Lowe’s Safer Chemicals Policy

As a responsible corporate citizen, Lowe’s takes product safety and environmental sustainability very seriously. To manage chemicals more responsibly, Lowe’s implements this safer chemicals policy through a number of strategic actions and commitments.

Purpose

Chemicals play a major role in people’s daily lives. There has been a growing concern that there are hazardous chemicals that can be persistent and build up in the environment and have significant adverse human and environmental health effects. While regulations are being strengthened, certain concerns remain unregulated and may impact the health and safety of Lowe’s products. As a responsible corporate citizen, Lowe’s takes product safety and environmental sustainability very seriously. To manage chemicals more responsibly, Lowe’s implements this safer chemicals policy through a number of strategic actions and commitments.

Policy

• Lowe’s will continue to adhere to applicable chemical regulations as they are strengthened to restrict chemicals of concern.
• Lowe’s will continue to foster supply-chain relationships and encourage suppliers to disclose chemicals to Lowe’s to better understand chemicals in the products and packaging Lowe’s sells and how they impact product and environment.
• Lowe’s will strive to protect the health of Lowe’s customers, employees, and environment by systematically identifying, reducing, and eliminating chemicals of concern and substituting them with safer alternatives wherever commercially feasible.
• Lowe’s will actively drive the identification and availability of safer alternatives to its entire operations, including Lowe’s stores and offices.
• Lowe’s will continuously improve its engagement with supply chain partners to ensure requirements are understood and acted upon in a reasonable timeframe.
• Lowe’s will strive to enhance consumer confidence in the products Lowe’s sells in the United States and other countries through making available an increasing number of eco-products that incorporate safer chemicals.
• Lowe’s will review this chemical policy at least on an annual basis and report progress in its annual corporate responsibility report.

Action Plan

To support this chemical policy, Lowe’s will take several actions to ensure progress:

• Lowe’s will develop a framework to systematize the process of assessing chemicals and managing chemical risks. Chemical risks can be managed in several ways and may include requiring disclosure of chemicals in Lowe’s products, reducing or eliminating toxic chemicals from Lowe’s products or packaging, better educating consumers on product safety, and/or driving innovation by encouraging suppliers to transition to safer alternatives and green chemistry solutions.
• Lowe’s will take a collaborative approach to understand and manage chemicals in the products Lowe’s sells, including utilizing inputs from third-party subject matter experts, internal and external stakeholders, supply chain partners, and consumers. Lowe’s has been working with trusted partners, such as the Green Chemistry and Commerce Council (GC3) to continuously support green chemistry initiatives as well as participating in the Retail Leadership Council of the GC3 to better align the retail sector. Lowe’s will also continue to partner with credible NGOs, associations and industry partners.

Lowe’s is committed to evolving and improving these action plans to ensure continuous improvement over time.