Safer Choice Program Authorization Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Introduced
Summary
Would establish a voluntary Safer Choice Program at the EPA to identify and promote products with safer chemical ingredients. It would set science-based standards, require ingredient disclosure for certified products, set rules for independent third-party profilers, and require annual public reporting and a searchable product database.
Show full summary
- Families and consumers would see voluntary Safer Choice or Design for the Environment labels and a public database to compare certified products and their ingredient information.
- Manufacturers could apply for voluntary certification, get EPA technical assistance and labeling guidance, and face corrective actions if they misuse the agency marks.
- Independent third-party profilers would be vetted for independence and conflict-of-interest rules and could help with technical evaluations but could not be paid based on review outcomes.
*Would authorize $6.0 million per year for fiscal years 2028–2034 to carry out the program.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
New EPA Safer Choice program
If enacted, the EPA would create a voluntary Safer Choice Program to identify products that meet Safer Choice or Design for the Environment standards. Reviews would use science-based criteria covering health hazards (like cancer and reproductive harm), environmental risks, product performance, packaging, and ingredient transparency. EPA would run a public database of authorized products and must report to Congress within one year and annually after with program metrics. The bill would authorize $6,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2028 through 2034 to carry out the program.
Full ingredient disclosure requirement
If enacted, companies seeking Safer Choice or Design for the Environment certification would need to submit full ingredient information. That would include all intentionally added ingredients, ingredients inside those ingredients, and residuals above an EPA-set threshold. EPA must apply confidential business information protections consistent with law. This requirement could raise compliance, testing, and documentation costs for small and medium manufacturers.
Label rules and reviewer standards
If enacted, EPA authorization would be required to use the Safer Choice or Design for the Environment labels. The bill would ban false, misleading, or unauthorized label use and let EPA seek corrections, suspend or end label authorizations, and refer civil cases to the Attorney General. The bill would also set rules for third-party technical reviewers: they must be independent, have no financial conflicts, and not be paid based on review outcomes. These steps aim to protect consumers and strengthen review credibility but add new compliance and oversight duties for reviewers and some manufacturers.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Husted, Jon [R-OH]
OH • R
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 6/18/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov