Some time between Black Friday, you might find yourself in a big store buying presents. This got us thinking about retailers and a trend we’re seeing. As an organization that’s spent more than two decades working to draw attention to the risks of toxic common chemicals, the last couple of months have been surreal head-spinners as not one, not two, but three different consumer product powerhouses said things we have always dreamed we’d one day hear.

In August, Proctor & Gamble quietly announced via its website that it intends to phase out its use of endocrine-disrupting phthalates as well as the hazardous antibacterial agent triclosan.

Then in September, retail giant Wal-Mart said it would require suppliers to disclose all the ingredients used in the products it sells and will target 10 high-priority chemical hazards for action. This was followed by an announcement from Target that it will begin rating products for sustainability and will heavily penalize those containing any toxins found on certain independent regulatory lists.