More Than 3,000 Businesses Unite in the Belief That Meaningful Reform Can Spur Economic Growth While Protecting Families
BURLINGTON, VT--(Marketwired - Mar 19, 2015) - Seventh Generation, the nation's leading brand of non-toxic and renewable bio-based household, baby and personal care solutions, calls on Congress to strengthen the country's outdated chemical policy.
Seventh Generation, along with the American Sustainable Business Council, are founding members of Companies for Safer Chemicals, a group of the country's leading consumer brands -- 3,000 businesses strong -- joining together to press Congress to modernize the nation's ineffective chemical safety laws. Strong lobbying by other industry groups has given policymakers the impression that business is monolithic in its support for weak legislation. Companies for Safer Chemicals makes a business argument for strong reforms that support the industry innovating safer and cleaner products.
"When Members of Congress talk about regulating industry, too often they forget about small and medium sized businesses that have embraced good business practices. Seventh Generation stands as proof that cost-effective products that not only meet consumer demands, but are increasingly demanded by consumers, can be formulated and manufactured without chemicals of concern," said Ashley Orgain, Seventh Generation's manager of mission advocacy and outreach at a Senate press conference on Tuesday.
Seventh Generation and the coalition have serious reservations about the current version of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (FLCSA). As the debate with FLCSA proceeds, Seventh Generation stands with our coalition of more than 3,000 business partners as well as our allies in the consumer protection and environmental health community to call for the following limited improvements to FLCSA:
Businesses would benefit from these improvements because: 1) it would reduce the costs and risks associated with managing chemicals in products and across supply chains; 2) it would lower expenses from chemically-induced illness and enhance productivity among our employees; 3) it would improve transparency and communication throughout the supply chain, leading to increased confidence for downstream users; 4) along those lines, it would help us identify chemicals of high concern to human health or the environment so we can remove them from our supply chain and avoid them in our products; and 5) perhaps most importantly, it would increase trust among consumers -- and our employees, communities, and investors.
We are hopeful that we can work with members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to address these changes to the current iteration of FLCSA so we can best protect the public from toxic chemicals.
About Seventh Generation
Established in 1988, in Burlington, Vermont, Seventh Generation is one of the nation's leading brands of household and personal care products. The company lives its commitment to "care today for seven generations of tomorrows," with products formulated to provide mindful solutions for the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets and people within your home -- and for the community and environment outside of it. A pioneer in corporate responsibility, Seventh Generation continually evaluates ways to reduce its environmental impact, increase performance and safety, and create a more sustainable supply chain. To learn more about Seventh Generation products and business practices, locate a retailer in your area, or review Seventh Generation's Corporate Consciousness Report, visit www.seventhgeneration.com.
Contact Information:
CONTACT:
Brandi Thomas
Seventh Generation
bst@seventhgeneration.com
(802) 658-3773 ext. 760