Congress is closer to passing one of the most sweeping consumer bills in history, but more controversial obstacles, along with one very vocal anti-consumer representative, may stand in the way of the legislation being sent to President Bush's desk, according to Consumer Affairs. About a dozen Senators and Representatives are working on the differences between the Senate and House versions of the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act, agreed on nine more provisions in the legislation.

It's been 10 years since the FTC updated their marketing guidelines for so-called "green products" and it's a free for all in the marketplace, with manufacturers trying to one up each other to have the greenest products on the market. The following Green Consumer's Guide offers tips on how to avoid deceptive product labeling.

A bill that would ban PVC packaging is being submitted to the California Legislature because of environmental and health concerns. Tim Shestek, a spokesman for the American Chemistry Council, disputed the contention that PVC is a toxic material. The ACC wants legislators to reject the bill, and said greenhouse-gas emissions would increase if PVC were phased out because replacement plastics require more energy in production.

California's Department of Toxic Substances Control is facing criticism for missing a deadline to make recommendations to the California Environmental Protection Agency on how to better protect the public from toxic chemicals. The chemical industry, meanwhile, is concerned about the criteria for banning a chemical. "You could probably claim any sort of chemical is hazardous," said Tim Shestek, state public affairs director for the American Chemistry Council. "You have to look at how a chemical is used, at potential pathways for exposure."

Consumers accept nanotechnology in nutrition for packaging and, to a lesser extent, even the food itself, according to Science Daily, which cites a study from ETH Zurich’s Institute for Environmental Decisions. Nanotechnology has joined gene and information technology in becoming a pinnacle of hope for research and industry. Nanoparticles, however, are considered as highly reactive and it is not yet clear whether under certain conditions they can get the better of protective mechanisms and have a toxic impact on the body.

An Organic baby care manufacturer in the UK claims to be the first UK-based toiletries company to use one hundred per cent recycled bottles. Beaming Baby has followed in the footsteps of drinks manufacturer Innocent and is moving its whole product range over to the recycled container. In addition to being 100 per cent recycled, the bottles are also fully recyclable. However, the system is not without difficulties, including the possible variation in color of the resulting bottle. Beaming Baby has said it hopes that other personal care companies will follow suit and the increased demand for the products, which should help to solve supply and cost issues.

A former L'Oreal executive has accused the company of using ingredients in markets where they are banned and of selling products that contain unlawfully high levels of preservatives. Jerome Chevalier claims that he was harassed and ultimately dismissed by L'Oreal USA after he complained about the company's allegedly unlawful activities. The former head of regulatory affairs has filed a suit against L'Oreal USA in Union County Court, New Jersey. According to Chevalier, products from the company's Maybelline range containing dibutyl phthalate were being sold in South America, where the ingredient is banned.