Washington, D.C. – January 30, 2026 – The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) submitted formal comments to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) in response to the agency’s Background Document on Microplastics in Consumer Products Research.

“ACI aligns with DTSC’s goal to reduce the release of microplastics into the environment during all stages of the consumer product life cycle,” said Dan Selechnik, Director, Environmental Health and Safety, American Cleaning Institute. “Clear, science-based definitions are essential to achieving this by distinguishing persistent plastics from materials that are water-soluble or biodegradable.”
In its comments, ACI outlined key scientific and regulatory considerations related to polymers used in cleaning products, emphasizing that detergent-grade polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is safe, water-soluble, and biodegradable, and does not behave as a microplastic. ACI also highlighted that robust, internationally recognized methods already exist for measuring polymer solubility and biodegradability, and that many polymers play essential roles in product performance, safety, and consumer use.
ACI also explained that its global and multinational member companies want to use materials that are consistent and universally compliant based on their safety and sustainability attributes. Therefore, the cleaning products industry is actively reformulating materials where appropriate, but adequate time is needed to ensure that alternatives meet performance, safety, and regulatory requirements.  
 
Read the full comments here.

from: https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/newsroom/2026/aci-comments-california-dtscs-microplastics-research