Carcinogens found in leading organic personal care products

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Carcinogenic 1,4-Dioxane Found in Leading 'Organic' Brand Personal Care

Products

USDA Certified Products Test Dioxane-Free

http://www.commondreams.org/news2008/0314-04.htm

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - March 14 - A newly released study commissioned by

the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), a watchdog group with over 500,000

members, and overseen by environmental health consumer advocate David Steinman

(author of The Safe Shopper's Bible), analyzes leading " natural " and " organic "

brand shampoos, body washes, lotions and other personal care products for the

presence of the undisclosed carcinogenic contaminant 1,4-Dioxane. A reputable

third-party laboratory known for rigorous testing and chain-of-custody

protocols, performed all testing.

 

 

Ethoxylation, a cheap short-cut companies use to provide mildness to harsh

ingredients, requires the use of the cancer-causing petrochemical Ethylene

Oxide, which generates 1,4-Dioxane as a by-product. 1,4-Dioxane is considered a

chemical " known to the State of California to cause cancer " under proposition

65, and has no place in " natural " or " organic " branded personal care products.

1,4-dioxane is also suspected as a kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant and

respiratory toxicant, among others, according to the California EPA, and is a

leading groundwater contaminant. Although previous studies have revealed

1,4-Dioxane is often present in conventional personal care products, this new

study indicates the toxin is also present in leading " natural " and " organic "

branded products, none of which are certified under the USDA National Organic

Program. The products/brands tested are listed on the attached page with the

level of 1,4-Dioxane detected, if any, along with ethoxylated ingredients listed

on the label.

Some of the Leading Brands Found to Contain 1,4-Dioxane: JASON Pure

Natural & Organic; Giovanni Organic Cosmetics; Kiss My Face; Nature's Gate

Organics.

Please download this leaflet (PDF) for full listing.

 

Both the OCA and Steinman are calling for misleadingly labeled

" Organic(s) " brands which include ethoxylate ingredients or otherwise utilize

petrochemicals in their ingredients, to drop all organic claims from their

branding and labeling. " The practice of ethoxylating ingredients or using other

petroleum compounds must end for natural personal care, and is that much more

outrageous in so-called 'organics' brand products, " says Ronnie Cummins,

Executive Director of the OCA. " At a time when our nation is dangerously

dependent on foreign oil and attempting to wean itself off unnecessary

dependence on petroleum-based ingredients in major consumer products for

national security reasons, it is self-defeating that we are literally bathing

ourselves and our children in toxic petroleum compounds, " says Steinman. " But

consumers should also take heart in the emergence of a growing number of

companies who've received the message and who are seeking to completely avoid

petrochemicals in their cosmetic and personal care products. Your best bet is to

purchase products whose ingredients you can pronounce or better yet are

certified under the USDA National Organic Program. "

 

Brands Found not to Contain 1,4-Dioxane: All USDA Certified brands tested

in this study were 1,4-Dioxane-free, including: Dr. Bronner's, Sensibility Soaps

(Nourish), Terressentials. All German Natural " BDIH " Certified brands tested

were found to be 1,4-Dioxane-free: Aubrey Organics, Dr. Hauschka.

 

Please download this leaflet (PDF) for full listing.

 

A visit to any health food store unfortunately reveals the majority of

products in the personal care section with " organic " brand claims are not USDA

certified, and contain only cheap water extracts of organic herbs and maybe a

few other token organic ingredients for organic veneer. The core of such

products are composed of conventional synthetic cleansers and conditioning

ingredients usually made in part with petrochemicals. According to market

statistics, consumers are willing to pay significantly more for products branded

" natural " or " organic " which they believe do not contain petrochemical-modified

ingredients or toxic contaminants like 1,4-Dioxane.

 

To avoid 1,4-Dioxane, the OCA urges consumers to search ingredient lists

for indications of ethoxylation including: " myreth, " " oleth, " " laureth, "

" ceteareth, " any other " eth, " " PEG, " " polyethylene, " " polyethylene glycol, "

" polyoxyethylene, " or " oxynol, " in ingredient names. In general, the OCA urges

consumers to avoid products with unpronounceable ingredients. " When it comes to

misbranding organic personal care products in the US, it's almost complete

anarchy and buyer beware unless the product is certified under the USDA National

Organic Program, " says Cummins.

 

The study builds on the extensive survey conducted by Steinman for his

book Safe Trip to Eden (Perseus Books 2007), in association with the Campaign

for Safe Cosmetics, the Breast Cancer Fund and the Environmental Working Group,

which found that many mainstream children's bubble bath and shampoo products

contain dangerous amounts of this undisclosed carcinogen.

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