New York — Wal-Mart has joined a new programme that rates companies on their use of chemicals, a move that puts new pressure on the consumer-products industry to police its ingredients. The world’s largest retailer is participating in the Chemical Footprint Project, which seeks to help companies root out dangerous substances from the products they sell. Two dozen companies have joined the effort, including Johnson & Johnson, HP and Staples, according to a report on Wednesday. The idea was to create a standard modelled on carbon-footprint scores. Wal-Mart’s involvement gives a big boost to the three-year-old programme and underscores the growing movement by corporate US to regulate itself. Consumers are increasingly checking ingredient labels of the products they buy — and pushing companies to rid products of controversial chemicals, such as formaldehyde or phthalates. "We ultimately want to build trust in Wal-Mart’s brand," said Zach Freeze, head of the retailer’s strategic initiati...
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