CT COALITION LEADER LAUDS WALMART ANNOUNCEMENT TO DECREASE THE USE OF DANGEROUS CHEMICALS

"Timing is right for CT lawmakers to pass bill to protect children”

HARTFORD – In response to global retailer Walmart’s announcement yesterday that they will be requiring companies to reduce and/or eliminate chemicals in personal care products, cosmetics and cleaning products sold in its stores beginning in January 2016, Coalition for a Safe and Healthy CT Coordinator Anne Hulick praised the company and added, "The writing is on the wall that consumers want safe products for their families – I applaud Walmart and its management team for taking this action and look forward to working with CT lawmakers next session to pass a bill that continues this progress and protects children from the many health risks associated with the most egregious of the chemicals used in manufacturing.”

As a major retailer, I am hopeful that others will follow,” said Hulick. "The national movement to protect people from chemicals known to cause harm is gaining more and more momentum.”

Just recently, Proctor and Gamble announced that it was going to eliminate phthalates and triclosan from its personal care products by 2014. Last year, Johnson and Johnson announced that it would phase out phthalates, triclosan, formaldehydes and parabens from the personal care products that it produces.

Hulick said that she’s looking optimistically toward the 2014 Legislative Session to continue to work with lawmakers and the Department of Public Health (DPH) on legislation that aims to reduce their exposure to chemicals linked with many serious illnesses by authorizing DPH to begin reviewing chemicals of "high concern” to children and to make recommendations every two years to the Legislature on how to reduce exposure to the most egregious of these chemicals.

According to Hulick, state action is necessitated by the ineffectiveness of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) that was enacted in 1976. Since then, more than 80,000 chemicals that have been introduced into commerce and only a fraction of those have been safety tested. Bisphenol A (BPA) and certain flame-retardants have been linked with many serious illnesses.

"We can’t just sit around and wait for federal action or keep our fingers crossed that more retailers will follow Walmart’s lead,” said Hulick. "We have a responsibility to our children and their future health to take action now. Major retailers like Wal-Mart and companies such as P&G and J&J don’t taking steps such as these on a whim – they’ve heard from consumers and know that there is a wave of support for safer products on the shelves and this is a good, strategic business move. I hope that announcements such as these give lawmakers the added confidence that taking action will lead to only good things for CT.”