The American Cleaning Institute (ACI, formerly The Soap and Detergent Association) recently expressed disappointment with an new publicity campaign designed to promote false fears about cleaning products that are used safely and effectively every day.
 
"Cleaning products play an essential role in our daily lives," said Brian Sansoni, ACI Vice President of Communication. "By safely and effectively removing soils, germs and other contaminants, they help us to stay healthy, care for our homes and possessions, and make our surroundings more pleasant. Consumers can continue using cleaning products with confidence.
 
"The Environmental Working Group's new publicity attack on practically every cleaning product category is really an assault on common sense. The group distorts the science and research about product and ingredient safety. It ignores the fact that an enormous amount of resources are dedicated to assuring the safety of products, including many millions of dollars in research, development and testing before products ever hit the shelves.
 
"And they seem to forget the three words on product labels that prevent potential real-life problems from occurring: 'Use as directed.'"
 
ACI added that "instead of sending out fundraising pitches that coarsen the public dialogue over product safety, interest groups should help focus attention on the great deal of information that is already publicly available on cleaning products and their ingredients. The public interest would be better served by dialogue rather than baseless attacks."
 
"Through our industry's Consumer Product Ingredient Communication Initiative, companies are sharing information about product ingredients via labels, websites, toll-free numbers or other non-electronic means," said Sansoni. Consumers can find out more in-depth information on ACI's Ingredient Central webpage: www.cleaninginstitute.org/IngredientCentral.