Walmart, the world's largest retailer, recently announced a major initiative to address consumer concerns about harmful chemicals in its products. The first step is to work with its suppliers to compile a list of 10 harmful substances and work together to phase out their use.
This list will be released once Walmart and its suppliers have discussed and decided which safer chemicals to replace them. This sustainable chemistry in consumables initiative will prioritize addressing harmful substances in household cleaning products, cosmetics, and personal care products sold by Walmart and its subsidiary Sam’s Club in the United States.
The hazardous chemicals in these products will be assessed based on their substitutability, intended use, and impact. Under this policy, Walmart will also comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Design for Environment (DfE) guidelines for labeling its own-brand cleaning products. Since January 2015, these guidelines have required suppliers of certain product categories to disclose product ingredients on their websites. Walmart further requires suppliers to place this disclosure information on product labels. From 2018 onwards, products still containing chemicals of very high concern must disclose these chemical components on their product packaging labels.
Walmart will regularly review this priority chemicals list and, in accordance with DfE recommendations, expand the ban on these chemicals to more product categories. Starting in 2014, Walmart will begin monitoring the reduction, restriction, and complete replacement of these priority chemicals in its products, with a progress report to be made available to consumers in January 2016.
Walmart emphasizes that this initiative aims to make Walmart a leader in both "consumer concern" and "green chemistry," while also providing better service to consumers. This chemical policy is also one of Walmart's Sustainability Index indicators, currently involving over 1,000 partner suppliers, with the number expected to reach 5,000 by the end of the year.
Sources: Chemical Watch (2013-09-13)
