IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 25, 2009
Mr. ISRAEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To require that household cleaning products and similar products bear a label that contains a complete and accurate list of all the product’s ingredients. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Household Product Labeling Act of 2009’.
SEC. 2. LABELING REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS.
(a) Labeling Requirement- Any household cleaning product or similar product shall bear a label on the product’s container or packaging that contains a complete and accurate list of all the product’s ingredients. Beginning on the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, any household cleaning product or similar product that is manufactured for sale, offered for sale, distributed in commerce, or imported to the United States without such a label shall be treated as a misbranded hazardous substance within the meaning of section 2(p) of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (15 U.S.C. 1261(p))
(b) Definition of Household Cleaning Product or Similar Product- As used in this Act, the term “household cleaning product or similar product’ means any substance which is customarily produced and distributed for use in or about a household as a cleaning agent, pesticide, epoxy, paint or stain, or similar substance
(c) Rulemaking Authority- The Consumer Product Safety Commission may issue such regulations as it determines necessary to provide for the effective enforcement of this Act, including regulations which expand on or exempt from the definition in subsection (b) any product or product category.
Mr. President,
Today I am introducing my second bill, the Household Product Labeling Act. This legislation will enable consumers to determine whether potentially harmful chemicals are present in the household cleaning products they use every day. I want to first thank my colleague in the House, Representative Israel of New York’s 2nd District, for his leadership on this issue and for the tremendous work he put into helping to craft this bill.
In many households across the country, the entire family pitches in on household cleaning chores. The effort is obviously intended to keep everyone healthy by cutting down on germs, bacteria, and mold. But unfortunately, many of the ingredients in commonly used cleaning products may be dangerous themselves. Current law requires that product labels list immediately hazardous ingredients, but there is no labeling requirement for ingredients that may cause harm over time.
Many chemicals contained in household products have been shown to produce harmful health effects. Consumers have a right to know which of these potentially harmful chemicals might be present in their kitchen and bathroom cupboards. This information is particularly important to families with small children, who as we all know have more direct contact with floors and household surfaces. This legislation simply makes that information readily available to consumers, giving them the opportunity to make an informed choice about the chemicals they bring into their homes.
How many times have you heard on the news or read in the paper about a new drug or chemical that has been recently linked to health or environmental hazards? It happens all the time. An ingredient that a company claims is “perfectly safe” today could be reclassified as “dangerous” tomorrow. And an ingredient that is safe for most people could be a major irritant for a child with asthma. Eventually, I hope that manufacturers will take pre-emptive action and eliminate potentially harmful chemicals from their products. In the meantime, this legislation is a common sense step in the right direction.
I urge my colleagues to support the “Household Product Labeling Act” and give consumers the right to shield their families from potentially harmful household products.
Senator Al Franken, D-MN
S.1697 - Household Product Labeling Act of 2009
A bill to require that household cleaning products and similar products bear labels that state completely and accurately all of the ingredients of such products, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘Household Product Labeling Act of 2009’.
SEC. 2. LABELING REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS.
(a) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) CONSUMER PRODUCT.--The term “consumer product” has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2052).
(2) COVERED PRODUCTS.--The term “covered products” consists of the following consumer products:
(A) Household cleaning products.
(B) Air fresheners and deodorizers.
(C) Floor and furniture polish.
(D) Dishwashing soap.
(E) Drain cleaners.
(F) Laundry detergent and dryer sheets.
(G) Epoxies.
(H) Paints or stains.
(I) Any other similar consumer product designated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for purposes of this Act.
(3) INGREDIENTS.--The term “ingredients”, with respect to a covered product, includes any fragrance, dye, or preservative, and any component of such fragrance, dye, or preservative, included in such product.
(4) INTERSTATE COMMERCE.--The term “interstate commerce” has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (15 U.S.C. 1261).
(5) LABEL.--The term “label” has the meaning given such term in such section 2.
(b) Labeling Requirement.—
(1) IN GENERAL.--Each covered product introduced or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce shall bear a label that states completely, accurately, and legibly all of the ingredients of such product.
(2) STANDARD LIST OF INGREDIENTS.--The Consumer Product Safety Commission shall prescribe in the rules required by subsection (d) a standardized list of the ingredients known to be included in covered products in order to ensure the uniform statement of ingredients on covered products in labels on covered products under this Act.
(c) Enforcement.--Beginning on the date that is 540 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, any covered product that is introduced or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce in violation of subsection (b) shall be treated as a misbranded hazardous substance within the meaning of section 2(p) of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (15 U.S.C. 1261(p)).
(d) Rulemaking.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Consumer Product Safety Commission shall prescribe rules to carry out this Act.
