Non-Profits Sue House Cleaning Product Manufacturers for Ingredients Disclosure Court Ruling Could Set Important Consumer Advocacy Precedent
ATLANTA – March 18, 2009 – Earthjustice, the self-proclaimed “attorney for the environment”, is suing Proctor & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Church & Dwight and Reckitt Benckiser. All four manufacturers sell house cleaning products in the State of New York. The firm asserts the companies are in violation of Chapter 6 of the New York Code of Rules and Regulations, which requires disclosure of ingredients for any product sold in the State of New York.
Maid Brigade, the nation’s first professional green cleaning service, lauds the suit for its potential to both effect policy change and build consumer awareness for the health issues surrounding conventional cleaning products.
Common household cleaners contain chemicals that can be damaging to human health and the environment, according to recent research from several independent sources. Some of these chemicals have been linked to asthma, allergies, behavior disorders, reproductive problems, premature puberty, developmental disorders, neurological problems, liver and kidney damage, and cancer.
Potential Legal Precedent for Consumer Protection
Consumers have difficulty discovering what chemical ingredients are in their favorite house cleaning products because the Federal Hazardous Substances Act protects against disclosure of trade secrets such as the fragrance formulas in many products. Under this act manufacturers are not required to disclose the ingredients on the package label, on web sites or anywhere else. The Earthjustice suit could set an interesting precedent for state law superseding federal law with regard to consumer protection and the labeling of packaged goods.
The suit’s plaintiffs are several non-profit organizations, including Sierra Club, the American Lung Association, Women’s Voices for the Earth and Riverkeeper. Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) leads a national effort to reduce women’s exposure to toxic chemicals in cleaning products.
WVE Campaign Manager Erin Thompson-Switalksi says, “Just like people with food allergies can avoid certain products by reading the label, we should be able to avoid products that are known to trigger asthma, cause allergic reactions, or are linked to fertility problems, low birth weight or cancer.”
House Cleaning Service Raises Public Awareness for Earthjustice Suit
The suit caught the attention of Maid Brigade, the industry leader in green cleaning and the sponsor of “Green Clean TV™”, a web video series. “Green Clean TV™” builds consumer awareness for the suit in an online video launched today on YouTube and GreenCleanCertified.com. GreenCleanCertified.com is Maid Brigade’s consumer advocacy channel, helping to educate the public about hidden health risks associated with conventional cleaning products. Maid Brigade’s VP of Marketing Cloud Conrad says, “If consumers understood the health issues associated with conventional cleaning products, they would seek green alternatives. We believe the public should have this information so that they can make informed choices for their families.”
The video can be viewed at www.greencleancertified.com/greentv or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbPb8Exd8gA.
About Maid Brigade
Headquartered in Atlanta, Maid Brigade, Inc. is a global residential cleaning service with more than 400 franchised service areas operating in the United States and Canada. Established in 1979, Maid Brigade remains at the forefront of the residential cleaning industry, commanding a healthy and growing market share every year since its inception. The company responded to reports from the Environmental Protection Agency that indoor environments are up to five times more polluted than the outdoor environment by offering the Green Clean Certified® system nationwide in 2007. Maid Brigade is the first national housecleaning service to develop its own green cleaning system, patterned on Green Seal’s standard for the commercial cleaning industry wherever applicable. For more information, visit www.maidbrigade.com and www.greencleancertified.com or call 888-79-GREEN.
For media inquiries, please contact: Cloud Conrad, Maid Brigade, Inc. at 770-551-9630 x 109 and cconrad@maidbrigade.com.
