Consumer Product Labeling Initiatives - Information and Resources - Free

Consumer Labeling Initiative

The Consumer Labeling Initiative (CLI) is a voluntary, cooperative effort to foster pollution prevention, empower consumer choice, and improve understanding by presenting clear, consistent, and useful safe use, environmental, and health information on household consumer product labels. Government, industry, and other groups are working together in the CLI to make it easier for consumers to find, read, and understand label information, enabling consumers to choose the right products for their needs and values and to use and dispose of them safely and with minimal environmental impact. A

The CLI project has several phases. In 1996, EPA went directly to individual consumers to learn what they thought about existing labels on indoor insecticides, outdoor house and garden pesticides, and household hard surface cleaners, including ant and roach products, weedkillers, and floor and basin, tub, and tile cleaners. EPA also invited individuals and groups to give their ideas about label problems and solutions, and looked for research already done by others. All of that preliminary work is summarized in the Consumer Labeling Initiative Phase I Report, which was completed on September 30, 1996.

Beginning in 1997 and running throughout 1998, some of the companies that make these consumer products organized a nationwide research project to help EPA and all of the CLI partner organizations learn more from customers about how to make label information more understandable and useful. The companies worked with all of the CLI partners to design that research, using company and trade association funding. With the help of research, EPA has begun to work with companies to make the language on pesticide product labels simpler and more direct, and the format of labels easier to follow. We published the CLI Phase II Report in December 1999, containing information on all of these research and label improvement activities.

In the Spring of 2000, EPA and its partners will be working together to launch a national campaign to encourage consumers to "Read the Label First!." The goal of the campaign will be to get people to focus on and understand the health, safety, and environmental information available on labels in order to choose the right products for their needs and to avoid accidents and other problems. The campaign will also help people to understand the ways in which labels will be changing as a result of the CLI project.

horizontal rule

Read the Label First

By their nature, many pesticides may pose some risk to humans, animals, or the environment because they are designed to kill or otherwise adversely affect living organisms. At the same time, pesticides are often useful because of their ability to control disease-causing organisms, insects, weeds, or other pests. The pesticide label is your guide to using pesticides safely and effectively. It contains pertinent information that you should read and understand before you use a pesticide product.

EPA has created a label with pop-up text that explains the basic statements found on pesticide product labels. As you pass your mouse pointer over the different parts of the label a window will open and provide an explanation of the label statement.


cliball9.gif - 291 Bytes The EPA Interactive Label website

cliball9.gif - 291 Bytes EPA information on pesticide products and safety

cliball9.gif - 291 Bytes Label reading information from CLI Partner organization RISE: Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment.

cliball9.gif - 291 Bytes Fact Sheet 1 (September 1997)

cliball9.gif - 291 Bytes Fact Sheet 2 (August 1998)

cliball9.gif - 291 Bytes Fact Sheet 3 (December 1998)

horizontal rule



Do you have questions about the CLI project? Send the EPA email at [email protected]. Want to file comments or share your ideas on the CLI project? Send email to [email protected], and put "AR-139 Consumer Labeling Initiative" in the subject line. Or you can mail your comments to:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
Document Control Officer (7407)
Attention: AR-139, Consumer Labeling Initiative
401 M. Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460

If the document you select has this symbol in front of it, it is in portable document format (pdf). If you have not done so already, viewing these publications requires downloading Adobe AcrobatTM software. If your browser (such as Netscape) is compatible with Adobe Acrobat, you can set it up so that documents are viewed automatically. Otherwise, you can download the document to your computer and use Adobe Acrobat to view it.

Ways to save money AND help the environment:

Eat healthier AND save money: Instant Pot Duo Crisp 11-in-1 Air Fryer and Electric Pressure Cooker Combo with Multicooker Lids that Fries, Steams, Slow Cooks, Sautés, Dehydrates

Save water AND money with this showerhead adapter, it lets the water flow until the water is hot, then shuts off water flow until you restart it, ShowerStart TSV Hot Water Standby Adapter

Protect your health with these:

Mattress Dust mite-Bedbug protector, 100% Waterproof, Hypoallergenic, Zippered

Handheld Allergen Vacuum Cleaner with UV Sanitizing and Heating for Allergies and Pet, Kills Mite, Virus, Molds, True HEPA with Powerful Suction removes Hair, Dander, Pollen, Dust,

Immune Support Supplement with Quercetin, Vitamin C, Zinc, Vitamin D3

GermGuardian Air Purifier with UV-C Light and HEPA 13 Filter, Removes 99.97% of Pollutants

5 Stage Air Purifier, Features Ultraviolet Light (UVC), H13 True Hepa, Carbon, PCO, Smart Wifi, Auto Mode, Quiet, Removes 99.97% of Particles, Smoke, Mold, Pet Dander, Dust, Odors

Interesting Reads:

THE PREPPER'S CANNING & PRESERVING BIBLE: [13 in 1] Your Path to Food Self-Sufficiency. Canning, Dehydrating, Fermenting, Pickling & More, Plus The Food Preservation Calendar for a Sustainable Pantry

The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre! Paperback

The Citizens' Guide to Geologic Hazards: A Guide to Understanding Geologic Hazards Including Asbestos, Radon, Swelling Soils, Earthquakes, Volcanoes

The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming

Book: The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History Paperback




See Echo Dot on Amazon