New York to require disclosure of chemicals in cleaning products

Abstract

New York is poised to become the first U.S. state to require manufacturers to disclose ingredients in household cleaning products. Under a regulation proposed on April 25 by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D), manufacturers would be required to reveal all of the chemicals, including impurities, in cleaning products sold in New York. In addition, manufacturers would have to provide a range of how much of each chemical by weight is in their cleaning products. Companies would need to display the information on their websites, which will eventually be linked to a database called the Interstate Chemicals Clearinghouse. “These new regulations will help protect New Yorkers and give them the peace of mind of knowing what’s in their homes and in their communities,” Cuomo says. The American Cleaning Institute, a trade group for the U.S. soaps and detergents industry, claims that manufacturers already provide “detailed information online about the ingredients in