Press Releases - Women's Voices for the Earth

Affected Communities Urge The Environmental Protection Agency To End The Free Pass It Is Giving Polluters

29 Apr 2020

More than 150 affected communities, environmental justice organizations and other groups are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to rescind or replace its policy allowing companies to stop reporting how much they pollute under the guise of COVID-19. The policy, which took effect in mid March, allows companies to use COVID-19 as an excuse to stop critical health and safety monitoring—without notifying the public or the EPA. The policy applies to every industry in the country, including chemical manufacturing, coal-fired power plants, oil refineries, and virtually all other sources of pollution. In addition to increasing the potential for catastrophic chemical releases and explosions, the policy allows the EPA to waive enforcement even if the suspension of monitoring causes an “imminent threat” to health or the environment. On top of all that, the policy comes at a time when EPA inspections are at a decade-long low.

California AB 1989 Is Not Enough to Protect the Health of People Who Menstruate

30 Jan 2020

“Allowing companies to claim CBI is an immediate red flag when it comes to the safety of period care products. These products have been woefully under-regulated and under-researched for decades and there is so much we don’t know about their manufacturing, ingredients and potential health impacts,” said Alexandra Scranton, Director of Science and Research at WVE. “Allowing some ingredients to be hidden as CBI will hamper the progress of needed research, and will not give people who menstruate, advocates, or researchers a full picture of the ingredients used in these products.”

Statement: WVE Opposes California Assembly Bill 1989

27 Jan 2020

California AB 1989 allows manufacturers to intentionally hide ingredients Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) opposes California Assembly Bill 1989. AB 1989 was introduced by Assembly Member Cristina Garcia and requires some ingredients to be listed on the packaging of tampons, pads, menstrual cup and underwear, but also allows manufacturers to hide certain ingredients as confidential business information. Recently, A.164B (authored by Linda B. Rosenthal) was signed into law by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, requiring disclosure of intentionally added ingredients. Notably, the bill does not allow manufacturers to hide ingredients from their customers by deeming them to be confidential business information....

New Report Ranks Cleaning Products Industry’s Commitment to Safety

12 Nov 2019

Environmental health non-profit, Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) released a new report ranking the progress and failures that leading cleaning products manufacturers are making in regards to the strength and transparency of their chemicals safety screening. The ranking is based on criteria from WVE's Health First Roadmap - a comprehensive and dynamic tool which provides specific guidance to cleaning product manufacturers on how to choose safer ingredients and ensure the chemical safety of their products.

Scientists, Researchers Call on Summer’s Eve to Remove Harmful Ingredients in Open Letter

22 Oct 2019

Today, over 25 scientists, researchers and academics released an open letter urging New York-based consumer product goods manufacturer Prestige Consumer Healthcare, makers of Summer’s Eve, to eliminate toxic chemicals and disclose all ingredients in their iconic personal care brand. Circulated by national health non-profit, Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE), the letter calls into question the ingredients found in Summer’s Eve products, including wipes, washes, powders, douches and sprays.

Governor Andrew Cuomo Signs First-in-Nation Period Product Ingredient Disclosure Into Law

11 Oct 2019

New York is the first state in the nation to require period product makers to disclose ingredients. There is no federal requirement to do so, and only a few companies provide this vital information. A.164-A, introduced by Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal (D-Manhattan), and S.2387-B, introduced by Senator Roxanne J. Persaud (D-District 19), was signed into law this afternoon by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.