California: Take the Danger Out of Cleaning Products

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Clean Air Advocates and Janitors’ Union Urge State to Reduce Toxics and Smog-Forming Emissions from Cleaning Products

By Luis Cabrales
Senior Campaign Associate
Coalition for Clean Air

The products used to clean your home and safeguard your family may be causing harm to your health and the environment. Consumer products, including cleaning products, are expected to be the largest source of smog-forming emissions in the state by 2020surpassing cars! Many of these products contain high concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to California’s poor air quality and are associated with cancer-causing chemicals.

What’s stored below our kitchen sinks can make us sick and pollute the air. California should be the first state to take the leap forward to eliminate toxics and smog-forming chemicals that we use to clean our homes.

The California Air Resources Board is scheduled to take action on an updated regulation for a wide-array of consumer products today, June 26th, in Sacramento. Although the current proposed regulation includes some cleaning product categories, the proposal fails to include some of the worst pollution offenders, including degreasers, non-aerosol glass and multipurpose cleaners, products that are commonly used in the home and workplace. Adding these product categories to the regulation could double the expected pollution reductions expected with the current proposal.

The Coalition for Clean Air is working alongside other clean air advocates, asthma coalitions, housecleaning associations and the largest union representing janitors in the state, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1877, to urge the State Air Board to include these products in the regulation. Workers and health advocates see a tremendous opportunity to tackle toxics and smog-forming emissions. It’s exciting to know that since green cleaning products are one of the fastest growing sectors of the cleaning products industry, effective State Air Board action could provide a real win-win situation for consumers, workers and the cleaning products industry.