Public Policy

Principles for Chemical Ingredient Disclosure

We aspire to a marketplace of products made from safe and healthy chemical ingredients. To this end, all stakeholders have a fundamental right to know the chemicals in products and the functions of those chemicals. Of particular concern is the presence of chemicals that may harm human health or the environment. 

Endorse Principles for Chemical Ingredient Disclosure

Disclosure is the sharing of chemical ingredient information with the public and across supply chains. It is critical to promoting the use of safer chemicals and products. Signatories to these Principles recognize the need to protect confidential business information (CBI) in limited situations when protection of the information is justified and substantiated. 

To advance an economy where the production and use of chemicals are healthy for people and the planet, responsible organizations should expeditiously adopt and implement the following guiding Principles for Chemical Ingredient Disclosure:

  1. Disclose all intentionally added chemical ingredients. Disclosure comprises identity of the chemical ingredient, including name(s), CAS registry number, function, presence on specified lists of chemicals of concern, and other chemical hazard characteristics of the ingredient. Chemicals of concern, i.e., substances that are known or suspected hazards to human health or the environment, including carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive/developmental toxicants, endocrine disruptors, asthmagens, and allergens, are not confidential business information. 

  2. Disclose nonfunctional constituents that are identified on specified lists of chemicals of concern. This is a general principle to which Signatories agree, though they may hold differing positions on the thresholds for disclosure.  

  3. Proactively engage supply chains and interested stakeholders—including governments, investors, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—to increase full chemical ingredient information disclosure. Manufacturers and retailers need reliable documentation to trace chemical information along supply chains. 

  4. Advocate for filling data gaps to characterize the hazards of chemicals

  5. Make accurate chemical ingredient information easily accessible to consumers, government agencies, manufacturers, brands, retailers, and others in the supply chain

  6. Support public policies and industry standards that advance the above Principles.

These Principles for Chemical Ingredient Disclosure will help to promote development and use of safer chemicals in products. We support efforts by governments, businesses, universities, and NGOs to fill chemical hazard data gaps with information on the hazards of chemicals that is consistent with scientific best practices and to publicly share the findings. 

We recommend that a diverse community of stakeholders, including consumers, NGOs, academia, investors, governments, and businesses use these Principles to: drive avoidance of chemicals of concern; build trust among users and producers; use chemicals with the most comprehensive chemical hazard profiles; and work to reduce hazardous chemicals and their uses in products, across supply chains, and throughout product lifecycles. For clarifications and definitions of terms used herein see Principles for Chemical Ingredient Disclosure—Terms and References Document.

We, the following organizations, support the broad and effective implementation of these Principles for Chemical Ingredient Disclosure, starting in the United States.

Endorsing Organizations

Endorse the Principles for Chemical Ingredient Disclosure

Press Release

Principles endorsed by over 100 business, government, health care, investor, and NGO leaders Read More

Implementation Tools

HPD Collaborative Supports the Implementation of the Principles for Chemical Ingredient Disclosure Read More

Hosted by CPA & IC2

Learn more about the Principles and why your organization should endorse Read More