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June 24, 2004

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc.
Information Center
199 Grandview Road
Skillman, New Jersey 08558

Dear Sir or Madam:

The Grassroots Recycling Network and the Northern California Recycling Association are writing to request that you discontinue the use of PVC packaging for your product(s) and instead switch to a more environmentally favorable packaging material. PVC, polyvinyl chloride, poses significant harm to the PET, polyethylene terephthalate, recycling infrastructure and public health.

According to a recent report issued by the GrassRoots Recycling Network, PVC bottles are difficult to recycle, pose significant contamination problems for PET bottle recycling, and offer no performance characteristics that necessitate their use for the packaging of products. There is no equipment available that will remove 100% of PVC from PET bottles, and at PET's melt temperature PVC burns, destroying the surrounding PET and harming the processing equipment. Even very small amounts (100 parts per million) of PVC in PET will reduce its value or make it unusable. PVC bottles and labels threaten the well-developed PET bottle recycling infrastructure and the continued development of bottle-to-bottle PET recycling.

Even when PVC bottles are separated from the post-consumer bottle stream, marketing them is a challenge due to their low value. They are costly to separate because PVC bottles make up only 2% of the bottles manufactured in the United States, which makes accumulating enough material to create a truckload quantity very difficult. Yet that same 2% of the bottle stream creates major problems for PET recyclers.

Also, a recent report from Tufts University sites that vinyl chloride, the building block of PVC resin, is classified by the National Toxicology Program as well as other U.S. and international agencies as “known to be a human carcinogen.” PVC production has been found to expose workers and surrounding communities to vinyl chloride and several studies have documented links between working in vinyl chloride production facilities and the increased likelihood of developing diseases including angiosarcoma of the liver, a rare form of liver cancer, and other non-cancer disorders.

Furthermore, additives mixed with PVC resins such as stabilizers, plasticizers, and fillers can leach out of, or volatize from, a PVC product during its useful life. Phthalates (plasticizers) may pose hazards, including the development of respiratory problems in children. Stabilizers used in PVC, including lead and other heavy metals, can leach out of PVC products.

The GrassRoots Recycling Network and the Northern California Recycling Association look forward to your response. We would like to promote your company as one that recognizes its responsibility to consumers by considering the recyclability and public health implications of the materials used to package your products. We will be contacting you by July 24, 2004 to learn how your company plans to phase out PVC packaging.

Sincerely,
Toral Jha, Project Coordinator
Heidi Melander, President
GrassRoots Recycling Network Northern California Recycling Association

October and November 2004 Correspondence with Johnson & Johnson

1) November 9, 2004- Email from Iris Grossman, Communications Manager, Johnson & Johnson, igrossm@cpcus.jnj.com   to Anne Rabe, BE SAFE, Center for Health, Environment and Justice, and Resa Dimino, GrassRoots Recycling Network

Our Director of Packaging, Clifford Pires, had been contacted by the GrassRoots Recycling Network regarding PVC packaging. I am responding on his behalf.

Please note that Johnson & Johnson has a strong commitment to environmental stewardship During our product development process, we identify opportunities to minimize the amount of packaging used and maximize recyclability -- while still ensuring our packages meet quality and safety specifications. This sense of responsibility to reduce our environmental footprint has resulted in many recycling and packaging successes over the past 15 years.  

PVC has long been used in packaging for drugs, medical devices and cosmetics because it provides moisture-, gas- and flavor-barrier properties required in many applications and because it has desirable physical characteristics. Recently, concerns have been raised regarding the recyclability of PVC packaging. Johnson & Johnson operating companies are aware of these concerns and are looking into the matter. Due to the concerns over the recyclability of PVC packaging, our Consumer Products Company continues to reduce its use of this packaging We are actively engaged with suppliers to identify alternatives to replace our existing PVC packaging and to avoid PVC use in future products. We can provide you with updates as we progress on our Consumer Products Company's goal of eliminating the use of PVC in our primary packaging.  

Thank you for your interest in this matter, and I hope you find this information helpful.

 Iris Grossman
Communications Manager
Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies

2) November 8, 2004- Email Letter from Toral Jha, GrassRoots Recycling Network to Clifford Pires, Director of Packaging, Johnson & Johnson, cpires@cpus.jnj.com

Mr. Pires,

I am writing as a follow-up to my October 1, 2004 e-mail to you.   The GrassRoots Recycling Network and its partners look forward to your response.  Unfortunately I am no longer the contact for the GrassRoots Recycling Network, however.   Please direct your correspondence regarding this issue to the following individuals:

Resa Dimino, GrassRoots Recycling Network, RADimino@aol.com
Anne Rabe, Center for Health, Environment and Justice, annerabe@msn.com

Thank you,

Toral Jha
Program Director
GrassRoots Recycling Network
Tel: 608-255-4800 x102
http://www.grrn.org

3) October 1, 2004 e-mail from Toral Jha, GRRN to Clifford Pires, Director of Packaging, Johnson & Johnson

From: Toral Jha [mailto:toral@grrn.org]
Sent : Friday, October 01, 2004 12:34 PM
To: ' Clifford Pires '
Subject: Johnson and Johnson and PVC Packaging

Dear Clifford,

My name is Toral Jha .  I am the Program Director for the GrassRoots Recycling Network, a national advocacy organization pushing corporate practice and public policy beyond recycling towards Zero Waste reducing waste by limiting resource extraction and improving product design.  On June 24 of this year, the GrassRoots Recycling Network and the Northern California Recycling Association issued the attached letter to Johnson and Johnson asking the company to state its plans to phase out the use PVC packaging.  We received a letter back from Stacy Fleury of Johnson & Johnson stating the following:

"Thank you for contacting the Johnson and Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. Information Center.  It is always important to hear from our consumers, and we appreciate the time you have take to contact us.  We are very aware of our responsibilities as a corporate citizen in addressing the environmental issues which concern us all.  There is a corporate wide task force currently exploring and assessing innovative technologies and alternative materials appropriate to our products and the environment.  The safety and efficacy of Johnson and Johnson Products remains our top priority and will not be compromised.  However, we are actively involved in packaging changes which include the elimination of many shipping/display cartons, and an increased use of recycled paperboard for carious products.  Our environmentally conscious packaging continues to be primary focus of our Research and Development, Package Engineering, Operations and Marketing Personnel.  Again, thank you for your interest in our company. Please call our toll-free number should you have any comments or questions in the future.  Also, be sure to visit our websites for further information on our products."

John DelFausse, Aveda, gave me your name as a good contact to discuss this issue more closely.  I am hoping that you can answer a few questions for me regarding J&J's use of PVC packaging.

1)    Which products are currently packaged in PVC?  From research that we have conducted several Clean and Clear face wash, body wash, and make-up removing cleansers are currently packaged in PVC.  We have also found that several Neutrogena facial cleansers and acne washes are also packaged in the material.  We have also found a kids 'Foam Blaster' hand/face wash that is labeled with a #1 as well as PVC.

2)    Why does Johnson & Johnson continue to package in this material?  Do you cite technical reasons, financial reasons, or both?

3)    Is Johnson & Johnson ready to phase out PVC in all of its products?

4)    Does Johnson & Johnson have an existing policy stating a commitment and sunset date for making the transition away from the use of PVC?  And If not, why not?

 I look forward to receiving your responses to the above questions and thank you in advance for your time on this very important matter.

 Sincerely,

Toral Jha
Program Director
GrassRoots Recycling Network
210 N. Bassett Street, Suite 200
Madison , WI 53703
Tel: 608-255-4800 x102
Fax: 608-255-4808
http://www.grrn.org




 

 

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