Household Product Labeling Act of 2009

In July 2009, the Household Product Labeling Act of 2009 (H.R. 3057), was introduced by Congressman Steve Israel (D-NY). Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate, The Household Product Labeling Act (S. 1697). This legislation requires any household cleaning product or related product to carry a label on the container or packaging containing a full and accurate list of all of the product’s ingredients.

According to Congressman Israel’s bill, a household cleaning product that is manufactured for sale, offered for sale, distributed in commerce, or imported to the United States without the proper label will be treated as a as misbranded hazardous substance under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, effective one year after the day of enactment. This legislation will be enforced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The bill defines a household cleaning product or similar product as “Any substance which is customarily produced and distributed for use in or about the household as a cleaning agent, pesticide, epoxy, paint or stain, or similar substance.”

You have the right to know the ingredients that are present in the household cleaning products you use and the substances in these products that you and your family are exposed to on a regular basis.

Congressman Steve Israel (D-NY) and Karen Joy Miller discuss the lack of information on commonly used household products.