U.S. EPA Recognizes Four California Organizations as 2016 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award Winners

From the #EPA:

For Immediate Release: May 9, 2016

Media Contact: Michele Huitric, huitric.michele@epa.gov

U.S. EPA Recognizes Four California Organizations as 2016 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award Winners

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is presenting Levi Strauss & Co., The Ashkin Group, Albertsons Companies (including their Northern California Safeway stores), and Clorox with Safer Choice Partner of the Year awards. They are among 24 winners across 12 states, the District of Columbia and Canada being recognized for outstanding achievement in the design, manufacture, promotion and use of a range of cleaning and other household products that carry EPA’s Safer Choice label.

“Everyone wants products with ingredients that are safer for their kids, pets, communities and the environment,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “Using technology and innovation to turn challenges into profitable opportunities makes our businesses stronger and more competitive, our families and workers healthier, and our environment cleaner.” 

EPA developed the new Safer Choice labels to make it easier for consumers and businesses to choose items that meet EPA's safer product standards. In addition to meeting stringent safety criteria, every product with the Safer Choice label has met high standards for performance. Safer Choice currently has around 500 formulator-manufacturer partners who make more than 2,000 products for retail and institutional customers. 

These California organizations are being recognized as follows:

• Levi Strauss & Co. (San Francisco): Safer Choice Innovator. Levi Strauss is being recognized for using Safer Choice criteria to identify safer chemicals for the textile industry. Levi Strauss developed a program for selecting chemicals in its textile treatment operations from the Safer Choice Safer Chemical Ingredients List. Through a number of pilots, Levi Strauss demonstrated that its factories can make clothing for the global market using safer chemicals. Based on their success, Levi Strauss plans to expand the program this year.
• The Ashkin Group (Los Angeles): Safer Choice Supporter. Input from The Ashkin Group, a consulting firm working to green the cleaning industry, has helped enhance the Safer Choice program and encourage ingredient disclosure on product labeling. In addition, Safer Choice commends The Ashkin Group for its strong communication efforts to advance safer cleaning and worker health and its long-time support of the Safer Choice program. Finally, Safer Choice applauds The Ashkin Group’s promotion of the program in the Playbook on Green Cleaning in Sport Facilities; LEED certification; and in Version 1.0 of the Guidance for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing document.
• Albertsons Companies (including their Northern California Safeway stores): Safer Choice Retailer. Albertsons Companies, which includes Safeway, recently increased its offering of Safer Choice-labeled products. Safer Choice commends Albertsons Companies for its prominent use of the Safer Choice label on its private label products and its continued efforts to expand its offering of Safer Choice-labeled products to consumers.
• Clorox (Oakland): Safer Choice Formulator-Manufacturer. Clorox is a strong partner of the Safer Choice program and consistently demonstrates its commitment to environmental stewardship through its sustainability program. Clorox is being commended for its partnership with Safer Choice over their Green Works line of cleaners and detergents, promotion of the Safer Choice program to purchasers, and its continued commitment to innovations in safer chemistry.

When companies demonstrate a commitment to the health of their customers and the planet, consumers respond. Not only does the Safer Choice program put the power of choice into the hands of consumers, it actually incentivizes manufacturers to change the ingredients in their products – so they can meet the strict safety criteria the Safer Choice label demands. 

More on the 2016 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners can be found at www.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-choice-partner-year-awards. 

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