skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

New Report Uncovers The “Dirt” On CA Cleaning Companies

play audio
Play

Monday, October 6, 2008   

Sacramento, CA - Calling it a "dirty secret," consumer advocates want manufacturers to come clean about the chemicals used in their cleaning products. A new report from Women's Voices for the Earth graded leading manufacturers on their use of potentially-toxic chemicals, how they disclose the ingredients they use, and how they respond to consumer concerns.

Two California-based companies, the makers of "Simple Green" and the Clorox company, failed the test. Erin Thompson of Women's Voices for the Earth says they want companies to develop a formal policy on ingredient disclosure that goes beyond what's required by law. Currently, companies are only required to list "chemicals of known concern" on their labels.

"Ultimately, we want companies to remove potentially harmful ingredients from their products, but we also believe it's really important for consumers to know what is in their products and be able to make these choices themselves."

Thompson says since the long-term effects of exposure to many of the chemicals is unknown, many people are choosing homemade products using non-toxic ingredients, such as vinegar and baking soda.

"When you're making your own products, you know exactly what ingredients you're putting into those products. You've got full access to exactly what is going into that product, and that's a good short-term solution."

Thompson says there are hidden ingredients in cleaning products that have been linked to low birth weight, infertility and asthma.

Manufacturers maintain they thoroughly test all ingredients and that anything can be toxic if too much is used. They say their products are safe if the directions are followed. Consumer advocates say it's the cumulative effect of unlisted chemicals that can be harmful, and users need more information to be able to make informed decisions. The group is collecting signatures for a petition that requires cleaning product manufacturers to fully disclose all ingredients on their labels.

For more information online, visit www.womenandenvironment.org.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
A report from the Tennessee HealthCare Campaign recommended the federal government needs to strengthen 340B drug pricing and other federal negotiation mechanisms to make needed medicines more readily available and less expensive for hospitals to purchase and administer. (Spotmatikphoto/AdobeStock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …


Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…


Nearly 13 million Americans receive health coverage through unique plans under both Medicare and Medicaid. They are known as Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

Social Issues

play sound

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …

More than six in 10 Americans favor keeping the abortion pill mifepristone available in the U.S. as a prescription drug, while over a third are opposed, according to a Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

New research shows more than six in 10 abortions in the U.S. last year were medically induced, and U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto - D-NV - is …

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …

Social Issues

play sound

Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021