Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) recently announced that the company will be removing paint strippers from its shelves as these contain two harmful chemicals.
The home improvement company is banning the products after activists launched a campaign geared towards pushing the company to yank these products from its shelves. Paint remove products with methylene chloride and NMP will be pulled from Lowe’s shelves by the end of the year.
Methylene chloride is a chemical that has been linked with cancer, reproductive issues and other conditions, according to Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, the activist group that pushed the company to impose the ban. In 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed a ban on methylene chloride that has yet to be passed.
Meanwhile, NMP, or N- methylpyrrolidone, was also mentioned because it can reportedly cause fetal development problems, including miscarriages, according to Safer Chemicals. Here’s the statement Lowe’s released on the matter:
“We care deeply about the health and safety of our customers, and great progress is being made in the development of safer and more effective alternatives,” Mike McDermott, Lowe’s chief customer officer, said in a statement. “As a home improvement leader, we recognize the need for viable paint removal products and remain committed to working closely with suppliers to further innovate in this category.”
LOW stock is up more than 1.9% Wednesday.
