Consumer Chemicals in the Marketplace

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Consumer ChemicalsConsumer Chemicalsin the Marketplacein the Marketplace

Using Community-Based Social Using Community-Based Social Marketing Strategies to Better Marketing Strategies to Better

Understand and Overcome Obstacles to Understand and Overcome Obstacles to EPP in VermontEPP in Vermont

Prepared by Doug Kievit-Kylar

Pollution Prevention Planner, VT DEC

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A host of EP items on state contract A host of EP items on state contract have benefited state government, have benefited state government, Vermont municipalities, and schools – Vermont municipalities, and schools – but the contract is restricted to these but the contract is restricted to these entities and its benefits cannot be entities and its benefits cannot be extended to the average Vermont extended to the average Vermont consumer.consumer.

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1991 - 1991 - The Vermont Household Hazardous The Vermont Household Hazardous Product Shelf Labeling Program…Product Shelf Labeling Program…

required retailers stocking household required retailers stocking household products containing hazardous constituents products containing hazardous constituents to identify those products via a shelf label.to identify those products via a shelf label.– to promote TUR and P2 by educating consumers to promote TUR and P2 by educating consumers

about the dangers of hazardous household about the dangers of hazardous household products and encouraging them to consider products and encouraging them to consider alternatives.alternatives.

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During the more than a decade the During the more than a decade the Department tried to implement the shelf Department tried to implement the shelf labeling program there was only limited labeling program there was only limited compliance by the approximately 3,500 compliance by the approximately 3,500 Vermont stores (e.g., grocery, hardware, Vermont stores (e.g., grocery, hardware, house and garden, and convenience stores) house and garden, and convenience stores) subject to the law. Because of this and subject to the law. Because of this and because of mounting retailer opposition, the because of mounting retailer opposition, the law was repealed in 2002.law was repealed in 2002.

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After Failing To Change Behavior…After Failing To Change Behavior…Then What?Then What?

Depending on the definition used, there are between 30,000 and 100,000 chemicals on the market in some shape or form in greater than laboratory scale quantities – with several hundred new substances being added every year. Of these, less than 5% fall into categories that are approved for specific uses such as food additives, pesticides, biocides or pharmaceuticals. The rest can be used unless specifically regulated against.

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Formed a Consumer Toxics Use Formed a Consumer Toxics Use Reduction Committee with Public and Reduction Committee with Public and Private RepresentativesPrivate Representatives

Committee Selected Broad Categories Committee Selected Broad Categories of Consumer Products to Focus on:of Consumer Products to Focus on:– house and garden pesticides,house and garden pesticides,– household cleaning chemical supplies, andhousehold cleaning chemical supplies, and– health and beauty aidshealth and beauty aids..

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Substances Most Frequently Involved in Human Exposures

Substance Number Percent

Analgesics 256,843 10.8

Cleaning substances 225,578 9.5

Cosmetics and personal care products 219,877 9.2Foreign bodies 119,323 5.0

Sedatives/hypnotics/antipsychotics 111,001 4.7

Topicals 105,815 4.4

Cough and cold preparations 100,612 4.2

Antidepressants 99,860 4.2

Bites/envenomations 98,585 4.1

Pesticides 96,112 4.0

NOTE: The Table above is a composite reprinted from the American Journal of Emergency Medicine summarizing the 2002 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers, Toxic Exposure Surveillance System.

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NOTE: The Table above is a composite reprinted from the American Journal of Emergency Medicine summarizing the 2002 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers, Toxic Exposure Surveillance System.

Substances Most Frequently Involved in Pediatric Exposures(Children Under 6 Years of Age)Substance Number Percent

Cosmetics and personal care products 162,940 13.3

Cleaning substances 126,830 10.3

Analgesics 90,295 7.4

Foreign bodies 87,490 7.1

Topicals 85,970 7.0

Plants 62,107 5.1

Cough and cold preparations 62,306 5.1

Pesticides 50,415 4.1Vitamins 45,239 3.7

Gastrointestinal preparations 38,817 3.2

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Next Step: Identify Obstacles to Changed Next Step: Identify Obstacles to Changed Behavior (Vermont Retailers)Behavior (Vermont Retailers)

Paper survey that sought “to better Paper survey that sought “to better understand to what extent environmentally understand to what extent environmentally preferable products were already available, preferable products were already available, and if they where not, to discover what the and if they where not, to discover what the obstacles and barriers might be to such obstacles and barriers might be to such environmentally preferable purchasing.”environmentally preferable purchasing.”

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Next Step: Identify Obstacles to Next Step: Identify Obstacles to Changed Behavior (Consumers)Changed Behavior (Consumers)

Telephone survey “…to determine how Telephone survey “…to determine how best to better understand consumer best to better understand consumer preferences and obstacles to purchasing preferences and obstacles to purchasing Environmentally Preferable Products Environmentally Preferable Products (EPPs) and to test popular assumptions (EPPs) and to test popular assumptions about what drives decision-making in the about what drives decision-making in the marketplace.”marketplace.”

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Key Findings From the Retailers Survey:Key Findings From the Retailers Survey:

A clear majority of survey respondents A clear majority of survey respondents do not stock EPPs and only 30% of do not stock EPPs and only 30% of survey respondents are asked by survey respondents are asked by customers to have such products on the customers to have such products on the shelves.shelves.

