A coalition of businesses and organizations representing a broad swath of the economy, including ISSA, the American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN), the Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA), Change Chemistry, the American Cleaning Institute, the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), and the Alternative Fuels & Chemicals Coalition (AFCC), have come together to express their united support for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safer Choice program. “ISSA has long been a strong supporter of the EPA’s Safer Choice program,” said Meché C. Ragland, ISSA Regulatory Affairs Manager. “We recognize the program’s value in driving innovation, promoting safer chemistry, and empowering consumers and businesses to make informed choices. We are proud to stand alongside our industry partners in advocating for the continued strength and effectiveness of this important initiative.” 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 Safer Choice label is a beacon of trust for consumers and has been for the last decade,” said David Levine, American Sustainable Business Network co-founder and president. “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. We have been defending EPA’s Design For the Environment (DFE) and subsequent Safer Choice programs since 2014, and will continue to lead this effort.” 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 business community’s support for the program is evident in a coalition letter signed by over 200 businesses, investors ,and organizations, including ASBN members Ecos, Seventh Generation, and Naturepedic. “We are proud to stand by the EPA’s historic foresight in building up this incredibly impactful program that sets American products apart from competitors, and we are ready to defend the Safer Choice program,” said Barry Cik, Naturepedic founder and technical director. “This program is a nonpartisan win-win for businesses and consumers, and we urge the EPA to maintain its commitment to protecting human and environmental health through this vital initiative.” 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. “EPA’s Safer Choice program has been incredibly beneficial for both American consumers and businesses,” said Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, ECOS president and CEO. “This nonpartisan program is critical for reducing toxins in homes and workplaces across the U.S., and it gives American manufacturers like ECOS the opportunity to compete globally with this powerful certification program.”
ISSA is seeking the cleaning industry’s expertise with a research project, Making Safer Choices, that ISSA has started through a partnership with the Penn State College of Medicine and City University of New York School of Medicine. As part of a US$1.2 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ISSA aims to drive the adoption of EPA-certified Safer Choice products across Pennsylvania and New York. To begin this work, ISSA is seeking to connect with building service decision-makers across Pennsylvania and New York to participate in a brief survey that provides a high-level overview of their cleaning products and practices. The information provided will be used to help develop tool kits and provide information about the proper cleaning of facilities, ultimately helping individuals and building management choose products that are safe for the built environment nationwide. Professionals in New York and Pennsylvania who clean buildings and deliver or manufacture cleaning products can take the Making Safer Choices Survey. In addition, building and facility operators in New York and Pennsylvania also can take the survey. Survey options include: Option 1 – If your company creates or delivers cleaning products in New York and Pennsylvania, click here. Then enter this code: RAXMPD79J Option 2 – If your company cleans buildings in New York and Pennsylvania, click here. Then enter this code: E3NHEXHYN Option 3 – If your company operates buildings and facilities that need to be cleaned in New York and Pennsylvania, click here. Then enter this code: M9X3A3YX9 All qualifying survey participates from New York and Pennsylvania will receive a $25 e-gift card from the Making Safer Choices project. Please leave your email address at the prompt at the end of the survey so you can receive your $25 e-gift card. For more information about the Making Safer Choices program, click here. If you have any questions, please contact makingsaferchoices@issa.com.
