CPA Blogs

Earth Month arrived quietly that morning, like a whisper against the window.   A mother stood in her kitchen, sunlight stretching across the counter where her child’s breakfast waited—fruit in a plastic bowl, cereal in a brightly… …

Chemical injustice is often discussed in moral terms. It is equally a scientific problem—one that can be quantified, traced, and, crucially, prevented. Decades of research show that hazardous chemical exposures in the United States are not… …

“Justice Is Not Abstract—It Is Chemical.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Today, we add: toxic injustice is no exception. Hazardous chemicals do not… …

February is Black History Month, as well as National Cancer Prevention Month.

Consistent with Clean Production Action’s mission of designing and delivering strategic solutions for replacing toxic chemicals with safer alternatives, we recognize the historic disenfranchisement of Black communities and the disproportionate… …

Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC) – For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals

For the past year, Clean Production Action’s (CPA’s) Angela Pinilla, Program Manager, Chemical Footprint Project (CFP) and Alexandra McPherson, Director, Investor Environmental Health Network (IEHN) worked collaboratively with leaders… …

Clean Production Action (CPA) will advocate for the need to reduce chemical footprints by 2030 at the upcoming United Nations’ International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5) in - Bonn, Germany, 25 - 29 September 2023. Over twenty… …

Investors commend corporations for reducing business risk by eliminating over 37 million kilograms of toxic chemicals from products, and call on more companies to adopt best practice and join the 2023 Chemical Footprint Survey

Recent scientific studies make clear that we are reaching a tipping point on chemical pollution  and taking “urgent action” is necessary [1]. According to the Chemical Footprint Project (CFP) report, “chemical pollution is one… …

Recently I took part in a one-day roundtable to advance ‘Sustainable Chemistry in RD&D to Transform the Chemicals Industry.’ The focus was how to advance research, development and demonstration of sustainable chemistry and how the… …

Three years ago, in January 2020, Clean Production Action with Toxic-Free Future launched the GreenScreen Certified® Standard for Firefighting Foam as the world's first ecolabel for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-free*… …

Clean Production Action is excited to announce that GreenScreen Certified® is now one of the certification standards used by Wayfair to spotlight sustainable products offered on its platform. Through Wayfair’s Shop Sustainably offering,… …

The entire class of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is now a focus for elimination or restriction in many jurisdictions. This is because over the past few decades PFAS contamination has grown into a serious global health threat due to the… …

Investors are increasingly scrutinizing companies for environmental, social and ethical considerations. In addition to closer scrutiny of companies’ carbon and water footprints, a third mark of consideration is emerging: their chemical… …

When I explain that I work with organizations and networks to promote the use of safer chemicals in products and supply chains I am often asked, “which companies should I support?” or “which products are safe?”  My fall… …

Did you know we spend over 90% of our time indoors?  And that exposure to some hazardous chemicals is actually higher indoors? That is why the chemical ingredients in the products we put into our homes and workplaces is a priority concern.… …

Demand Is Rising for Chemical Footprinting

Every year CPA turns out new reports and standards, and these materials are chock full of information, but not everyone has the time to sit down and read a 40-page report, which is why we are introducing CPA’s Toxic-free Tidbits,… …

It not only prohibits PFAS but reduces the chemical footprint of the entire product

New evidence of the dangers of PFAS to firefighters seems to increase every week. Firefighters already have a 9 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer than the general U.S. population. Now a recent study found San Francisco’s women… …

The blog will discuss the challenges that arise with applying the GreenScreen List Translator method in an automated tool, the impact of those challenges, and how those challenges are being addressed.   Background A growing number of… …

Last week CPA released a new and updated GreenScreen method (version 1.4) to address chemicals, polymers and products. Why did you and your team do this? Since its launch in 2007, GreenScreen has gone through several revisions, but this update to… …

GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals (GreenScreen) was launched by Clean Production Action (CPA) in 2007. Since then, GreenScreen has become the globally recognized tool for chemical hazard assessment used by major corporations, governments and… …

It’s been over 30 years since the U.S. Community Right to Know Act was passed in 1986. At the time, the idea that companies publicly would report their emissions of toxic chemicals to a Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) seemed far-reaching, yet… …

On November 3, 2016 Clean Production Action together with Five Gyres, Upstream and Surfrider Foundation released the Plastics BAN (Better Alternatives Now) List report. This report highlights the growing problem of plastic waste in the ocean and the… …

