Wirral Council will ban cleaning products tested on animals

Apr 25 2012 by Helen Hunt, Heswall News

WIRRAL Council will ban the use of household products that have been tested on animals from being used by its cleaners.

The Clean-up Cruelty motion was passed by elected members in which the council voiced its commitment to using only cleaning products which have not been tested on animals throughout council buildings.

Officials have been asked to find out the cost of implementing the ban and using supplies from producers who do not test on animals.

Today the move was welcomed by animal rights campaigners from the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV).

BUAV Chief Executive, Michelle Thew said: “The BUAV congratulates Wirral borough council in taking this important stance.

“We urge other councils to adopt a similar position and support our campaign to end the cruelty and suffering inflicted on animals to test cleaning products.”

The motion was introduced by Cllr Lesley Rennie and seconded by Cllr Ian Lewis who support the BUAV's Clean Up Cruelty campaign which seeks to end animal testing for household products and their ingredients.

The motion read: “This council welcomes the commitment by the coalition to ban the use of animals to test household products.

“This council supports the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection in its campaigning to end animal experiments by purchasing, for use in all buildings for which Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council is directly responsible for cleaning, only cleaning products which have been certified as not tested on animals under the Humane Standards.”

Cllr Ian Lewis told the BUAV: “Testing household products on animals is unnecessary, and I am pleased that the coalition government is committed to banning the practice.“