MORE THAN 100 COSMETIC & BODY CARE COMPANIES PLEDGE TO MAKE SAFER COSMETICS

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For Im. MedicalConspiracies@googlegromediate Release

Contact:

Lisa Archer, Friends of the Earth, 202-222-712

Kevin Donegan, Breast Cancer Fund, 415-346-8223 x14

Stacy Malkan, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (510) 848-5343 x105

 

http://www.foe.org/new/releases/0505cometics.html?key=82

 

MORE THAN 100 COSMETIC AND BODY CARE COMPANIES PLEDGE TO MAKE SAFER

PRODUCTS

 

Mother's Day promise may signal market shift in cosmetics industry

 

 

 

 

 

SAN FRANCISCO-On the eve of Mother's Day, when many sons and daughters

purchase cosmetics and personal care products as gifts for their moms,

the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics reports that 116 cosmetics and personal

care product manufacturers have signed the " Compact for Safe Cosmetics, "

a pledge to replace hazardous ingredients with safer alternatives within

three years.

 

Amid a flurry of media scrutiny and growing public concern about toxic

chemicals in cosmetics, many cosmetics manufacturers are reformulating

their products to remove ingredients known to be carcinogens, mutagens

and reproductive toxins. In addition, stricter European laws have forced

U.S.-based companies to examine more closely the safety of chemical

ingredients in products sold in the United States and other worldwide

markets.

 

Several major companies, including L'Oréal (OTC: LORLY [ADR]), Revlon

(NYSE: REV) and Estée Lauder (NYSE: EL), have agreed to the first

requirement of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, by announcing that they

will meet the standards and deadlines set by the European Union

Directive 76/768/EEC, wherever their products are sold. The EU

directive, which became law in 25 European countries on October 1, 2004,

requires products to be free of chemicals that are known or strongly

suspected of causing cancer, genetic mutation or birth defects.

 

Despite repeated requests, however, these and other major multinational

cosmetics companies have thus far refused to sign the full " Compact for

the Global Production of Safe Health and Beauty Products, " which would

commit them to undertake an inventory of all ingredients; determine

whether they use chemicals that pose hazards including cancer, endocrine

disruption, genetic mutation, reproductive toxicity, developmental harm

and neurotoxicity; and implement a plan to replace those ingredients

with safe alternatives within three years. Commonly-used cosmetics

ingredients that pose such risks include formaldehyde, coal tar, lead

acetate, silica, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulphate and

p-phenylenediamine.

 

The Compact for Safe Cosmetics was developed by the Campaign for Safe

Cosmetics, a coalition of U.S.-based health and environmental groups, as

a way to protect consumers from toxic chemicals and hold companies

accountable for the safety of their products. In recent months, the rate

at which companies have signed the Compact has increased significantly.

 

" We congratulate the 116 companies who have signed the Compact for Safe

Cosmetics, " said Jeanne Rizzo, R.N., executive director of the Breast

Cancer Fund, a founding member of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. " It

is our fervent hope that more companies will follow their lead and make

a firm, unwavering commitment to protect our health by ensuring cosmetic

safety. "

 

Contrary to what many consumers may believe, the FDA does not review or

regulate cosmetics products or ingredients for safety before they are

sold to the public and has no legal authority to require safety

assessments of cosmetics (www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-206.html). As a

result, one out of every 100 personal care products on the market

contains known or probable carcinogens and 89 percent of ingredients in

products have not been assessed for safety, according to a study by the

Environmental Working Group (http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep/).

 

Women and girls use an average of 12 personal care products daily,

according to a 2004 survey conducted by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

 

 

Current Compact signers include Aubrey Organics, Avalon Natural

Products, and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps. For the full list, please visit

http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/foe/news.jsp?key=82.

 

Founding members of The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics include: Alliance

for a Healthy Tomorrow, The Breast Cancer Fund, Commonweal, Friends of

the Earth, Women's Voices for the Earth, Environmental Working Group,

National Black Environmental Justice Network and National Environmental

Trust.