The State of New York Issues Guidelines for Cleaning Products

At the beginning of June, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) published a cleaning product disclosure policy. The policy requires manufacturers to disclose the contents of cleaning products that they want to sell in New York State and provide the public with information on the contents on corporate Web sites. The Department issued a press release on the publication.

As early as last year, the State had accounted that as part of its Household Cleansing Product Information Disclosure Program, it would require more transparency from manufacturers. The policy applies to products like soaps and detergents that are used to clean textiles, dishes, and so on and that can be used for home and commercial purposes. According to Commissioner Basil Seggos of the NYSDEC, the primary goal is consumer protection. The initiative, he said, will “help the State better understand what chemical hazards the public is exposed to, especially from products made in countries with less protective environmental laws than the U.S.”

The policy requires that manufacturers list the name and CAS number of all substances they use, such as fragrances, in the order of their total proportion by weight. They must also list all byproducts, such as 1,4 dioxane, along with substances contained in authoritative lists issued by the State, the United States, or international bodies. The policy also states that the presence of substances that might be contained be-cause of impurities must be listed. Manufacturers are required to provide the following information:

• A toll-free number that consumers can call for more information
• Studies on the health and environmental effects of the contents (as a PDF file)
• Nanosubstances with a particle size between 1 and 100 nanometers (as defined by the new TSCA)

Manufacturers that want to see their products in New York State must meet all the requirements by July 1, 2019. Companies with fewer than 100 employees have until July 1, 2020. Page 20 of the policy gives additional exceptions.

Cleaning agents and other products that come into contact with the skin must be especially safe. You must be concerned with the safety of your products. We are happy to help you at cosmetic@kft.de