Chair, Senate Committee on Environmental Quality

{Date}

Senator Bob Wieckowski

Chair, Senate Committee on Environmental Quality

State Capitol, Room 2205

Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: SB 258 (Lara)-- SUPPORT

Dear Chairperson Wieckowski:

On behalf of {YOUR ORGANIZATION}, I write to express my strong support for Senate Bill 258. This bill will require manufactures of cleaning products to disclose the ingredients in their products to consumerson the label and on their website.

{A PARAGRAPH ABOUT YOUR GROUP AND WHY YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS BILL}

While the chemicals in cleaners, air fresheners, bleach, and disinfectantsmake our dishes, bathrooms and countertops gleam, smell good and germ-free, many also contribute to indoor air pollution, are poisonous if ingested, and can be harmful if inhaled or touched. Some cleaning products cause immediate hazards such as skin or respiratory irritation, watery eyes, or chemical burns. Others are associated with chronic, or long-term, effects such as cancer. In fact, some cleaners are among the most toxic products found in the home of consumers and families.

Unlike food, retail cosmetics and drugs, manufacturers are not legally required to disclose ingredients in most cleaning products. Scientific studies have shown that toxic chemicals from cleaning products can be found in urine, breast milk, and blood – including the umbilical cord blood of newborns. The unsafe chemicals in cleaning products can also pollute the environment when sprayed in the air or washed down the drain. The United States Geological Survey found residual chemicals of laundry detergents in 70% of North American streams. Given the serious health implications of these toxic chemicals, we deserve to know what is in the products we use and are exposed to daily. This is crucial not just for consumers and the environment, but also for janitorial workers and domestic cleaners who have frequent, prolonged exposure to these chemicals.

SB 258 provides a clear set of rules for workers, consumers, and companies on how all ingredients should be listed on the package of the item being sold. Additionally, the bill would require health warnings for any toxic ingredient to be displayed on the product label. While this won’t solve all the exposure problems associated with cleaning products, this is a critical first step- one that Californians already thinks is current law and we strongly urge your support for the legislation.

Sincerely,