Nance
Dr. Earthea Nance | Regional Administrator

EPA Announces Austin-Based Lemi Shine Among 2022 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award Winners

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is recognizing Lemi Shine as an outstanding Safer Choice Formulator Product Manufacturer. Lemi Shine has prioritized educating consumers about how products that are safer for human health and the environment can also be affordable and perform well. The EPA commends Lemi Shine’s dedication to formulating and manufacturing products with safer chemical ingredients.

“Cleaning and other products made with safer chemicals – like those certified by the Safer Choice program - help protect workers, families, communities, and the planet,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. “This year, we’re pleased to recognize a variety of organizations for their support of safer chemistry and sustainability, many of which have worked to advance the central priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration of addressing environmental justice and climate change.”

“For four years, Lemi Shine has shown continued dedication to providing safer products for the public and the environment,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “We thank Lemi Shine and all Safer Choice winners for their contributions and look forward to their continued environmental leadership.”

"The EPA's Safer Choice program has stood the test of time and has become the authority for consumers' trusted source for safer cleaners," said Lemi Shine CEO Curtis Eggemeyer. "We are honored to continue to be at the forefront of their program and recognized for the 4th straight year in a row as their Partner of the Year."

Applicants for this year’s awards were encouraged to show how their work promotes environmental justice, bolsters resilience to the impacts of climate change, results in cleaner air or water, or improves drinking water quality. Lemi Shine introduced a new wipe disinfectant in 2021 that is effective against SARS-CoV-2 and is certified by the Design for the Environment program. Lemi Shine uses social media as a primary outlet to advertise its Safer Choice-certified products. The company also promotes the use of Safer Choice-certified products on blogs about cleaning hacks on its website.

Additionally, many awardees increased access to products with safer chemical ingredients in communities with environmental justice concerns. For example, one nonprofit winner conducted targeted outreach in both English and Spanish to promote safer cleaning techniques and products, including Safer Choice-certified products, in food trucks. Many of these businesses are owned and operated by immigrant entrepreneurs. Another winner made its Safer Choice-certified product line more accessible to lower income shoppers by offering affordable prices and making these products available at retailers that often serve low-income communities.

In early 2023, the EPA will build on this work by announcing a grant opportunity for projects that can increase supply and demand for safer, environmentally preferable products such as those certified by the Safer Choice program or identified by the EPA’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program.

A list of the 2022 Partner of the Year award winners can be found below. Learn more about the 2022 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners and summaries of their accomplishments.

List of Winners

American Cleaning Institute, District of Columbia

The Ashkin Group, LLC, Channel Islands Harbor, Calif.

Bona US, Englewood, Colo.

Case Medical, Bloomfield, N.J.

Church & Dwight Co., Inc., Ewing, N.J.

Clean Safety & Health in Food Trucks (CleanSHiFT) Team, Seattle, Wash.

The Clorox Company, Oakland, Calif.

Colgate-Palmolive, New York, N.Y.

Design for the Environment Logo Redesign Coalition: Environmental Defense Fund, The Natural Resources Defense Council, The Clorox Company, The Procter & Gamble Company, and Reckitt

Dirty Labs Inc., Portland, Ore.

ECOS, Cypress, Calif.

Grove Collaborative, San Francisco, Calif.

The Hazardous Waste Management Program, Seattle, Wash.

Holloway House, Inc., Fortville, Ind.

The Home Depot, Atlanta, Ga.

Household & Commercial Products Association, District of Columbia

Jelmar, LLC, Skokie, Ill.

Lemi Shine, Austin, Texas

LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, San Francisco, Calif.

Mother Africa, Kent, Wash.

Novozymes North America, Raleigh, N.C.

The ODP Corporation, Boca Raton, Fla.

The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio

PurposeBuilt Brands, Gurnee, Ill.

Sensitive Home, Greenbrae, Calif.

Solutex, Sterling, Va.

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Original source can be found here.

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