NEW YORK -- Wal-Mart says it's asking its suppliers to eliminate eight chemicals from household and personal care products.

The world's largest retailer said Wednesday that list includes such chemicals as formaldehyde and a solvent called dibutyl phthalate.

Wal-Mart had pledged three years ago to be more transparent about disclosing the types of ingredients in the products on its shelves. In April, the company said it achieved a 95 per cent reduction by weight in the use of eight priority chemicals but had not named them.

The retailer, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, says it is still working with suppliers to reduce, restrict and eliminate certain chemicals in products and that those efforts go beyond its U.S. stores.