Simple Green Addresses Lawsuit Over Non-Toxic
April 19, 2021
Sunshine Makers, Inc., the makers of Simple Green brand products, would like to address the result of a lawsuit brought against our company.
Recently, one cleaning product giant ("Company A")* brought another ("Company B")* before the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Better Business Bureau to complain about their use of the non-toxic claim on their product labels. Company A claimed that Company B had an unfair marketing advantage because of that claim and that the claim was unsupported per the Federal Trade Commission's Guidelines for Environmental Marketing ("The Green Guides"). The NAD published its opinion that to prove a claim of non-toxicity under the FTC Green Guides, a company would need to show that the product could never harm any living organism, even when misused. The result of this untenable, un-scientific opinion, and the legal world's reaction to it, was a flurry of class-action lawsuits* against a group of cleaning product manufacturers, including Simple Green. This published opinion and the legal world's use of it has also caused product manufacturers to remove the non-toxic claim from product labels.
Simple Green products are not any more harmful or toxic than previously labeled or advertised. However, because the method to prove non-toxicity is no longer based on the science and regulatory framework that has classified it for over 50 years, we are removing that claim from our labels as well.
Sunshine Makers, Inc. chose to settle the lawsuit waged against it rather than fight a costly battle of perception over science and current regulations. Individuals who believe they are entitled to a refund for purchasing Simple Green in the past can find more information at www.simplegreennontoxicsettlement.com
Simple Green will continue to be effective, safer choices for cleaning. In fact, Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner has been recognized by the EPA Safer Choice program for its use of safer chemistry. View Simple Green's ingredient disclosure and learn more about the EPA Safer Choice program
*Lawsuits and disputes over non-toxic labeling:
Proctor & Gamble v. SC Johnson:
- NARB Recommends S.C. Johnson Discontinue Unqualified "Non-Toxic" Claim on Windex; Scott Hamula Chairs Reviews Panel – View Article
- NAD Recommends S.C. Johnson Discontinue "Non-Toxic" Claim on Windex Vinegar Glass Cleaner; Advertiser to Appeal to NARB – View Article
- NAD Recommends S.C. Johnson Discontinue "Non-Toxic" Claim on Method Cleaning Products ; Advertiser to Appeal to NARB. - View Article
Krud Kutter cleaning products by Rust-Oleum:
- Krud Kutter Class Action Alleges Non-Toxic Label is False - View Article
- Krud Kutter Filled With Toxic Crud, Class Action Says - View Article
- U.S. District Court Anthony Bush v. Rust-Oleum Corporation - View Article
Rejuvenate cleaning products by For Life Products:
- Rejuvenate Cleaners Are Not So Safe For Kids and Pets, Lawsuit Says - View Article
Method cleaning products by S.C. Johnson:
- Method Class Action Says Cleaning Products Are Toxic - View Article
Seventh Generation cleaning products:
- Seventh Generation Settles Class-Action Lawsuit Over 'Natural' Claims - View Article
