Our Work

Safe Fields & Food

Protecting our health, environment, and those who feed us.

Safe Products & Stores

Defending customers and our families from toxic chemicals in products.

Safe Chemicals & Facilities

Protecting fenceline communities and facility workers from chemical disasters.

Building Power

Grassroots organizing and leadership for just and effective chemical policies.

Latest News

October 20, 2020

Dollar Tree Thrives During Pandemic, But Is Still Not Removing Toxic Chemicals Fast Enough

When the Campaign for Healthier Solutions tested a variety of products sold at Dollar Tree and other discount retailers, it found that 81 percent tested contained at least one hazardous chemical. Even microwave popcorn and canned foods sold at dollar stores were found to contain deeply concerning levels of harmful chemicals. A number of states have likewise documented high levels of harmful chemicals in Dollar Tree products. Prenatal exposure to some of these chemicals can result in lower IQ levels, as well as learning or behavioral problems. Yet there is actually no need to use many toxic chemicals because there are safe, affordable alternatives. Read More

September 17, 2020

News: The EPA cut back enforcement during COVID. These researchers are assessing the damage

Six months after the agency announced its temporary enforcement policy, a picture of its effects is slowly beginning to emerge. Self-reported data from industrial polluters collected by the EPA shows that these facilities conducted 40 percent fewer emission tests at smokestacks in March and April this year compared to the same period last year. Also, while only 325 facilities notified the EPA that they would be unable to submit water quality reports as required during those two months, more than 16,500 facilities simply did not submit them — that’s the fourth-highest amount of noncompliance in the last 20 years, according to an analysis of the agency’s own data. Read More

September 14, 2020

Blog: Toxic Pink Packaging

The European Union has banned over 1,300 chemicals from use in cosmetics. The US has banned 11. EU laws require that manufacturers prove chemicals are safe before they can be used in a product. In the US, chemicals are not always banned even if they potentially cause cancer; contain neuro- and immunotoxins; or contain hormone disruptors that could cause birth defects. Read More

August 28, 2020

News: Hurricane Laura didn’t cause pollution in this Louisiana town. It just added to it.

A day after the 150 mph winds died down and the torrential rains left, the residents of this tiny community were still coping with a different threat. The chemical fire that erupted in the BioLab chlorine plant — sending black clouds laced with toxic gases into the sky — was still smoldering Friday, as state hazmat crews struggled to extinguish it. Hurricane Laura downed power lines, ripped away street signs and toppled massive trees that blocked roads. Power remained out, carports collapsed and windows were blown out of trailers. The Mt. Zion Baptist Church lost its steeple. But to Mossville, the storm was merely another assault from the oil and gas refineries, chemical manufacturers and other industries that have enveloped the town.

August 24, 2020

News: The Rise of Environmental Justice

For all the hardships it delivered, 2020 may be remembered as an awakening for America. The outpouring of protest under the banner of Black Lives Matter this summer fostered a discussion of systemic racism that touches on all aspects of economic and social life. Environmental racism, characterized by the disproportionate impact of pollution on people of color, came to the fore as another reason for the cry of “I can’t breathe.” And a nearly 40-year-old civil rights movement for environmental justice found new momentum. But life for people at the industrial fenceline, as evidenced by three communities profiled in this article, continues to be a constant battle. Read More

August 12, 2020

Blog: U.S. study shows switch to organic diet can quickly clear pesticide from our bodies

A new study published Tuesday found that after switching to an organic diet for just a few days, people could cut the levels of a pesticide linked to cancer found in their urine by more than 70 percent. Read More

August 5, 2020

News: Bridging the Water Access Gap Through COVID-19 Relief

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb, guidance around how to control the virus’s spread has become a steady drumbeat: Wash your hands, wipe down surfaces, and stay home. Implicit in these recommendations is the assumption that households have safe and clean running water and indoor plumbing. But for more than 2 million people across the United States, that basic human right remains out of reach. Read More

Coming Clean is a nonprofit collaborative of environmental health and environmental justice experts working to reform the chemical and energy industries so they are no longer a source of harm. We coordinate hundreds of organizations and issue experts—including grassroots activists, community leaders, scientists and researchers, business leaders, lawyers, and advocates working to reform the chemical and energy industries. We envision a future where no one’s health is sacrificed by toxic chemical use or energy generation. Guided by the Louisville Charter, Jemez Principles of Democratic Organizing, and the Principles of Environmental Justice, we are winning campaigns for a healthy, just, and sustainable society by growing a stronger and more connected movement.

Living with Cumulative Toxic Pollution

A day before a White House public hearing on proposed environmental rollbacks, Christine and Delma Bennett tell their story about living with cumulative toxic pollution.

Watch: Life at the Fenceline

High-risk chemical facilities threaten the lives of nearly 40% of US residents — are you one of them? See our stunning new video collaboration with EJHA, NRDC, and Rashida Jones.

Environmental Justice Health Alliance

EJHA builds capacity in grassroots groups to influence local and national policy. We unite their efforts to make lasting change.

Life at the Fenceline

Across the US, almost 12,500 high-risk chemical facilities put 124 million people living nearby at constant risk of chemical disaster.

Support the Campaign for Healthier Solutions

The Campaign for Healthier Solutions is pressuring dollar stores to remove hazardous chemicals from the products they sell and stock safer products and healthier, local foods.

Fighting for Farmworker Health and Justice

Farmworkers feed our nation, but injustices and pesticide exposures are too much to swallow.

18 Years and Counting

With your support Coming Clean can continue to work for environmental health and justice for all for years to come.

Telling the Story of Coming Clean

Visit "Our Story" site to explore Coming Clean’s unique collaborative approach to making our communities healthy and just for everyone.