Ashkin Says Amendments Added to Ingredient Communications Model - Goal to Add Greater Transparency

June 14, 2011 - PRLog -- Bloomington, IN – The nonprofit Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA) has just announced changes to their consumer product ingredient communication initiative that first went into place January 2010.

The new changes will become effective January 1, 2012.

Working with other organizations, CSPA is designing programs that allow manufacturers of conventional and Green cleaning chemicals as well as other products to voluntarily provide “full ingredient disclosure” of their products while still protecting the manufacturer’s trade and intellectual secrets.

According to the cleaning industry’s “father of Green cleaning,” Stephen Ashkin, president of The Ashkin Group (http://www.ashkingroup.com) and an advocate for full ingredient disclosure, manufacturers who join the program are currently required to list all chemical ingredients on either the product’s label, the manufacturer’s Web site, through a toll-free telephone number, and/or via other electronic or nonelectronic methods.*

“These amendments are just taking things a step further, adding greater transparency,” says Ashkin.

The amendments include the following:

•   Manufacturers must provide additional details on the fragrances and fragrance ingredients in their products.
•   Preservative ingredients are to be listed using one of five accepted naming systems.
•   Dyes and colorants are to be listed by trade name or a chemical-specific name using one of five accepted naming systems.
•   If the manufacturer decides to list product ingredients on a Web site or by a toll-free phone number, that Web address and phone number must be listed on the label.

“The goal of full ingredient disclosure is to help end customers make the best product selection to serve their specific needs,” adds Ashkin. “In the long run, these programs help build greater trust in the manufacturer, for the product, [and if Green] also protect human health and the environment.”


*Manufacturers are not required to list “incidental” ingredients that serve no functional benefit but are sometimes included in the manufacture of the product.



Steve Ashkin is available for interviews, presentations, and commentary on Green Cleaning-related issues, sustainable buildings, industry trends, and facility management. He may be reached by calling (812) 332-7950.


About Stephen Ashkin and The Ashkin Group
Stephen P. Ashkin is president of The Ashkin Group, a consulting firm specializing in greening the cleaning industry and CEO of Sustainability Tool LLC, an electronic dashboard that allows jansan companies to measure and report on their sustainability efforts.  

He is also coauthor of both The Business of Green Cleaning and Green Cleaning for Dummies.

Ashkin has worked in the cleaning industry since 1981 and has held senior management positions in leading consumer and commercial product companies. He began his work on Green Cleaning in 1990 and today is thought of as the "father of Green cleaning". For more information, visit www.AshkinGroup.com.

# # #

Steve Ashkin is available for interviews, presentations, and commentary on Green Cleaning-related issues, sustainable buildings, industry trends, and facility management. He may be reached by calling (812) 332-7950.


About Stephen Ashkin and The Ashkin Group
Stephen P. Ashkin is president of The Ashkin Group, a consulting firm specializing in greening the cleaning industry and CEO of Sustainability Tool LLC, an electronic dashboard that allows jansan companies to measure and report on their sustainability efforts.

He is also coauthor of both The Business of Green Cleaning and Green Cleaning for Dummies.

Ashkin has worked in the cleaning industry since 1981 and has held senior management positions in leading consumer and commercial product companies. He began his work on Green Cleaning in 1990 and today is thought of as the "father of Green cleaning". For more information, visit www.AshkinGroup.com.