Clorox comes clean: Company discloses all ingredients in all products
The maker of bleach, Pine-Sol and other popular cleaning products announced Tuesday that it will disclose the specific preservatives, dyes and fragrances it uses in its cleaning, disinfecting and laundry products sold in the U.S. and Canada.
The Clorox Co. announcement builds on the ingredient communications program the corporation launched in January 2008, which disclosed the active ingredients in its natural Green Works line on a dedicated Clorox website. In 2009, Clorox also began listing the active ingredients of its more traditional products.
The new disclosures mark the first time a mainstream cleaning product manufacturer has disclosed all the ingredients used in all of its products -- about 200 items.
"This additional information about our products is a natural next step to take ... as we continue to drive transparency and industry leadership in the area of product ingredient communication," Clorox Chairman and CEO Don Knauss said in a statement.
Clorox will begin replacing the labels on its products; the new labels will refer consumers to the ingredients website, where they can learn about the purpose of each ingredient as well as its safety issues.The move has been widely praised by consumer, health and environmental groups, including the Sierra Club and Women's Voices for the Earth.
In California, regulations governing disclosure of ingredients are pending under the state’s Green Chemistry initiative. On a federal level, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) has introduced legislation to update the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act. The Household Products Labeling Act, first introduced by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) in 2009, is expected to be reintroduced this year.
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-- Susan Carpenter
Photo: Clorox cleaning products. Credit: The Clorox Co.
Great. Now if only we can get them to stop producing these products. This company has been polluting our oceans and lakes for how many years now? Who really believes that one can just pour bleach into the ocean and not expect consequences? That is madness.
Posted by: Steven James Scott | February 13, 2011 at 03:56 AM
White vinegar and baking soda great cleaning ingredients and costs less than a dollar.
Posted by: Tamashanter | February 12, 2011 at 01:13 PM
We really appreciate this story on Clorox’s decision to fully disclose the chemical ingredients in their cleaners. As we noted in our press release yesterday, we’ve been urging the company to do this for years. We just wanted to clarify that Women’s Voices for the Earth does not wholeheartedly endorse Clorox products or their policies, as we still believe that the company needs to associate chemicals with specific products, and reformulate to take out chemicals that are associated with human health impacts. WVE has always advocated for consumers to make their own cleaners at home as an alternative to cleaning products containing toxic chemicals that are not listed on the label.
Please keep up the good work in shining a light on this important issue!
Posted by: Cassidy Randall | February 10, 2011 at 12:24 PM
I'm glad to see Clorox has finally "come clean" with their ingredient lists. Too bad they were so slow on the up take. I'm also disappointed in their approach. Yes, the common chemical names are listed with their function, but that still leaves consumers guessing about the health and environmental effects of these "unknown" chemicals. Unfortunately, their product MSDS also omitt all toxicity data. Now that the ingredients are there, consumers better do their homework. Learn the facts about what these chemicals are and where they come from. All that Clorox has confirmed is that we're being exposed to them. I recommend the Environmental Working Group's Cosemtic Database (www.cosmeticdatabase.com)
Posted by: Julie Marks | February 10, 2011 at 06:36 AM
WHITE VINEGAR AND WATER. KAZOOMBA! CLEAN! ALSO CAN BE USED IN SALAD DRESSING.
Posted by: squarf | February 09, 2011 at 07:13 PM