Coming Clean Inc

COMING CLEANS MISSION IS TO MEANINGFULLY CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND JUSTICE BY RADICALLY REDUCING SOURCES OF CHEMICAL EXPOSURE IN PEOPLES LIVES, ESPECIALLY DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED POPULATIONS; TO AGGRESSIVELY ADVOCATE FOR CORPORATE AND MARKETPLACE CHANGES AS A DRIVER FOR POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS TOXIC CHEMICALS AS A PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT; AND TO POSITION ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND JUSTICE GROUPS AS LEADERS IN BUILDING HEALTHY AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES LOCALLY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. COMING CLEAN WORKS IN CLOSE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR CHEMICAL POLICY REFORM (EJHA).

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:CAMPAIGN FOR HEALTHIER SOLUTIONS -- THE CAMPAIGN FOR HEALTHIER SOLUTIONS (CHS) IS AN 8-YEAR EFFORT BY COMING CLEAN, EJHA, AND GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY GROUPS, TO WIN COMPREHENSIVE SAFE CHEMICAL POLICIES FROM DISCOUNT RETAILERS OPERATING IN EJ COMMUNITIES. DOLLAR GENERAL, THE LARGEST DISCOUNT RETAIL STORE IN THE UNITED STATES, TOOK AN IMPORTANT STEP TO IMPROVE PRODUCT SAFETY THIS YEAR BY SIGNING ONTO THE CHEMICAL FOOTPRINT PROJECT, A BENCHMARKING METRIC THAT HELPS COMPANIES QUANTIFY THE TOTAL MASS OF CHEMICALS OF CONCERN IN THEIR PRODUCTS, AND UNDERSTAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAFER CHEMICALS IN THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS. SIGNATORIES OF THE CHEMICAL FOOTPRINT PROJECT CONDUCT AN ANNUAL SURVEY PUT OUT BY CLEAN PRODUCTION ACTION, A MEMBER OF THE COMING CLEAN NETWORK, TO MEASURE THEIR CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT AND HAZARD REDUCTION PROGRAMS AGAINST BEST PRACTICE, AND ALSO AGREE TO ENCOURAGE COMPANIES IN THEIR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROJECT.ALLIED MEMBERS OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR HEALTHIER SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING FARMWORKERS, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVOCATES, PARENTS, AND DOLLAR STORE SHOPPERS DEMONSTRATED OUTSIDE 99 CENTS ONLY STORES HEADQUARTERS AND LOCAL STORES ACROSS THE STATE, URGING THE COMPANY TO PHASE OUT CHEMICALS OF CONCERN FROM ITS PRODUCTS. A DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE CAMPAIGN ALSO DELIVERED A LETTER REQUESTING A MEETING WITH 99 CENTS ONLY STORES INTERIM CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER MICHAEL SIMONCIC AND DIRECTOR OF COMPLIANCE EDGAR FLORES, TO BEGIN THE WORK OF DRAFTING A CORPORATE CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT POLICY. FOLLOWING THE DEMONSTRATION AND LETTER, 99 CENTS ONLY EXECUTIVES AGREED TO MEET WITH THE CAMPAIGN. HAZARDOUS FACILITIES -- THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) PROPOSED A RULE TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE EMISSIONS OF TOXIC AND OTHER HARMFUL AIR POLLUTION FROM CHEMICAL PLANTS, INTENDED TO REDUCE AIR TOXICS-RELATED CANCER RISKS IN FENCELINE COMMUNITIES. UNDER THE PROPOSED RULE, THESE FACILITIES WILL BE REQUIRED TO CONDUCT FENCELINE AIR MONITORING TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH NEW REGULATIONS, A PRIORITY FOR FENCELINE COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE TESTIFIED AND SUBMITTED COMMENTS TO THE EPA IN RECENT YEARS, AS WELL AS EJHA AND COMING CLEAN.RIGHT NOW, CHEMICAL AND PLASTICS MANUFACTURING FACILITIES RELEASE CHEMICALS LIKE ETHYLENE OXIDE, CHLOROPRENE, BENZENE, 1,3-BUTADIENE, ETHYLENE DICHLORIDE AND VINYL CHLORIDE INTO NEIGHBORHOODS WITH FREQUENCY, ELEVATING CANCER RATES IN COMMUNITIES IN LOUISIANA, TEXAS, KENTUCKY, AND WEST VIRGINIA AND MANY OTHER STATES. COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY BURDENED BY HEALTH-HARMING AIR POLLUTION. CHEMICAL INCIDENTS MAP, TRACKER AND REPORT -- A NEW MAP RELEASED BY THE COALITION TO PREVENT CHEMICAL DISASTERS, OF WHICH COMING CLEAN IS A LEADER, SHOWS THAT THE TOXIC TRAIN DERAILMENT IN EAST PALESTINE, OHIO IS ONE OF AT LEAST 224 INCIDENTS INVOLVING HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS INCLUDING TOXIC RELEASES, FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE JANUARY 1, 2021. MANY OF THESE HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL INCIDENTS OCCUR AT FACILITIES THAT ARE COVERED BY THE EPAS RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED BY THE EPA. EIGHTY-SIX (86) ORGANIZATIONS JOINED COMING CLEAN AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR CHEMICAL POLICY REFORM (EJHA) IN