Editor's note: Cleaning product company Method recently wrote in a GreenBiz column that Environmental Working Group's ratings of its products were "highly misleading." Here, EWG responds.
A number of cleaning product manufacturers are expressing surprise at their products' scores on Environmental Working Group's Guide to Healthy Cleaning.
Frankly, we're surprised they're surprised. The fact is, the industry has gotten complacent about its obligations to inform the public about what's in its products, partly because the law gives it considerable latitude when it comes to disclosing specific ingredients.
EWG thinks makers of cleaning products can do better. Our supporters tell us they care -- a lot -- about what's in the products they buy. They want and deserve full disclosure of ingredients and potential contaminants in cleaning products -- printed clearly on the label, so they know right away whether the product is something they want to put on their shelves and under their sinks.
Demand for greener products rising
We have every reason to believe that consumers will vote with their pocketbooks for safer products. And as manufacturers meet this growing demand for safer, more transparent products, the marketplace will be transformed in a way that is responsive to public health and the environment.
Since we began compiling information for our Guide to Healthy Cleaning, we've already seen some important market changes. Take Method, a popular maker of "green" cleaners. Method's executives were not happy with the initial scores we gave to 51 of their products: no As, 6 Bs, 5 Cs, 21 Ds and 19 Fs. They asked us to explain why their grades were so low.
How we analyzed Method products
There were several reasons.
Image of woman reading shampoo label contributed by Diego Cervo via Shutterstock. Image of man reading labels contributed by C Frenznel via Enviroblog, EWG's blog.
Next page: Factual errors and disclosure issues
The problem with EWG's
The problem with EWG's process is that it only evaluates one side of the equation. One has to balance environmental/health effects against effectiveness. The germophobes among us might choose a bathroom cleaner with Quat if information suggested that a greener cleaner didn't do as good a job, or that much more of the green cleaner was needed to equal Quat's ability to sanitize a surface. Users should keep these issues in balance, and EWG should strive to provide information regarding cleaning effectiveness.
That's a very informative
That's a very informative post. I have always liked Method, but have recently been making most of my own cleansers for personal use. Our cleaning service always discusses which products we will use with each client. It's very important that our clients are aware of what we are using to clean their homes and offices.
Be mindful of the legal
Be mindful of the legal issues when mixing your own products and exposing others to your solutions. Remember why you clean and that pH and physical removal are the two key issues in all cleaning. It is a balance between them which gets the job done and we have to reduce the exposure not only to the chemical but the best practices used.