Safe Cleaning Products Initiative
Monday, December 31, 2007
The Safe Cleaning Products Initiative is a national effort intended to reduce women's exposure to toxic chemicals in cleaning products. Many women aren't even aware of what they're exposing themselves to by simply cleaning their homes. Couple that with children living in the home and being exposed, its time that companies fess up to what it is they have on their labels and become more responsible to consumers.
Sign the petition asking companies to make cleaning products safe!
Companies should provide full disclosure of ingredients on cleaning products and remove hazardous chemicals
Tens of thousands of chemicals are used in American industry, placed in products, and released to our environment, with virtually no information on the potential consequences for human health and little oversight by the government. No legal requirements exist for ingredient labeling on household cleaning products.
Yet many consumers, especially those who have asthma or women of childbearing age, need ingredientslistings in order to be able to make choices that allow them to avoid potentially harmful exposure.
That's why WVE is asking companies to help protect public health by providing important health and safety information to consumers. In June of 2007, WVE wrote a letter to more than 20 major cleaning companies requesting just this. So far, only eight companies have responded to our request.
Read the company responses to include Shaklee Read Shaklee response (pdf)
In September, WVE sent another letter to the companies mentioned in the report and to top "green" companies that make household cleaning products. We also sent targeted letters to 5 of the top companies.
Read the letter to Clorox
Read the letter to Procter and Gamble
Read the letter to Reckitt-Benckiser
Read the letter to the makers of Simple Green
Read the letter to SC Johnson and Son
Sign the petition asking companies to make cleaning products safe!
What You Can Do A list of resources to help you protect the health of your family
Take Action! Demand that companies label their products and take harmful chemicals out of their cleaners
Read Household Hazards, WVE’s report on the potential hazards of chemicals in cleaning products
Click on the links below to learn more about how chemicals in cleaning products affect your health and what we can do about it!
Quick Link to Non-Toxic Cleaning recipes
Women & Household Cleaning Products
General information about how cleaning products may affect your health.
Asthma & Household Cleaning Products
Learn about the chemicals in cleaning products that are associated with asthma.
Reproductive Harm & Household Cleaning Products
Learn about the chemicals in cleaning products that are associated with birth defects, infertility, and other reproductive problems.
Corporate Responsibility & Government Oversight
WVE is working to convince companies to remove hazardous ingredients from their products. Find out what companies and government agencies are (or are not) doing to address these concerns.
Building a National Collaborative
WVE is building an alliance of organizations across the country working on chemicals in cleaning products.
What You Can Do
Steps you can take for a healthy home. Includes links to recipes for making your own non-toxic cleaners.
Take Action!
Tell cleaning companies that you want safe products. Send a message today!
Reports and Fact Sheets
Get the facts about chemicals in cleaning products. (Informe y hojas de datos disponibles en Español)