Bill Requiring More Details On Cleaning Product Labels Awaits Governor's Pen

Companies that manufacture cleaning products may have to disclose a lot more information about what’s in them, under a proposal passed by California lawmakers. The final version of the bill now headed to the governor includes some compromises.

The bill applies to detergents, disinfectants, floor cleaners, even automotive products—but not items like toothpaste or shampoo.

Industry groups didn’t want to cram cleaning products’ labels with huge lists of chemical names that divulge possible trade secrets. So, after months of negotiating, they’d get some wiggle room, to leave out ingredients that aren’t among the thousands deemed hazardous on official lists.

It was enough to shift groups like the American Cleaning Institute, which initially opposed the bill, to neutral, says vice-president Brian Sansoni.

“The legislation is much more palatable than what was introduced a few months ago,” Sansoni says.

The bill also requires added details about allergens. And fragrance ingredients have to be posted online. If Governor Jerry Brown approves the bill in the next few weeks, the requirements would start phasing in in 2020.