It's one of huge issues in consumer protection today – the use of toxic chemicals in consumer products.
Of the 84,000 chemicals in commercial use in the United States – from flame retardants in furniture to household cleaners – nearly 20 percent are secret, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The names of the chemicals and their physical properties are kept secret from consumers and almost all public officials under a little-known federal law.
The policy was designed 33 years ago to protect trade secrets in a highly competitive industry. But critics – including the Obama administration – say the secrecy has grown out of control. The law makes it impossible for regulators to control potential dangers or for consumers to know which toxic substances they might be exposed to.
Of the secret chemicals, 151 are made in quantities of more than 1 million tons a year and 10 are used specifically in children's products, according to the EPA.
See the Washington Post’s article "Use of Harmful Chemicals Kept Secret Under Law" for more information on secret chemicals.
