*****News Event Advisory for Monday, November 9th******
Contact:
Eric Whalen, Communications Coordinator with Coming Clean, (971) 998-8786
Jose T. Bravo, Campaign Coordinator with Campaign for Healthier Solutions, (619) 838-6694
Consumers to Deliver 150,000 Petition Signatures to 99
Cents Only Headquarters in Commerce as Part of a National
Campaign to Eliminate Toxic Chemicals Found in the Chain’s
Products
99 Cents Only has failed to take action to protect customers after a recent
report showed 81% of products tested from dollar stores, including 99
Cents Only, contained toxic chemicals linked to cancer, learning
disabilities, and other serious illnesses.
WHAT: Public health organizations, environmental justice groups, and families from across the nation will
converge on the Commerce, CA headquarters of discount retail chain 99 Cents Only to deliver over
150,000 Change.org petition signatures which call on the chain to remove toxic chemicals found in it’s
products.
99 Cents Only, one of the nation’s largest discount retailers, has failed to take action after a recent report
found many of its products contained toxic chemicals at levels which may be hazardous to consumers-especially children. Dangerous chemicals found in these products included lead, phthalates, polyvinyl
chloride, and others. These chemicals are known to cause asthma, cancer, learning disabilities, and other
ailments. People of color and low-income communities are especially vulnerable to harm from these
products as discount retailers are disproportionately located in their communities.
Public health experts, environmental justice advocates, concerned parents and consumers will hold a
press conference to discuss these findings and then deliver the petition signatures to corporate officials of
99 Cents Only. At the press conference, advocates will have products purchased from discount retailers
that were found to contain hazardous levels of toxic chemicals available. The petition, which was
endorsed by actress Jennifer Beals and hosted on Change.org, quickly gained tens of thousands of
signatures over the summer. This press conference is being held in conjunction with petition deliveries
and other events in X states during the week of November 9th.
WHEN: Monday, November 9th at 11:00 AM
WHERE:
99 Cents Only Corporate Headquarters
4000 Union Pacific Ave.
City of Commerce, CA 90023
Link to Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/jq8z1ch9vw22
VISUALS:





Public health and environmental justice advocates will join local parents and children to hold the
press conference directly in front of the 99 Cents Only corporate headquarters.
Products purchased from dollar stores and found to contain dangerous levels of toxic chemicals
will be on-hand.
Several boxes containing the petition signatures will be colorfully marked.
Interviews with advocates and community members will be available in Spanish and English.
Demonstrators and community members will have large placards and banners calling on 99
Cents Only to phase-out toxic chemicals from its products.
Background Information:
Although a recent report from The Campaign for Healthier Solutions found that 81% of dollar store
products tested contained chemicals linked to cancer, developmental disabilities, and other serious health
issues, 99 Cents Only has yet to confirm a meeting with the campaign or adopt corporate policies to
identify and remove harmful chemicals from products sold in their stores (as other major retailers such as
Walmart, Target, and Staples have already done). The chemicals of concern found in dollar store
products tested include: phthalates, linked to birth defects, reduced fertility, cancer, learning disabilities,
diabetes, and other health issues; polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC or vinyl), which has been linked to
asthma; and toxic metals such as lead, which harms brain development, leading to learning disabilities,
lower IQ, and other health impacts, especially in children.
This press conference was organized by The Campaign for Healthier Solutions, a coalition of over 100
diverse environmental justice, medical, public health, community, and women's organizations, and similar
events are being held across the country this week. The campaign recently released a video starring
Jennifer Beals to educate the public about the threat of toxic chemicals in dollar store products. The
campaign also sent a letter to the CEO of 99 Cents Only offering assistance and asking for a meeting to
discuss these issues, but has yet to receive a response.
The Campaign for Healthier Solutions has enjoyed media coverage from across the nation supporting its
call for less toxic dollar store products, including these recent examples:
 http://www.wowktv.com/story/29506171/study-alleges-toxic-products-sold-at-discount-stores#
 http://www.kplctv.com/story/29938597/environmental-group-questions-chemical-levels-found-insome-dollar-store-products
 http://www.click2houston.com/news/protesters-urge-dollar-stores-to-stop-selling-items-withcancercausing-chemicals/33940182
 http://www.wvgazettemail.com/article/20150906/ARTICLE/150909756/1455
###