Besides the American Cleaning Institute, ACI will also stand for something else at its 2024 Industry Convention: “Advancing Cleaning Innovation.” Melissa Hockstad, ACI President & CEO, announced the theme for the 2024 Convention during her State of the Association address at the ACI Mid-Year Meeting. The 2024 ACI Convention takes place January 29-February 2 at the Grande Lakes Orlando in Orlando, Florida.
“Given that the ACI Convention historically is the top business-to-business event for the global cleaning product supply chain, our 2024 event will celebrate and highlight the innovations being brought to market in fabric care, cleaning, hygiene and disinfecting,” said Hockstad.
“Throughout the year, ACI works on advancing smart policies, promoting research and scientific tools and supporting commitments to sustainability that all provide avenues for further contributions to health and quality of life through cleaning products and their chemistries. All of this will be highlighted at the 2024 ACI Convention under the banner of ‘Advancing Cleaning Innovation.’”
During her State of the Association address, Hockstad previewed several areas where ACI will be actively engaged in the policy, science, sustainability and outreach arenas during the remainder of 2023:
Front-and-center on 1,4-dioxane: ACI technical expertise on 1,4-dioxane will be on display at the federal and state levels, as the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) plans to release a draft supplement to its previously released 1,4-dioxane risk evaluation, which includes a four-day virtual public meeting in September. California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control is also planning to hold a pre-regulatory workshop on 1,4-dioxane in cleaning, personal care and beauty products this fall.
Ingredient Communication: ACI continues to meet with Members of Congress and staff to highlight the need for a federal standard governing cleaning product ingredient labeling, highlighted by a June 14 fly-in with at least 20 ACI member companies fanning out across Capitol Hill.
Driving Sustainability Forward: Within ACI’s sustainability pillar, Hockstad said “we want to continue to drive and amplify impactful industry action. This includes launching a screening-level Life Cycle Assessment tool for high priority cleaning product ingredients. This tool will help compare common ingredients and serve as the foundation upon which to grow a greater database where members can compare different impact factors.”
Enhancing Powerful Partnerships: ACI will be strengthening its partnerships and alliances with organizations where there are shared goals and messaging:
• ACI is a Gold Sponsor of Safe Kids Worldwide’s PREVCON child injury prevention conference, where ACI will be exhibiting and distributing updated materials to help prevent unintentional access by children to liquid laundry packets and other cleaning products.
• ACI will host a webinar with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as part of their joint program, Healthy Schools, Healthy People.
• ACI will again work with the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) in promoting the safe and proper use of cleaning and disinfecting products through AAFP’s familydoctor.org website.