Press Releases - Women's Voices for the Earth

CA Governor Signs Historic Law Requiring Companies to Disclose Ingredients in Cleaning Products

16 Oct 2017

In a major victory for consumer and worker right to know, Governor Brown has signed into law a bill that requires manufacturers of a wide array of cleaning products to disclose their ingredients. The Cleaning Product Right to Know Act of 2017 (Senate Bill 258, authored by Senator Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens) requires the ingredients in cleaning products – particularly chemicals whose ability to harm human health or the environment has been recognized by established scientific authoritative bodies – to be listed on both product labels and online. Under this law, the mandatory disclosure also applies to ingredients in fragrance mixtures, which have been tightly-held secrets until now.

Joint Statement on California Cleaning Product Right to Know Act: CSPA, WVE, BCPP, EWG, NRDC

13 Sep 2017

The carefully crafted compromise that was voted on today was developed through intense NGO-industry stakeholder negotiations and has generated an unprecedented coalition of support made up of over 100 organizations and corporations ranging from breast cancer prevention and clean water advocates to janitors and domestic workers to some of the world’s largest multinational cleaning product companies.

In California, Cleaning Product Companies To Come Clean on Ingredients

12 Sep 2017

Right to Know Act Mandates Ingredient Disclosures on Labels and Online - In a major victory for consumer and worker right to know, California lawmakers today approved legislation to require manufacturers to disclose the ingredients in home-use and institutional cleaning products. If Gov. Jerry Brown signs the bill, California will once again become a national leader by requiring greater transparency of ingredients in consumer products.

In a Victory for Public Health, Procter and Gamble Will Disclose Fragrance Ingredients

30 Aug 2017

In a move that sets a new industry precedent, the world’s largest consumer products company, Procter and Gamble (P&G), announced it will voluntarily start disclosing all fragrance ingredients in their products.

Environmental Groups Sue FDA to Take Formaldehyde Out of Salons

07 Aug 2017

The Food and Drug Administration has failed to act on dangerous hair straighteners that contain unsafe levels of formaldehyde and pose a significant health hazard to consumers and salon workers, the Environmental Working Group and Women’s Voices for the Earth allege in a motion filed July 28 in federal district court. The motion is part of the groups' lawsuit against the FDA for its failure to act on a six-year-old petition requesting an investigation into popular hair smoothing treatments that are still sold in stores and salons. These straighteners – often known as keratin treatments or by the name of one prominent brand, Brazilian Blowout – contain formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen and potent allergen.

Californians are Throwing Parties to Put an End to Secret Ingredients in Cleaning Products

20 Jul 2017

Women across California are hosting Green Cleaning Parties in support of The Cleaning Product Right to Know Act (SB 258). Introduced by State Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), SB 258 will give Californians access to information on hazardous ingredients in the cleaning products they use, including chemicals used in fragrance mixtures—both on the product label and online. If the bill passes, it would be the first such law to take effect in the nation.