Dr. Ruiz Introduces Bill to Improve Consumer Safety Standards with Cleaning Products

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) introduced the Cleaning Product Labeling Act of 2017. This bill requires cleaning products sold in the United States to have ingredients listed on both the label and the manufacturer website so families can keep their children safer by choosing cleaning products that fit their needs, and save lives in emergency situations.

"Consumers, particularly parents, deserve to know what ingredients are in everyday use cleaning products. As an emergency physician and as a father, this is particularly personal to me. If my daughters accidentally ingested a toxic cleaning product, I would want the peace of mind to know that when I called poison control or the CDC, I could easily read the ingredients and save precious seconds in determining how to respond. Accidents unfortunately happen and I have taken care of children in the emergency room who were exposed to chemicals in cleaning products. Knowing the ingredients in these products can help physicians make critical life-saving decision," said Dr. Ruiz. "We must do all that we can to keep our children safe and ensure custodial workers have a better understanding of their exposure to potentially dangerous chemicals. Requiring ingredient disclosure of cleaning products will help us all have better health outcomes."

According to a 2010 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, from 1990 to 2006 over 267,000 children under the age of five were treated in emergency departments for household cleaning product-related injuries.

"All too often, cleaning products contain harmful chemicals, including some ingredients linked to breast cancer," said Janet Nudelman, Director of Program and Policy for Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. "As consumers, we have the right to know what's in our cleaning products so we can make informed decisions about what we buy for ourselves and our families."

The New York State Department of Health found that women in the custodial industry who use cleaning products while they are pregnant have an elevated risk of their children developing birth defects.

"Consumers are concerned and want to know what chemicals are in products so they can make better choices. Clear, transparent labeling is good for consumers, and it's also good for business," said David Levine, CEO and Co-founder of the American Sustainable Business Council. "Representative Ruiz's bill, the Cleaning Product Labeling Act of 2017, creates a uniform way for companies to communicate what's in their products—with just a simple addition to their labels. Ultimately, public health will improve as companies respond by innovating and using safer ingredients."

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, each year one in 20 janitors have an injury on the job because of the chemicals they come in contact with in the cleaning products they use.

The Cleaning Product Labeling Act requires the standardization of ingredient labeling of cleaning products by instructing the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to develop regulations that would standardize ingredient listing and enforce product labeling. This bill would also give consumers the right to petition the federal government if they believe a product does not meet the requirements determined.

Introduced in the House of Representatives today, the Cleaning Product Labeling Act is supported by over 65 advocacy organizations and businesses. You can click here to view a letter of support from the American Sustainable Business Council and click here for a letter of support from a diverse group of consumer advocates and public health advocates.

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