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<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="#000099" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/12/walmart-disclose-phase-out-toxic-chemicals-products-cosmetics/2805567/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/12/walmart-disclose-phase-out-toxic-chemicals-products-cosmetics/2805567/</a></span><o:p></o:p></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="#000099" face="Times New Roman"><o:p> </o:p></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><font size="6" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:24.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext;font-weight:bold">Wal-Mart announces phase-out
of hazardous chemicals<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:42.0pt"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">Wendy Koch, USA TODAY
</span></font><i><font color="#999999" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#999999;font-style:italic">6:29 p.m. EDT September 12, 2013</span></font></i><font color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:42.0pt;line-height:16.2pt">
<b><i><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic">Do you know what's in your cosmetics? Or your perfume? The nation's largest retailer
announces it will try to get its suppliers to disclose and eventually phase out 10 potentially toxic chemicals.<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><img border="0" width="534" height="712" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CEB086.8A935260" alt="BPA"></span></font><font color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext;display:none">These are products free of Bisphenol-A, or BPA, as well as phalates.</span></font><font color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">
(Photo: Katye Martens, USA TODAY)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><font size="4" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext;font-weight:bold">Story Highlights<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:42.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<![if !supportLists]><font size="2" color="black" face="Symbol"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:windowtext"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<font size="1" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">Walmart aims to phase out 10 hazardous chemicals from products it sells<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:42.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<![if !supportLists]><font size="2" color="black" face="Symbol"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:windowtext"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<font size="1" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">Health and environmental groups call its move as a good first step<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:42.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<![if !supportLists]><font size="2" color="black" face="Symbol"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:windowtext"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<font size="1" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">Other retailers have taken steps to remove potentially toxic chemicals<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="1" color="black" face="Futura Today Bold"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:6.5pt;font-family:"Futura Today Bold";color:windowtext">SHARE</span></font><font size="1" color="black" face="Futura Today Bold"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Futura Today Bold";color:black">
1288 </span></font><b><font size="1" color="#999999" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:5.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#999999;text-transform:uppercase;font-weight:bold">CONNECT</span></font></b><font color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http://usat.ly/1enzPgj&text=Wal-Mart%20announces%20phase-out%20of%20hazardous%20chemicals&via=" target="_popup"><font size="1" color="black" face="Futura Today Bold"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Futura Today Bold";color:black;text-decoration:none">
116 </span></font><b><font size="1" color="#999999"><span style="font-size:5.0pt;color:#999999;text-transform:uppercase;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none">TWEET</span></font></b></a></span></font><font size="1" color="black" face="Futura Today Bold"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Futura Today Bold";color:black">
10 </span></font><b><font size="1" color="#999999" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:5.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#999999;text-transform:uppercase;font-weight:bold">COMMENTEMAILMORE</span></font></b><font color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">Prodded by health and environmental advocates, Wal-Mart Stores announced Thursday that it will require
suppliers to disclose and eventually phase out nearly 10 hazardous chemicals from the fragrances, cosmetics, household cleaners and personal care products at its stores.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">The nation's largest retailer said that, beginning in January, it would begin to monitor progress on reducing
these chemicals and apply to its own brand of cleaning products the Environmental Protection Agency's Design for the Environment label, which identifies eco-friendly goods. It declined to name the targeted chemicals, saying it will take time to familiarize
suppliers with the new policy.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">Wal-Mart joins an industry shift away from potentially toxic chemicals in consumer products. Last week,
citing consumer preferences, Procter & Gamble announced plans to eliminate hormone-like phthalates and the antibacterial triclosan. In 2012, Johnson & Johnson pledged to remove those two chemicals, along with formaldehyde and parabens, from its personal care
products worldwide.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">"It's all kind of integrated," Andrea Thomas, Wal-Mart's senior vice president of sustainability, said
Thursday about the industry efforts. As it moves forward, she said, Wal-Mart will share best practices with other members of the Sustainability Consortium, a group of companies including Procter & Gamble that aim to reduce the environmental toll of global
consumption.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">Thomas said Wal-Mart does not intend to cut suppliers off but to remain "collaborative." She said it picked
the "high-priority" chemicals, based on the extent of their impact and the availability of safe and affordable alternatives.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">"It's a significant step forward," says Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, adding
it shows the company is listening to what consumers want. Because of its market dominance, she says, Wal-Mart can "shift the whole industry."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">In April, dozens of health and environmental groups, including the Breast Cancer Fund and the Union of
Concerned Scientists, urged the nation's top 10 retailers — including Wal-Mart, Target and Costco — to rid their store shelves of 100-plus hazardous chemicals. It asked them to develop a plan within a year to phase out their use in products.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">Wal-Mart's announcement is "unusually substantive," says Andy Igrejas. executive director of the Safer
Chemicals, Healthy Families, a coalition advocating against toxic chemical use. He says a lot more work needs to be done, but Wal-Mart appears to be making a "meaningful down payment."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">Igregas says he's been urging retailers to act, because they've shown more willingness to do so than the
federal government. He says the U.S. Toxic Control Substances Act hasn't had a major update since its passage in 1976, and many chemicals used in consumer products aren't federally tested or required to submit safety data.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">In fact, many stores pre-empted a 2012 federal ban on bisphenol-A (BPA) by no longer selling baby products
containing the hormone-disrupting chemical.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">Retailers have taken other steps. In 2007, Target and the parent company of Sears and Kmart announced plans
to join Wal-Mart in phasing out polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from products. In 2011, Wal-Mart said it would stop using a controversial flame retardant. Kroger, which phased BPA out of cash register receipts in 2011, said in 2012 that its Simple Truth products
would be free of 101 chemicals and ingredients. Lowe's and Home Depot have stopped selling driveway sealants that contain coal tar, which has suspected carcinogenic chemicals.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:windowtext">Wal-Mart said that, beginning in January 2015, it would require suppliers to disclose ingredients online
for items sold at its stores,, and In January 2016, it would begin to report publicly on what progress is being made.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="#000099" face="Times New Roman"><o:p> </o:p></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="#000099" face="Times New Roman"><o:p> </o:p></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="#000099" face="Times New Roman"><o:p> </o:p></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="#000099" face="Times New Roman"><o:p> </o:p></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">Deborah L. DeBiasi</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><b><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy;font-weight:bold">Email: Deborah.DeBiasi@deq.virginia.gov</span></font></b><b><i><font size="2" color="red"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:red;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic"><br>
</span></font></i></b><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">WEB site address:
<a href="http://www.deq.virginia.gov/">www.deq.virginia.gov</a></span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">Virginia Department of Environmental Quality</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">Office of Water Permits
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">Industrial Pretreatment/Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Program</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">PPCPs, EDCs, and Microconstituents<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><a href="http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/PermittingCompliance/PollutionDischargeElimination/Microconstituents.aspx">http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/PermittingCompliance/PollutionDischargeElimination/Microconstituents.aspx</a></span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">Mail: P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">Location: 629 E. Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:navy"><br>
</span></font><font size="2" color="navy"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:navy">PH: 804-698-4028 FAX: 804-698-4032<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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