Companies selling 401(k) services should be forced to disclose all the fees and expenses that can drain money from workers' retirement plans in writing before businesses trust them with their employees' money, the Department of Labor proposed yesterday. Under the proposed regulation, companies offering 401(k) and other employee benefit plans would have to submit in writing all services their plan offers and all direct and indirect compensation they get from the plan. Plan providers also would have to disclose any possible conflicts of interest that could affect the plan's performance.

Sears Holdings Corp. said yesterday it would move to phase out the use of the plastic PVC in packaging and merchandise at its Sears and Kmart stores, joining other retailers in targeting the plastic because of health and environmental concerns. The company said it has adopted a policy aimed at identifying more sustainable choices because of potential risks tied to the manufacture, use and disposal of polyvinyl chloride, known more commonly as PVC or vinyl. PVC plastic is used in products such as clothing and upholstery, vinyl siding, hoses, pipes and building materials.

Allegheny Valley Bancorp Inc. said it repurchased 11,350 shares, or 1.15 percent of its shares outstanding, at prices ranging from $62.25 to $62.80 per share ... Mylan Inc. said it has received tentative approval from the Food and Drug Administration to market the generic version of GlaxoSmithKline's Lamictal, a drug used for the treatment of seizures ... New Jersey's Casino Control Commission declined to renew an operating license for the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City. Columbia Sussex Corp., which took over the Tropicana on Jan. 3, has to seek a buyer, a commission spokesman said.