GreenScreen® 2017 training schedule is here Latest GreenScreen news Featured in Chemical Watch Presenting at Kingpins Transformers Conference toxnot.com provides new software platform  GreenScreen® 2017 training… …

Webinar on the Chemical Footprint Project: get the latest updates on the 2016 Survey December 6 - workshop on the Chemical Footprint Project: learn how to develop and implement a safer chemicals management program ​December 7-8 - BizNGO… …

Chemical Footprint Project survey is live! BizNGO members: Join us for the 11th annual meeting ​GreenScreen® featured at Electronics Goes Green conference Chemical Footprint Project (CFP) survey is live! Join leading… …

The report documents a project to link toxic air emissions from gas production in Pavillion, to the presence of those toxic chemicals in the bodies of people who live and work in the Pavillion area.  Read the report & watch the videos on… …

Online Introduction to GreenScreen® course is live! 2016 GreenScreen Advanced Training programs kick off​ CPA was in Sacramento to train on GreenScreen Clean Production Action began 2016 with a record number of training… …

PRESS RELEASE: First ever benchmark of company progress towards safer chemicals The Chemical Footprint Benchmark Supports Businesses, Investors and Purchasers in Assessing Chemical Risks In the first initiative of its kind to publicly benchmark… …

In a world where chemical regulations and market demands for safer chemicals are on the rise, how can investors know which firms are most at risk from these emerging trends and which are best positioned to capture new markets with safer products? How… …

UNEP refreshes The Business Case for Knowing Chemicals in Products & Supply Chains The United Nations Environment Programme recently refreshed the report, originally released in 2014, with new design elements and translations in Chinese, French,… …

The apparel industry is breaking new ground by seeking to design out hazardous chemicals from its supply chain. Rather than having to manage the risks of chemicals to workers, communities, and to a brand’s bottom line, apparel companies are… …

If like me, you have a few canned foods in your kitchen – maybe some canned tomatoes for your pasta sauce recipe, or a can of baked beans or canned soup for the kids, you may read the labels  to know more about the ingredients inside.… …

Become an expert in GreenScreen – check out our upcoming trainings Hewlett Packard’s leadership in alternatives assessment featured in ChemicalWatch GreenScreen assessments of neonic pesticides released by Natural Resources Defense… …

In an effort to help companies use safer chemicals, Clean Production Action (CPA), has released the next version of the GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals Hazard Assessment Guidance, adding information for using the GreenScreen List Translator… …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 8, 2016 CONTACT: Michelle Turner, michelle@cleanproduction.org, 781-391-6743 x 116 Tom Lent, tlent@healthybuilding.net, 510-845-5600 Hazardous Chemicals in Products Easier to Identify with New Tool Released Today… …

Demonstrate your leadership and expertise with professional credentialing. Clean Production Action is now accepting applications for the 2016 GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals Practitioner Program. This is the most advanced training available for… …

I am excited to announce a number of updates here at Clean Production Action: a role change for me, three new staff, and a new office in Europe. For my part, I am now the Executive Director of Clean Production Action. In the words of the Board of… …

As global consumption of cellphones and other devices soars, industry searches for ways to decrease the threat of chemical components to people and the environment. On a Wednesday in late February 2010, Hewlett-Packard hosted an unusual training… …

The BizNGO conference, hosted by Clean Production Action, was mainly about Chemical Footprinting This was the 10th BizNGO conference and there was much to discuss and learn. BizNGO is one of my favorite conferences because there is such a… …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Kelly McGlumphy, Public Relations Manager, GOJO Industries, 330.255.6986, McGlumpK@GOJO.com, www.GOJO.com The company’s Sustainable Value Strategies and Goals promote leadership and continuous improvement, while… …

A 10-year checkup on the quest to detox commercial products In the last 50 years, manmade chemicals have made their way into almost every industrial and manufacturing process-basically every commercial product. Synthetic chemicals have become the… …

Join us in Boston, Dec. 8-9 @ the JFK Library! Nicole Koharik, serves as the global sustainability marketing director for GOJO Industries, a global leader in hand hygiene and healthy skin and the inventor of PURELL® Hand Sanitizer.… …

