingredients in tampons and pads and eliminate toxic chemicals, and to encourage consumers to demand more government oversight of the $3 billion feminine care industry. “Feminine...

Maker of Lysol, Air Wick Commits to Disclose Fragrance Allergens

22 Oct 2013

Reckitt Benckiser first major U.S. company to respond to consumer demands for increased information FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 22, 2013 Parsippany, N.J.—, Reckitt Benckiser (RB) announced today that it would become the first major cleaning product company to disclose fragrance allergens in its U.S. products, a major step forward in breaking the secrecy around fragrance ingredients in household products. This announcement comes less than a year after NGO Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) released the report Secret Scents: How Hidden Fragrance Allergens Harm Public Health that found that tens of millions of people suffer from fragrance allergies. Consumers in...

Target Focuses Bull’s-eye on Chemicals in Products: Launches New Standard to Promote Ingredient Safety and Disclosure

16 Oct 2013

Consumer Demand for Safer Personal Care Products Driving Major Changes for Nation’s Retailers Campaign for Safe Cosmetics For Immediate Release October 16, 2013 (SAN FRANCISCO) Moved by consumer demand for safer products, the retail giant Target is creating a new sustainability standard that will evaluate and rank baby and adult personal care and cleaning products based on ingredient safety and disclosure and environmental impact. Target has asked the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to collaborate on developing a standard for cosmetic safety in 2014. “The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics congratulates Target for taking an important leadership role in cleaning up the...

Cleaning Companies, NGO Partner to Support Consumer Rights

17 Sep 2013

Manufacturers join Women’s Voices for the Earth to launch No Secrets ingredient disclosure campaign FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 9, 2013 Chemicals linked to hormone disruption, allergies, and even cancer are found in cleaning products Americans use every day, yet most manufacturers keep the ingredients in their products a secret from the public. A new campaign, “No Secrets,” led by Women’s Voices for the Earth with cleaning product companies that are leading the industry in ingredient disclosure, seeks to create a new standard of transparency in the industry. “The companies supporting ‘No Secrets’ have nothing to hide in their products,”...

Failed Cosmetics Law Leaves Stylists Exposed to Toxic Chemicals

17 Sep 2013

New resource helps stylists, manicurists, and customers advocate for safer products FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 12, 2013 SAN DIEGO — Bloody noses. Blistering rashes. Piercing migranes. These are just a few of the symptoms veteran hairstylist Jennifer Arce experienced after before diagnosed with chemical poisoning by her physician. The source? A product millions of women use to straighten their hair every day: Brazilian Blowout. Arce, a stylist in San Diego for more than 18 years, used the experience to organize other affected colleagues to take their stories to California lawmakers and the FDA. Brazilian Blowout has since been banned...

Walmart Announces Prohibition of 10 Toxic Chemicals and Increased Disclosure of Ingredients

12 Sep 2013

September 12, 2013 – Today, the world’s largest retailer, Walmart, announced that it will begin a process to phase out at least 10 harmful chemicals from the cleaning products, cosmetics, and personal care products they carry, and require increased ingredient disclosure for these product categories. “We are pleased that Walmart is making this commitment towards safer products and transparency,” said Erin Switalski, executive director of Women’s Voices for the Earth. “In particular, Walmart’s announcement is a good step forward in increasing transparency in the cleaning product industry, where no federal law currently exists to require this disclosure.” Starting in January...