Res. No. 425
Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to pass and the President to sign H.R. 3057, the Household Product Labeling Act of 2009, requiring any household cleaning products and similar products to bear a label that contains a complete and accurate list of all the product's ingredients.
By Council Members Vallone, Brewer, Chin, Fidler, Gentile, James, Koppell, Koslowitz, Nelson, Palma, Williams, Vacca and Mendez
Whereas, According to the Center for the New American Dream, an environmental advocacy organization, the institutional cleaning industry uses an estimated five billion pounds of chemicals annually in the United States; and
Whereas, There is concern that certain chemicals commonly found in household cleaners can lead to adverse health effects; and
Whereas, In a 2007 report Women's Voices for the Earth, an organization that encourages women to advocate for a healthy environment, identified specific chemicals that have been linked to negative health consequences in humans; and
Whereas, These chemicals include monoethanolamine, which is found in some laundry detergents, and ammonium quaternary compounds, found in disinfectant sprays and toilet cleaners both of which are considered inducers of occupational asthma; and
Whereas, Other chemicals include phthalates, used in glass cleaners, deodorizers, laundry detergents, and the active ingredients in fabric softeners, which have been linked to negative health outcomes in some studies; and
Whereas, Due to these potential health consequences, manufacturers have received public pressure to accurately provide the ingredients of their products on the product's label or packaging; and
Whereas, As a result of the mounting pressure, several major companies agreed to voluntarily disclose their ingredients through websites, a toll-free number and some have disclosed the same on the label; and
Whereas, The Consumer Specialty Products Association, an industry lobbying organization representing household and industrial products, embarked on the Consumer Product Ingredient Communication Initiative; and
Whereas, This initiative will provide consumers with ingredient information for air care, automotive care, cleaning and polishes and floor maintenance products; and
Whereas, While this is a positive development, some are concerned that this voluntary initiative does not go far enough and cite the fact that having this information on the label is imperative and assert that the agreement does not require disclosure of an ingredient if it is present in less than one percent of a product; and
Whereas, On June 25, 2009, Representative Steve Israel of New York introduced H.R. 3057, the Household Product Labeling Act of 2009; and
Whereas, This legislation requires that any household cleaning product or similar products bear a label on the product's container or packaging that contains a complete and accurate list of all the product's ingredients; and
Whereas, The bill defines a household cleaning product or similar product as any substance which is customarily produced and distributed for use in or about a household as a cleaning agent, pesticide, epoxy, paint or stain or similar substance; and
Whereas, Products that do not conform with this legislation would be considered a misbranded hazardous substance under the federal Hazardous Substances Act; and
Whereas, The Household Product Labeling Act of 2009 empowers the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue related regulations; and
Whereas, The purpose of this legislation is to proactively provide consumers with the ingredients of household products, as they have a right to know which chemicals are in their cleaning products; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the United States Congress to pass and the President to sign H.R. 3057, the Household Product Labeling Act of 2009, requiring any household cleaning products and similar products to bear a label that contains a complete and accurate list of all the product's ingredients.
JM
LS # 1299
June 16, 2010