Amway Talk

There are several distortions in this post to Eric Scheibeler. But let's focus on the claim about Amway.

I have never heard anyone claim that Amway made false claims about how environmentally safe their products are. I cannot imagine that a lie that big has gone undetected for 30 years.

Eric if you aren’t already doing this, you should tape record every discussion you have with Amway and have every discussion transcribed and stored somewhere safe. Michael Moore hid copies of his movie Sicko in Canada when the Bush administration tried to block the release of the film and was threatening to arrest him for going to Cuba.

I would also contact Robert Kennedy Jr. he is an environmental lawyer/activist who has severely criticized the Bush administration’s wanton destruction of environmental laws to help out his corporate cronies and I know Amway was blasted in the 60s for claiming their products did not pollute until it was proven there were more phosphates in Amway soap then most other brands.

I know this issue might be a bit outside his prevue, but his late father believed in human individual rights and I think he is the same and might relish a chance to get after some back stabbing Neocons!

Does anyone know what he is talking about?

I'm not sure what the rant was about but Amway had "biodegradable" detergents LOOONG before anyone even had heard the word. And when *I* was actively selling products, there were sometimes 2 versions of laundry soap - those with phosphates, and those without. I always had to be careful, because Michigan is a no-phosphate state, so with SA-8, for example, I sent the proper formulation.

One thing I know FOR SURE: all the DeVos and VanAndel family members love our lakes and streams!! I think they'd close the plant before they'd pollute. Granted, the *air* around Ada smells like SA-8.....LOL!!!!

Here's the story about Amway and phosphates from April 1970 -

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DtoqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0mwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4431,2620133&dq=amway+phosphate&hl=en

They note they're looking for phosphate alternatives but they're not available. They followed up with this in October 1970, which implies they've succeeded

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aUg0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=HmYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6539,2975381&dq=amway+phosphate&hl=en

by February 1971 Amway was publicly advertising no phosphate alternatives -

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Bk8aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dSgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4384,972094&dq=amway+phosphate&hl=en

A history of the phosphate controvery is here. It only became clear phosphates were a real problem in the late 60s and Amway had a non-phosphate alternative by 1970 - meanwhile the competition (such as P&G) was fighting the government(s) and getting anti-phosphate legislation overturned.

With regard "bioidegradeable", as I noted on TTAA a few months back, it appears that with LOC Amway was actually the first company to use the term on commercial product packaging - they introduced the word to the public.

OK, IBOFB - you are the KING of finding info on the internet......LOL!!! I bow to your prowess