60% of survey respondents expressed 60% of survey respondents expressed interest in carrying EPPs.interest in carrying EPPs.

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Key Findings From the Retailers Survey:Key Findings From the Retailers Survey:

Obstacles to stocking EPPs are…Obstacles to stocking EPPs are…– Lack of consumer demand (66%)Lack of consumer demand (66%)– Higher costs of some alternatives (66%)Higher costs of some alternatives (66%)– Products not available through distributor (54%)Products not available through distributor (54%)

A majority (77%) of survey respondents said A majority (77%) of survey respondents said that if information and assistance were made that if information and assistance were made available on safer or less toxic products, they available on safer or less toxic products, they would consider carrying such products.would consider carrying such products.

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Key Findings From the Consumer Survey:Key Findings From the Consumer Survey:

Many surveyed Vermonters believe that Many surveyed Vermonters believe that non-toxic or least toxic alternatives are non-toxic or least toxic alternatives are already widely available.already widely available.– 72% (cleaning products)72% (cleaning products)– 67% (health & beauty aids)67% (health & beauty aids)– 50% (house & garden pesticides)50% (house & garden pesticides)

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82% of surveyed Vermonters either 82% of surveyed Vermonters either seeks out product information on toxicity seeks out product information on toxicity (33%) or at least pays attention if it (33%) or at least pays attention if it catches their eye (49%).catches their eye (49%).

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Survey respondents (when selecting from a Survey respondents (when selecting from a list) identified the following as most important list) identified the following as most important when deciding which products to purchase:when deciding which products to purchase:– Product efficacy and qualityProduct efficacy and quality– Ready availabilityReady availability– Identification as EPIdentification as EP– Ease of useEase of use

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Survey respondents when asked as an Survey respondents when asked as an open-ended question what was most open-ended question what was most important when selecting products said important when selecting products said they were most swayed by:they were most swayed by:– Product qualityProduct quality– PricePrice– Trusted brand nameTrusted brand name

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Only 3% of survey respondents said Only 3% of survey respondents said they were unwilling to spend extra for a they were unwilling to spend extra for a least toxic alternativeleast toxic alternative

The mean value that survey The mean value that survey respondents were willing to pay for EP respondents were willing to pay for EP alternates was $0.62 on a dollar.alternates was $0.62 on a dollar.

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When asked what factors, when addressed to When asked what factors, when addressed to their satisfaction, would most likely their satisfaction, would most likely predispose them to purchase EP products predispose them to purchase EP products survey respondents gave priority to:survey respondents gave priority to:– Product effectiveness (20%)Product effectiveness (20%)– Cost (17%)Cost (17%)– Ready availability (15%) Ready availability (15%)

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Implications of the Findings:Implications of the Findings: Despite the professed willingness of Vermont Despite the professed willingness of Vermont

retailers to carry EP products, less than a retailers to carry EP products, less than a third are being asked by consumers to do so.third are being asked by consumers to do so.

The expressed importance of product quality The expressed importance of product quality and efficacy require helping consumers make and efficacy require helping consumers make a clean break from any unfavorable a clean break from any unfavorable experiences with first-generation “green” experiences with first-generation “green” products.products.

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Implications of the Findings:Implications of the Findings: Although 82% of Vermonter say they read Although 82% of Vermonter say they read

labels to avoid toxic constituents, in many labels to avoid toxic constituents, in many cases the multi-purpose cleaner they say cases the multi-purpose cleaner they say they used included hazardous ingredients (as they used included hazardous ingredients (as listed in the product’s MSDS). Clearly, listed in the product’s MSDS). Clearly, product labels either don’t tell the “whole” product labels either don’t tell the “whole” story or the toxicological implications are story or the toxicological implications are unclear to consumers.unclear to consumers.

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Implications of the Findings:Implications of the Findings: Vermont vendors cited lack of consumer Vermont vendors cited lack of consumer

demand and the higher costs of EP products demand and the higher costs of EP products as primary obstacles to stocking such as primary obstacles to stocking such products. Consumers expressed a willingness products. Consumers expressed a willingness to pay up to 62 cents on a dollar for a least to pay up to 62 cents on a dollar for a least toxic alternative. Any effort to influence the toxic alternative. Any effort to influence the market for EP products must create market for EP products must create consumer demand and address issues of consumer demand and address issues of product efficacy and availability, as well as product efficacy and availability, as well as cost!cost!

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With a better understanding now of the With a better understanding now of the obstacles to EPP in Vermont, members of obstacles to EPP in Vermont, members of the Consumer Toxics Use Reduction the Consumer Toxics Use Reduction Committee will fashion a small grants Committee will fashion a small grants program for Regional Solid Waste Districts program for Regional Solid Waste Districts and others to use the survey findings to and others to use the survey findings to develop initiatives designed to test various develop initiatives designed to test various incentives and approaches to overcoming incentives and approaches to overcoming identified obstacles to the purchase of EPPs.identified obstacles to the purchase of EPPs.

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Contact InformationContact Information

Doug Kievit-KylarDoug Kievit-Kylar

Vermont DECVermont DEC

(802) 241-3628(802) 241-3628

[email protected]@anr.state.vt.us

Documents

Consumer Chemicals in the Marketplace