New York Launches Disclosure Program Intended to Protect Consumers from Chemicals in Household Cleaning Products

On June 6, 2018, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) released its final policy and form for manufacturer disclosures under the Household Cleansing Product Information Disclosure Program.  The Disclosure Program is similar to the recently enacted California Cleaning Product Right to Know Act of 2017 which requires the disclosure of cleaning product ingredients by way of website or product label.  The Household Cleansing Product Information Disclosure Program requires manufacturers of cleaning products sold in New York to disclose chemical ingredients and identify any ingredients that appear on authoritative lists of chemicals of concern on their websites.  New York states that it “will be the first state in the nation to require such disclosure and the State’s program goes beyond initiatives in other states by requiring the robust disclosure of byproducts and contaminants, as well as chemicals with the potential to trigger asthma in adults and children.”  NYSDEC has posted the Household Cleansing Product Information Disclosure Program Certification Form and Program Policy and a response to comments.

Our recent memorandum provides an in-depth review of important information from the Disclosure Program Certification Form and Program Policy, including covered products and definitions, information to be disclosed, the lists of chemicals of concern covered by the Program, and the effective dates.  With the first disclosures due July 1, 2019, manufacturers need to review the Program Policy and begin compiling information concerning the ingredients of their products.