As the new Trump administration plans to make big cuts across the federal government, a coalition of over 200 businesses, investors, and organizations has issued a letter expressing united support for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safer Choice program. This voluntary program, which labels cleaning products meeting stringent safety and environmental standards, is seen by businesses as a vital tool for communicating product safety to consumers.
The coalition includes the American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN); the Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA); ISSA – The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association; Change Chemistry; the American Cleaning Institute; the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility (ICCR); and the Alternative Fuels & Chemicals Coalition (AFCC).
According to the coalition, plans to transition the Safer Choice program to the private sector proposed by Project 2025 have sparked concerns among businesses that the program’s credibility and effectiveness could be undermined.
“The Safer Choice label is a beacon of trust for consumers and has been for the last decade,” said David Levine, co-founder and president of the ASBN. “It signifies that a product has undergone rigorous scrutiny by the EPA and meets high standards for human and environmental health. Privatizing this program would jeopardize its integrity and open the door for greenwashing.”
The coalition letter highlights the Safer Choice program’s numerous benefits, including its role in incentivizing product innovation, promoting safer chemistry, complementing federal, state, and retailer efforts to enhance product safety, and providing businesses with an efficient and effective way to communicate with consumers. The coalition is calling on the EPA to maintain the program’s integrity and ensure its continued success.
The letter, including a list of signatories, is available here.
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