Toxic Chemicals Crackdown

New Report Shows Big Retailers Cracking Down on Toxic Chemicals in Consumer Products But Others Remain Serious Laggards

Report Reveals Significant Improvements to Chemical Policies at Target, CVS and Best Buy

**SEE THE FULL REPORT HERE** 

Washington, DC – Today, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families released a new report, "Who's Minding the Store? -- A Report Card on Retailer Actions to Eliminate Toxic Chemicals," the first major evaluation of the United States' largest retailers' safer chemicals programs.  The investigation revealed that while some leading retailers are making significant progress to move the market away from toxic chemicals, other top retailers remain serious laggards. Major U.S. retailers earned grades ranging from B for good progress to F for failing to develop and make public even basic safer chemical policies.  The average grade was a D+, indicating a significant need for improvement by retailers to meet rising consumer demand for safer products.

Of the eleven retailers evaluated, three retail leaders are setting the pace for the entire sector by making meaningful progress toward safer chemicals and products. Walmart, Target, and CVS Health received the highest grades and have developed and made public the most robust safer chemical management programs during the past three years. Meanwhile, other large retailers remain serious laggards. Amazon, Costco, and Albertsons all earned failing grades.  Amazon received the lowest grade of any retailer evaluated, accruing only 7.5 out of 130 possible points.  Meanwhile, Amazon's market share is rapidly growing and the company is projected to soon be the biggest retailer of apparel and electronics in the U.S. 

Retailers were graded on a scale of 0 to 130 points, and a corresponding letter grading scale was developed to match the points. Grades were assigned based on publicly available information concerning retailer policies and self-reported information concerning retailer practices. We also reached out to retailers, giving them an opportunity to review their draft score and provide additional information. Below is a full list of the retailers with their letter and corresponding number grades, ranked from the highest to the lowest graded companies:

1. Walmart Stores (Walmart and Sam's Club):  B (78.5 points)

2. Target: B (76.5)

3. CVS Health: C (53)

4. Best Buy: C- (41)

5. The Home Depot: D+ (35.5)

6. Lowe's: D (29.5)

7. Walgreens: D (29.5)

8. Kroger: D- (15.5)

9. Albertsons: F (12.5)

10. Costco: F (9.5)

11. Amazon: F (7.5)

The report card reveals for the first time significant improvements made to Target's chemical policy over the past year.  The company: 1) Added cosmetics to the categories of products covered by its policy; 2) Expanded the list of chemicals subject to its policy to include chemicals banned in cosmetics in the European Union and Canada; 3) Significantly improved its evaluation of suppliers' transparency practices, particularly a new way for Target to evaluate fragrance ingredients against its restricted substance list; and 4) Added new criteria pushing suppliers to publicly disclose their fragrance palette, allergens in fragrance, and nanomaterials.

The report card also reveals for the first time that CVS Health has become the first pharmacy chain in the country to become a signatory to the Chemical Footprint Project.  Additionally, CVS Health has pledged to publicly disclose its restricted list of chemicals in 2017.  Best Buy also disclosed it is developing a safer chemicals policy, restricted substance list, and manufacturing restricted substance list, to drive harmful chemicals out of electronics.

In addition, SCHF provided recommendations for retailers including developing public written safer chemical policies, reducing and eliminating toxic chemicals, embracing "radical transparency," and requiring reputable third-party safer chemicals standards such as "Safer Choice" and "Made Safe" aimed at promoting healthier products.

Mike Schade, Mind the Store Campaign Director of Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, and report co-author said, "As the holiday shopping season approaches, consumers should pay close attention to how big retailers are tackling toxic chemicals.  Our new report found that some giant retailers like Walmart, Target, and CVS are taking meaningful and concrete steps to systematically drive toxic chemicals out of products.  However, too many others like Amazon, Costco, Albertsons and Kroger have failed to make public even basic safer chemical policies. The eleven retailers we evaluated have combinedsales of over one trillion dollars, a market power that can transform the toxic chemical economy."

Mike Belliveau, Executive Director of Environmental Health Strategy and Senior Advisor to Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, and report co-author, said, "Big retailers are on the frontline of consumer discontent with product safety.  Parents are more aware than ever that our chemical safety system is badly broken.  When out shopping, no one should have to worry that the shampoo, lotions, cleaners, clothing, shoes, or home electronics contain toxic ingredients that could harm their family's health.  Retailers must send a stronger signal up their supply chains - no more toxic ingredients. And consumers should use this report card to decide which retailers to patronize.  Where would you rather shop, at a retailer that scores a B or the retailer with a red F for failure to ensure their safety of their products?" 

For more information go to: http://www.RetailerReportCard.org

For interviews with Mike Schade, please contact CJ Frogozo at cj@drakecomms.us or 310 570 2622

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Toxic Worries? SafeMarkets.org Website Helps Find Safer Products

New website contains info on toxic  chemicals in products; testing results

Information gathered by advocates investigating toxic chemicals in food, baby products, toys, furniture, construction materials and other consumer goods was unveiled on a brand new website today to help shoppers,  including families, builders, and others, learn how to identify potentially harmful products and find safer ones. SafeMarkets.org reflects the work of many organizations that are working to remove toxic chemicals from the marketplace and promote an economy based on safe, sustainable products.

"People assume that if a product is on store shelves, that it is safe, and unfortunately that couldn't be further from the truth. While we wait for urgent reform of our nation's chemicals regulations, it has fallen on moms and dads to become educated on how to protect themselves and their families from toxic chemicals in our homes, schools and hospitals," explains Mike Schade, work group leader for the National Work Group for Safe Markets (WSM) and markets campaign coordinator with Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ). "We have been sounding the alarm on toxic chemicals in back to school products for several years now, particularly lunchboxes, backpacks and other items made from vinyl-- a type of plastic with many hazardous ingredients including  phthalates which are linked to asthma and reproductive harm. Parents shopping for their children's supplies can find links to CHEJ's 2013 safer school supplies guide on Safemarkets.org"

"This new website is a one-stop shop to provide information for consumers, retailers and manufacturers that are demanding safer products," adds Beverley Thorpe, also a WSM co-leader and consulting  co-director for  for Clean Production Action (CPA). "Here at CPA, we've  developed  the 'GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals' that helps manufacturers and retailers figure out how to choose safer chemicals  for their products. This and our BizNGO Guide to Safer Chemicals helps companies adopt safer chemicals.   This new site will help companies find these resources and more.

"With toxic flame retardant chemicals in so many things, including upholstered furniture, many baby products, and so many other common household items, even some brands of soda, it's hard to get through the day without being exposed to them. These chemicals have been linked to neurological problems, infertility, endocrine disruption, even cancer. That's why it's crucial for consumers to educate themselves before they buy. This new site really has what we know all in one place." says Kathy Curtis, National Coordinator of the Alliance for Toxic Free Fire Safety.

"People of color are disproportionately impacted by toxic chemicals," explains Michele Roberts with the Environmental Health and Justice Alliance,"So it is particularly important for us to have access to information about toxics in products marketed to us. SafeMarkets.org is a good start for gaining information on many products in our homes. We look forward to information on personal care products marketed to ethnic markets to be included here in the future."

Jamie McConnell, director of programs and policy for Women's Voices for the Earth and member of  Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. comments: "We've tested household products and found carcinogens and other harmful ingredients in cleansers, detergent, room fresheners and other everyday items used in many homes.