Greening of Consumer Products

April, 2 2008

"Green Fatigue" common as consumers are bombarded with negative climate change stories

Design Week - Mar 26

A term has already been created to describe growing public cynicism and boredom with all things eco: 'Green fatigue'. If 2007 was the year the public finally 'got' climate change, 2008 looks like it might be the year of the ethical backlash, according to this article. The majority of the public is bombarded every day with negative climate change stories in the news and Green fatigue is becoming a serious issue that brands must react to.

Many green product claims demonstrably misleading according to report

Huntington Goes Green Blog - Mar 31

An overwhelming majority of environmental marketing claims in North America are inaccurate, inappropriate, or unsubstantiated according to a 2007 report by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing. Using metrics from the Federal Trade Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency, TerraChoice concluded that all but one of the claims, out of more than 1000 products reviewed, raised red flags. Ranging from cleaning and personal care products to televisions and printers, the report concluded that the claims in question are "...either demonstrably false or that risk misleading intended audiences."

Report details consumer packaging trends and product branding

News Release Wire - Mar 26

There has been a significant increase in the use of environmental claims in product marketing, including "green" claims concerning product packaging. Everyone has a different spin on what they think the consumer wants and needs. The following report explores consumer packaging trends and product branding, focusing on the latest packaging trends and its impact on consumer purchasing behavior.

Consumer demand rising for environmentally friendly cleaning options

Forbes - Mar 31

More shoppers are now looking for environmentally friendly cleaning options, and industry watchers say that's changing rapidly. Green cleaners still make up just about 1 percent of the entire cleaning market. But sales in the category have grown more than 20 percent in the past year, according to SPINS, a market research firm for the natural products industry.

Prescription medicines of unknown origin raise consumer concerns

Los Angeles Times - Mar 31

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently found that some heparin ingredients produced in a Chinese factory had been contaminated with a man-made chemical called oversulfated chondroitin sulfate. The substance mimics the blood-thinning actions of heparin but is cheaper to produce. It's still unclear how the chemical got into the heparin batches, but investigators aren't ruling out the possibility that a Chinese supplier tried to boost its profit by substituting the cheaper chemical for real heparin ingredients. The FDA doesn't currently require drug companies to disclose where prescription medicines come from, and users thus have no idea where their medication actually may have originated.

Schenectady, New York considers Styrofoam ban

Schenectady Daily Gazette - Mar 29

Schenectady NY Councilwoman Barbara Blanchard is researching whether it would be feasible to ban Styrofoam in the city. Several US cities have implemented similar bans including Berkeley California, and Portland Oregon, who were among the first cities to prohibit polystyrene food packaging. Several other California jurisdictions have instituted similar bans, including San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Santa Monica, Malibu, San Clemente and Sonoma County. Similar restrictions have also been passed in Suffolk County and in Freeport, Maine.

California Bills on Packaging and Consumer Products

SB 899, which was introduced and passed the Senate last year, would prohibit, on and after June 1, 2015, a person from manufacturing, processing, or distributing in commerce a product plastic packaging containing styrene, bisphenol-A, perflourooctanoic acid, vinyl chloride, nonylphenol, or alkylphenolperfluorinated compounds. “Plastic packaging” is defined as any plastic package having a relatively inflexible finite shape or form, with a minimum capacity of eight fluid ounces or its equivalent volume and a maximum capacity of five fluid gallons or its equivalent volume, that is capable of maintaining its shape while holding other products, including, but not limited to, bottles, cartons, and other receptacles, for sale or distribution in the state.

AB 1879, introduced in February 2008, would to authorized the California Department of Toxic Substances Control to regulate the sale of products, including consumer products, containing chemicals known to be hazardous to the health of California’s citizens and to the environment.

SB 1230, introduced in February 2008, would, prohibit the use, sale, manufacture, or distribution for sale July 1, 2010 of any cleaning agent, if that product contains more than 0.5% phosphorus by weight, except as specified unless excepted. Exemptions include products with up to 8.7% phosphorus used (i) for commercial dishwashing machines, (ii) for beverage or food processing equipment, (iii) for industrial sanitizer, brightener, or acid cleaner or metal, (iv) in hospitals or health care facilities, veterinary hospitals or clinics, agricultural or dairy production, or the manufacture of health care supplies, (v) in a commercial laundry that provides laundry services for a hospital, health care facility, or veterinary hospital, (vi) by industry for metal cleaning or conditioning, (vii) in any medical, biological, chemical, engineering, or other laboratory, including those associated with any academic or research institution, and (viii) for cleaning hard surfaces, including household cleansers for windows, sinks, counters, ovens, tubs, or other food preparation surfaces and plumbing fixtures.

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