Bill Would Require Ingredients In Cleaning Products Be Labeled

Federal and state laws require disclosure of ingredients in food, cosmetics, and drugs, but not cleaning products. A bill pending in the California legislature would change that. It would require manufacturers to list the 20 most predominant ingredients on labels of both commercial and consumer cleaning products.

Bill Allayaud with the Environmental Working Group says some of these ingredients could cause allergic reactions, or are linked to cancer and reproductive problems. 

“Eight-five percent of consumers want to know what’s in their products, whether it’s food, water, things you put on your body, and now cleaning components, cleaning products, especially workers who are exposed every day who may breathe it and get it on their skin and absorb it,” says Allayaud. 

Disinfectants require labels listing active ingredients, but not inactive. Manufacturers oppose the bill. They say it fails to protect confidential information and intellectual property.