CA Sues Whole Foods, Others For 1,4-Dioxane

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California Lawsuit; Whole Foods, Avalon and Others With Products Containing

Carcinogenic 1,4-Dioxane

http://www.prlog.org/10079593-california-lawsuit-whole-foods-avalon-and-others-w\

ith-products-containing-carcinogenic-1-4-dioxane.html

 

Shocking report on California's suit against Whole Foods Markets,

because of ghastly carcinogen hidden in body care products; calls into question

the integrity of Whole Foods and whether it is committing related antitrust

abuses in Whole Foods Merger Source: New Millennium Fine Art

Jun 11, 2008 22:32:18

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Jun 11, 2008 – California Files Lawsuit Against Whole

Foods, Avalon, and Others Whose Products Tested Positive for Carcinogenic

1,4-Dioxane in OCA Study

Organic Consumers Association, 6/10/2008

 

For immediate release: Interviews with David Steinman or Ronnie Cummins can be

arranged by contacting Adam Eidinger at 202-744-2671.

 

OAKLAND, CA - Reacting in part to a study released by the Organic Consumers

Association (OCA) in March of this year, but also based on their own testing,

the Attorney General of California has filed a major lawsuit against body care

household-cleaning product companies whose products recently tested highest for

the carcinogenic contaminant 1,4-Dioxane.

 

Under California's " Proposition 65 " consumer products that contain toxic levels

of 1,4 Dioxane must have warning labels stating they may cause cancer.

1,4-Dioxane is typically produced as a byproduct when ingredients are

ethoxylated with the petrochemical ethylene oxide, a process which has become

standard practice for many cleansing and moisturizing products.

 

The suit, California v. Avalon Natural Products (manufacturer of the Alba

brand), also names Whole Foods Market California (manufacturer of the Whole

Foods 365 brand), Beaumont Products (manufacturer of the Citrus Magic brand),

and Nutribiotic (read full Attorney General suit here). It is unclear exactly

which products manufactured by the aforementioned companies triggered the

lawsuit, but all named companies have sold products that tested close to or in

excess of 20 parts per million for 1,4-Dioxane in the OCA study released at the

Natural Products Expo in Anaheim, CA in March (read study results here).

 

Last week OCA sent a letter to the four companies named in the California

lawsuit to see if they are planning changes to their labeling or product

formulations. Only one company responded. In a letter to the OCA, Beaumont

Products wrote, " Upon being notified that there was a problem with our product,

we verified that the problem existed, then took immediate action. " Beaumont has

reformulated their products to remove the problematic ingredient, highlighting

their dedication to providing safe products, in contrast to the lack of action

taken by the other three companies.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/beaumont.doc)

 

The California Attorney General (AG) alleges these companies should have put

warning labels on products containing high levels of 1,4-Dioxane, stating that

they may cause cancer. The lawsuit states, " Plaintiff alleges that each

defendant has known since at least May 29, 2004 that the body washes and gels

and liquid dish soaps contain, 1,4-dioxane and that persons using these products

are exposed to 1,4-dioxane. " Per Proposition 65, fines for mislabeled products

are as high as $2,500 per day for each violation. FAQs about 1,4-Dioxane can be

found here.

 

" These companies need to stop treating the inclusion of cancer causing chemicals

in their products as 'business as usual' and reformulate before consumer

confidence in the natural products and organics industry is permanently

damaged, " says consumer activist David Steinman who conducted the OCA study and

originally exposed the presence of 1,4-Dioxane in baby bubble bath products in

his book Safe Trip to Eden and in a February, 2007 press conference with the

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. (The press release can be found here .)

 

The AG's complaint states that California wants, " …preliminary injunctions,

permanent injunctions, or other orders prohibiting the defendant(s) from

exposing persons within the State of California to 1,4-dioxane without providing

clear and reasonable warnings… "

 

" The OCA's 1,4-dioxane study elevated the issue of fake 'natural' and 'organic'

brands that utilize petrochemicals in their formulas in March, and now we are

seeing labeling enforcement on a scale never seen before, " says OCA National Ronnie Cummins. " We used an independent laboratory and found that

numerous 'natural' and 'organic' brands tested positive for 1,4-Dioxane, a

cancer causing contaminant resulting from the petrochemical ethylene oxide being

attached to one or more ingredients. "

 

Interviews with David Steinman or Ronnie Cummins can be arranged by contacting

Adam Eidinger at 202-744-2671.

 

Organic Consumers Association, 6/10/2008