Greening Our Supermarkets
SB 443 (Pavley), as amended, seeks to implement a health assessment (Health Assessment), conducted by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazards Assessments (OEHHA), of the potential health and safety hazards related to the use of corrosive and hazardous chemicals currently used in cleaning California’s supermarkets.
The Legislation
OEHHA, per its mandate to protect and enhance public health and the environment by scientific evaluation of risks posed by hazardous substances, would initiate a health assessment of the chemicals in cleaning products currently used California’s supermarkets. OEHHA would examine these products to assess their potentially hazardous impacts on consumers, food safety and the environment in supermarkets. In its final report, EOHAA may provide a public health warning and/or alternatives to the chemicals and cleaning products currently used.
This bill will also make mandatory, a one-time “fee for doing business”, applied to and paid for by Supermarkets in California, by a set date, as a means to offset costs of the Health Assessment.
The Problem
Despite the broad public attention currently focused on green products, organic foods, and safer cleaning standards, California supermarkets are using toxic and corrosive cleaning chemicals near open and packaged food products despite the existence of safer and healthier chemicals and cleaning methods.
Potential Risks to Food Safety. Unfortunately there is little research on the use of toxic chemicals in supermarkets. According to a recent report by the Consumers Union, “only a fraction of the chemicals out there have been fully tested for safety and efficacy.” However, studies of key chemical ingredients clearly document hazards to the environment, and worker health and safety reports reveal the dangerous effects of these chemicals on humans.
Documented Dangers of Chemicals to Janitors. Workers cleaning supermarkets have reported a number of adverse effects from the chemicals they use daily. Some of the currently used chemicals eat away at the janitors’ clothing and the soles of their shoes. In addition, janitors report constant headaches, eye irritation for days at a time, shortness of breath, persistent coughing, serious rashes and skin burns. The hazardous ingredients in these cleaners are often inhaled, absorbed through direct skin contact and can even be absorbed by the skin through emitted vapors.
Documented Environmental Hazards. Key ingredients commonly used to clean markets are well documented by the EPA and are known to have significant negative impacts on the environment. One-third of cleaning products today include ingredients that have a negative impact on indoor air quality and human health. These ingredients may include carcinogens, asthmagens, skin and eye irritants, and endocrine disruptors associated with cancer, reproductive disorders and other human health issues.
Among these is 2-Butoxyethanol, a carcinogen that is known to cause reproductive damage, as well as liver and kidney damage and can break down red blood cells. While this compound is on California’s list of hazardous substances it continues to be included in as an active ingredient in cleaning products in the State.
Food Industry Falling Behind on Safety
Safer alternatives have already been championed by some government and private industries – commercial real estate, public schools and some restaurant facilities – recognizing the benefits to the public, employees and the environment. Yet, the supermarket industry has shown little initiative in implementing standards to protect consumers and workers. It would not be hard for supermarkets to follow the lead of others.