URGING EPA TO STRENGTHEN THIS RULE, BY REQUIRING FACILITIES TO ASSESS AND IMPLEMENT SAFER CHEMICALS AND PROCESSES, REQUIRE FACILITIES TO INSTALL BACKUP POWER AND PREPARE FOR THE ONGOING IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND INVOLVE WORKERS AND COMMUNITIES IN DISASTER PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE, AMONG OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.COMING CLEAN GREATLY IMPROVED THE HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL INCIDENT TRACKER AND ITS WEBSITE, HTTPS://PREVENTCHEMICALDISASTERS.ORG, TO ALLOW FOR DATA TO BE USED MORE READILY BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, JOURNALISTS, POLICYMAKERS AND OTHERS. SINCE ITS RE-LAUNCH, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF UNIQUE VISITORS HAVE VISITED THE SITE, AND USED THE TRACKER AND ITS DATA. COMING CLEAN PUBLISHED A NEW REPORT ANALYZING THE CHEMICAL INCIDENT DATA FINDING THAT ONE HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL INCIDENT OCCURS IN THE US EVERY OTHER DAY ON AVERAGE WITH AN ALARMING 825 HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL INCIDENTS TAKING PLACE BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2021 AND OCTOBER 15, 2023. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE -- PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, REVITALIZING OUR NATIONS COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR ALL, DIRECTLY INCORPORATING MANY RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WHITE HOUSE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHICH INCLUDES LEADERS OF THE EJHA AND COMING CLEAN NETWORKS. THE EXECUTIVE ORDER MAKES CLEAR THAT THE PURSUIT OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS A DUTY OF ALL EXECUTIVE BRANCH AGENCIES AND SHOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THEIR MISSIONS, DIRECTS AGENCIES TO CONSIDER THE CUMULATIVE HEALTH IMPACTS OF POLLUTION ON COMMUNITIES, AND DIRECTS AGENCIES TO STRENGTHEN THEIR DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH IMPACTED COMMUNITIES. THE WHITE HOUSE ALSO RELEASED PHASE ONE OF ITS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SCORECARD, WHICH ASSESSES AND REPORTS ON THE PROGRESS OF 24 FEDERAL AGENCIES IN ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FROM 2021-2022. THIS SCORECARD IS MEANT TO SERVE AS A BASELINE FROM WHICH TO EVALUATE FUTURE PROGRESS ADVANCING JUSTICE40 AND EMBEDDING EJ PRIORITIES THROUGHOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. COMING CLEAN AND EJHA, WITH SUPPORT FROM THE INSTITUTE FOR POLICY INTEGRITY, SUBMITTED RECOMMENDATIONS ON SPECIFIC METRICS TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE EJ SCORECARD. CHEMICALS, FOOD/AGRICULTURE & CLIMATE -- COMING CLEAN HOSTED A LOBBY DAY FOR NETWORK MEMBERS TO MEET WITH CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TO URGE THEM TO PRIORITIZE COMMUNITY FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND FARMWORKER PROTECTIONS IN THE UPCOMING FARM BILL REAUTHORIZATION, WHILE INCENTIVIZING REDUCTIONS IN PESTICIDE USE. COMING CLEAN MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING SMALL FARMERS AND FARMWORKERS, SCHEDULED VISITS THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITH LAWMAKERS FROM THEIR DISTRICTS TO HIGHLIGHT REFORMS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.FARMWORKER HEALTH & JUSTICE -- PESTICIDE SAFETY LABELS NOW MUST BE TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH. WHILE SPANISH IS THE DOMINANT LANGUAGE FOR 62 PERCENT OF FARMWORKERS IN THE U.S., MOST PESTICIDE LABELS HAVE ONLY BEEN PRINTED IN ENGLISH. FOR OVER 20 YEARS, COMING CLEANS FARMWORKER HEALTH AND JUSTICE TEAM HAS CALLED ON EPA TO REQUIRE BILINGUAL LABELS ON AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES. ON DEC 23, THE OMNIBUS SPENDING PACKAGE INCLUDED PROVISIONS UNDER THE PESTICIDE REGISTRATION IMPROVEMENT ACT (PRIA) THAT WOULD REQUIRE PESTICIDE COMPANIES - FOR THE FIRST TIME - TO TRANSLATE PORTIONS OF PESTICIDE LABELS RELEVANT TO WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY INTO SPANISH AND TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE VIA QR CODES. STAFFING, TEAMS & CAPACITY -- TO GROW OUR IMPACT AND INCREASE OUR STRATEGIC CAPACITY TO SUPPORT OUR NETWORK, COMING CLEAN ADDED A PROGRAMS ASSOCIATE TO OUR STAFF. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A NEW SCIENCE & RESEARCH TEAM, BRINGING OUR COMPLEMENT OF TEAMS TO EIGHT (8). WE EXPANDED TEAM LEADERSHIP TO INCLUDE NEW LEADERS FOR THE CHEMICALS, FOOD/AGRICULTURE & CLIMATE TEAM AND THE CUMULATIVE IMPACTS/MANDATORY EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS TEAM.