Join us in Boston, Dec. 8-9 @ the JFK Library! Mike Schade spearheads the Mind the Store campaign for Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, which aims to work with the nation's leading retailers on creating comprehensive chemicals policies.… …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 11, 2015 CONTACT: Shayna Samuels, 718-541-4785, shayna@ripplestrategies.com New Global Standard for Decreasing Toxic Chemicals in Electronics Released Today GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals Announced as Method to… …

Excerpt from Safer Chemicals in the Supply Chain-Hewlett Packard: strong awareness "The electronics company looks at regulatory and other drivers, such as green procurement and ecolabelling, for direction on safer chemicals. It then looks carefully… …

Also, it's time to register for the BizNGO-Chemical Footprint Conference! Join us in Boston on December 8 & 9. Webinar TODAY! Safer Alternatives to Methylene Chloride in Paint Strippers Join us for… …

New "How to" Guide Provides Manufacturers with Clear Guidance on Meeting Latest LEED Requirements Clean Production Action Makes it Easier to Disclose and Remove Hazardous Chemicals from Building Products  (Boston, MA) --- A new… …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 21, 2015 Contact: Glenn Turner, 917-817-3396, glenn@ripplestrategies.com Shayna Samuels, 718-541-4785, shayna@ripplestrategies.com AshLee Eustace, 610-569-1045, AshLee@greencirclecertified.com   New “How… …

Mark Rossi’s life mission is to advance safer alternatives to toxic chemicals. In 2006, Rossi founded BizNGO, a collaboration of more than 500 business, environmental, and government leaders. After codirecting the Clean Production… …

Somerville, MA [June 19, 2015] — You’ve heard of a company’s carbon footprint.  Now it’s time for the chemical footprint. Despite growing regulatory efforts, businesses around the world continue to use chemicals of high… …

We live in an age of increasing transparency.   The public expects more online information and company reporting.  Consumers are asking companies and retailers about the safety of the chemicals in their products.  They want to… …

Carbon and water footprints, along with other measures of environmental impact, are often incorporated into corporate social responsibility or sustainability reports. Many companies now make this information public in response to increasing demands… …

Greetings from the GreenScreen® Team

Thank you all for the continued support and interest in GreenScreen. Do you have questions on how to become more involved? We would love to hear from you! There are a number of ways that people can engage, including introductory trainings, free… …

Lead the way in sustainable chemicals management with our most advanced training in the GreenScreen ® method: enroll in the GreenScreen Practitioner course and become an Authorized GreenScreen Practitioner™. Our next cohort begins May 5,… …

The U.S. is home to a vibrant network of “market campaigners” — environmental health advocates and social media active consumers — calling for safer chemical use in business practices. I’m one of them. To some… …

Greetings from the GreenScreen® Team We hope there are great things in store for you in 2015! 2014 was an exciting year for us. Here are some highlights: There is continuing adoption of the method within organizations, standards, and eco-labels;… …

What chemicals are in the products you sell? It should be the simplest of questions, but all too often, it's incredibly difficult for companies to obtain information about the chemicals in their products, let alone in their packaging and supply… …

Welcome to the August 2014 edition of the GreenScreen newsletter! …

Antibacterial chemicals are polluting our waterways Most people are unaware of how widespread triclosan and triclocarban chemicals are in their daily lives. Many products labelled as ‘antibacterial’, ‘fights odours’ or… …

Your soap may be toxic when flushed down the drain:  New GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals Tool Identifies Hazardous Chemicals in Common Household Products  (Toronto, Canada) The Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) and… …

Chris Geiger of SF Environment digs into the method and findings of San Francisco's recent report, "Safer Products and Practices for Disinfecting Surfaces". He will provide an overview of the health and [Read the report] environmental risks of… …

Registration is underway for the GreenScreen training in Buffalo, NY! This in-depth experiential workshop is intended to educate designers and decision-makers on how to implement and/or utilize GreenScreen to compare and select safer chemicals for… …

If it's on the store shelf, it's been tested and found safe, right? In this podcast with Annie Leonard of the Story of Stuff, Bev Thorpe of Clean Production Action talks about the hidden chemical dangers in everyday products and how green… …

Walmart’s new policy (PDF) to require manufacturers of cosmetics and cleaning products to disclose ingredients in their products and remove priority hazardous chemicals signals a new era in sustainability. It’s a critical first step on… …