Wal-Mart to phase out hazardous chemicals

Wal-Mart announced recently that it will require its suppliers to phase out about 10 hazardous chemicals from personal care products, cosmetics and cleaning products sold in its stores. It will also require the suppliers to disclose chemicals in those products.

The moves follow an announcement made by Procter & Gamble Co., the world's largest consumer product maker, earlier this month that it will eliminate phthalates and triclosan from its beauty products by 2014.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says that beginning in January, the company will monitor progress on reducing and eliminating the chemicals in favor of more environmentally friendly alternatives and will begin to publicly report on it in January 2016.