Don’t always expect full disclosure on the labels of “green” products -- especially cleaning agents.

Women’s Voices for the Earth, a Montana-based group, published a report last summer slamming many conventional cleaners for causing health risks. But the organization doesn’t endorse commercial “green” cleaning products, either, because it is nearly impossible to tell which are truly safe for people and the environment.

“I do personally believe that there are green companies out there making good, safe cleaning products,” says Alexandra Gorman Scranton, group director of science and research. “The problem for me and for the average consumer is figuring out which ones those are, and which ones are merely clever marketing schemes.”

Green cleaning company Ecover, based in Belgium, labels ingredients. It tests its 23 products to ensure they don’t have irritants that could cause asthma, said Kipling Rutherford, a company spokeswoman in Long Beach, Calif.

“A lot of our products don’t even have directions for what to do if it gets on your skin,” Rutherford said. “They are so mild, they aren’t even issues.”

Alternative cleaning manufacturer Method Home, based in the San Francisco Bay area, says it starts with materials known to carry no potential for asthma, skin irritation or other health problems, said spokesman Drummond Lawson.

Method Home discloses on labels the general types of materials used to make its 40 products, such as “naturally derived surfactant” from corn alcohol. But it doesn’t disclose specific substance names.

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Lawson defends the practice: “Most consumers are not familiar with existing chemistry. A lot of the time that would be rather senseless information.”

-- Arizona Daily Star