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Arizona AG leads coalition urging stronger EPA Safer Choice Standard guidelines

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes speaks with attendees at a forum hosted by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry at the Arizona Commerce Authority in 2022.
Gage Skidmore
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes speaks with attendees at a forum hosted by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry at the Arizona Commerce Authority in 2022.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is leading a multi-state coalition that wants the Environmental Protection Agency to update its Safer Choice Standards.

The guidelines are intended to protect consumers from products known for harmful environmental and health impacts. Products with the Safer Choice label typically signal the item has a safer chemical composition.

Mayes emphasized the importance of adopting a “cradle-to-grave” approach for assessing product life cycles and the need for an in-house audit team to verify claims.

The 12 attorneys general recommend products that contain “forever chemicals” should be ineligible for certification as well as increased guidelines for plastic packaging and “flushable” wipes that might not meet flushability standards.

They also want more transparency from the EPA.