« Airline Recycling Report. | Main | Free the killer whale! »

Ever wonder what the hell is in all of those household cleaners poisoning our homes?

Mr. Clean has been keeping his mouth shut!

This story from New York State from EarthJustice.org is fascinating:

While investigating a potential legal strategy, EarthJustice attorney Keri Powell found buried in the pages of a book of New York State statutes a long-forgotten law authorizing the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to require household cleaning product manufacturers to disclose their chemical ingredients and information about the health risks they pose. In other words, pay dirt.

State regulations issued in 1976 made these disclosures mandatory. Such laws are practically nonexistent in the United States, and the New York law has been altogether overlooked.

Very interesting, eh? Well, the plot thickens:

Earlier this month, Keri led a group of clients into the New York State Supreme Court for historic arguments over chemical disclosure, a case that could have national ramifications. Consumers and their advocates may finally get a satisfactory answer to that critical opening question, which has vexed them for years.

Some companies voluntarily disclosed the chemicals in their products, like Simple Green and SC Johnson (which also launched a candid website disclosing their ingredients). But there are still a few companies fighting 'till the end:

But four companies -- Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Church and Dwight, and Reckitt-Benckiser -- stonewalled, and thus found themselves a few weeks ago across from Keri and her colleagues in a Manhattan courtroom as defendants in this first-of-its-kind lawsuit. They made it clear that their lips are sealed until authorities pry them open.

As Health Campaigner Kathleen Sutcliffe wryly remarked recently, Mr. Clean went to court and pled the fifth.

Stay tuned to this case and witness the power of the law working for us citizens, helping protect us from unwanted chemicals invading our homes.

For more information, read the EarthJustice press release which also includes the original law suit.

You can also read a list of all the companies that are targeted in this case.

Name (required)
Email
Website
Remember personal info? Yes   No
Comments

home | music | democracy | earth | money | projects | about | contact

Site design by Matthew Fries | © 2003-23 Consilience Productions. All Rights Reserved.
Consilience Productions, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
All contributions are fully tax deductible.