Sen. Franken and Rep. Israel Launch Effort to Protect Consumers with the Household Product Labeling Act

"The Household Product Labeling Act of 2009 will require companies list ingredients in cleaning products, air fresheners and paints on the product or its packaging"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 23, 2009


For more information, contact:

Jess McIntosh (Franken)
202-725-6787
jess.mcintosh@franken.senate.gov

Lindsay Hamilton (Israel)
202-225-3335
lindsay.hamilton@mail.house.gov

Sen. Franken and Rep. Israel Launch Effort to Protect Consumers with the
Household Product Labeling Act

The Household Product Labeling Act of 2009 will require companies list
ingredients in cleaning products, air fresheners and paints on the product
or its packaging

Washington, DC - Wednesday, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Rep. Steve Israel
(D-N.Y.) announced the launch of their joint efforts to protect consumers by
requiring ingredient labeling for household products such as cleaners, air
fresheners and paints. The Household Product Labeling Act of 2009, which was
introduced in the Senate by Sen. Franken on Wednesday and the House by Rep.
Israel in June, requires companies list all product ingredients clearly on
the product or product packaging.

"Moms and dads have a right to know whether harmful chemicals are present in
their kitchen cupboards," said Sen. Franken. "When my wife Franni and I were
raising our own kids, we were constantly concerned with what we used to wash
their cribs, their pacifiers, the floors, and surfaces they played on. This
is just a common-sense measure to help parents keep their kids safe and
healthy."

"Every day we use basic household products to clean our counters and wash
our dishes, yet current federal law doesn't give us the right to know what
harmful chemicals those products might contain," said Rep. Israel.
"Consumers have a right to protect their families and that means knowing
what's in our everyday household products. This is a bill about defending
consumers, protecting our children, and keeping our homes safe."

Current law requires that product labels list immediately hazardous
ingredients, but there is no labeling requirement for ingredients that may
cause harm over time. Many chemicals contained in household products have
been shown to produce harmful health effects and many ingredients that are
safe for most people can be major irritants for children with asthma. This
legislation makes information readily available to consumers, giving them
the opportunity to make an informed choice about the chemicals they bring
into their homes.

A list of examples of potentially dangerous chemicals from "Household
Hazards," a report by Women's Voices for the Earth (2007), includes:

. Monoethanolamine (MEA) is a surfactant found in some laundry
detergents, all-purpose cleaners and floor cleaners and is a known inducer
of occupational asthma.

. Ammonium quaternary compounds are disinfectants found in some
disinfectant sprays and toilet cleaners that have been identified as
inducers of occupational asthma.

. Glycol ethers, such as 2-butoxyethanol, are solvents commonly
found in glass cleaners and all-purpose spray cleaners that have been linked
to reduced fertility and low birth weight in exposed mice.

. Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) are surfactants found in laundry
detergents, stain removers, and all-purpose cleaners, which have been found
to reduce embryo survival in fish, and alter tadpole development. APEs are
commonly detected as contaminants in rivers and streams - including in the
Long Island Sound, and have also been found in household dust.

. Phthalates are carriers for fragrance in glass cleaners,
deodorizers, laundry detergents and fabric softeners, which have been l
inked to adverse effects on male children, reduced sperm count in adult men,
and increased allergic symptoms and asthma in children.

According to a recent study by the Center for the New American Dream, the
institutional cleaning industry uses an estimated five billion pounds of
chemicals annually in the United States.