It’s No Joke: Franken Introduces Household Product Label Bill

One-time funny man and now a first-term senator from Minnesota Al Franken is taking on the household product industry by introducing legislation that would require household cleaning products to carry labels with a complete list of ingredients.

The Household Product Labeling Act, the second piece of legislation introduced by Sen. Franken (D-MN), would expand existing labeling requirements.

Current law requires that product labels list “immediately hazardous” ingredients, but companies are not required to list ingredients that might cause harm over time. In May, Minnesota became the first state to approve a ban of the sale of baby bottles and sippy cups made with BPA.

“Moms and dads have a right to know whether harmful chemicals are present in their kitchen cupboards,” Franken said. “When my wife Franni and I were raising our own kids, we were constantly concerned with what we used to wash their cribs, their pacifiers, the floors, and surfaces they played on. This is just a common-sense measure to help parents keep their kids safe and healthy.”

Rep. Steve Israel, (D-NY), has introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

But industry groups such as the Soap and Detergent Association insist that the Franken bill and others like it are unnecessary, especially since the industry has already introduced the Consumer Product Ingredient Communication Initiative, which will take effect in January.

“This proactive voluntary program has been launched to meet the changing needs of consumers and the marketplace by creating a uniform system for providing ingredient information to consumers in a meaningful and easy-to-understand way,” said Brian Sansoni, VP-communication and membership, SDA. “It builds on the already strong foundation the industry has established for sharing information with consumers.”