Over 100 Businesses Pressure Congress to Secure the EPA's Safer Choice Certification
Washington, Wednesday, 3 June 2026.
Today, over 100 businesses petitioned Congress to authorize the EPA’s Safer Choice program, seeking to protect a vulnerable certification proven to accelerate sales faster than unlabeled competitors.
Bipartisan Legislative Push for Statutory Permanence
On June 3, 2026, a significant legislative effort commenced as U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jon Husted (R-Ohio) formally introduced the Safer Choice Program Authorization Act (SCPAA) [1] [alert! ‘The provided source gives conflicting dates of June 2 and June 3 for the bill introduction; June 3 is used here to align with the most recent dispatch’]. This proposed legislation aims to formally authorize and strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safer Choice Program [1]. It is crucial to note that this represents a legislative intent and a campaigning phase for statutory codification, rather than an already implemented policy [1]. The federal legislative process dictates that the bill must successfully pass through both chambers of Congress and receive presidential approval before it can become enforceable law [GPT].
Corporate Coalition Demands Market Certainty
To mitigate this vulnerability, a formidable coalition comprising over 100 businesses, trade associations, investors, and public health organizations mobilized to petition Congress [1]. Led by the American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN), the coalition includes prominent industry groups such as the Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA), the American Cleaning Institute, Change Chemistry, ISSA, the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), and the Alternative Fuels & Chemicals Coalition (AFCC) [1]. On June 3, 2026, this broad alliance delivered a formal letter to lawmakers, urging the passage of bipartisan legislation to authorize and consistently fund the EPA’s program [1].
Bridging Public Health and Commercial Viability
For individual companies, the EPA certification serves as a critical tool for building and maintaining consumer trust in an increasingly competitive marketplace [GPT]. Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, President and CEO at ECOS, highlighted the operational importance of the standard, noting that every product manufactured by ECOS carries the EPA’s Safer Choice certification [1]. According to Vlahakis-Hanks, the program is the foundational basis for their product formulation [1]. She further cautioned that without a durable, federally backed standard, consumer trust becomes significantly harder to build and much easier to lose [1].