Natural products contain carcinogens....

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_http://www.ewg.org/node/26160_ (http://www.ewg.org/node/26160)

 

Study: Almost Half Of All ‘Natural’ Personal Care Products Contain Known

Carcinogen

 

For Immediate Release: March 14, 2008

Contact: EWG, Jovana Ruzicic, (202) 939 9144

WASHINGTON – A _new report_

(http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/DioxaneRelease08.cfm) by the Organic

Consumers Association (OCA) released today

found a toxic chemical linked to cancer in over 40 percent products that call

themselves “naturalâ€.

Last year, Environmental Working Group (EWG) found the carcinogen known as

1,4-dioxane in 28 percent of all personal care products after and exhaustive

study of the ingredients in over 27,000 products.

“A chemical known to cause cancer in animals and possibly humans should not

be in shampoos, soap and other personal care products we used on our

children,â€

said Richard Wiles, Executive Director of EWG. “ This ingredient is easy to

remove, but companies often don't take it out, leaving their customers at

risk. Without federal standards in place to regulate this, or any other

chemical in personal care products, consumers are left with little choices and

even

less knowledge about the problem.“

_EWG’s investigation_ (http://www.ewg.org/node/21286) found that

1,4-Dioxane is a potential contaminant in:

55% of baby bubble baths

57% of baby shampoos

55% of baby soaps

43% of body firming lotion

37% of anti-aging lotions

35% of around-eye creams

_http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/DioxaneRelease08.cfm_

(http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/DioxaneRelease08.cfm)

 

 

Press Release

For Immediate Release: March 14, 2008

Contact: Ronnie Cummins, 218-226-4164 (Organic Consumers Association)

David Steinman, 310-455-8952

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

Products

USDA Certified Products Test Dioxane-Free

ANAHEIM, CA - 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.

* View _this page_

(http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/DioxaneResults08.cfm) or_ download

this leaflet _

(http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/DioxaneAlert080314.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 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

* View _this page_

(http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/DioxaneResults08.cfm) or_ download

this leaflet _

(http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/DioxaneAlert080314.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)_

(http://www.perseusbooksgroup.com/perseus/book_detail.jsp?isbn=1560258063) , in

association with the _Campaign for

Safe Cosmetics_ (http://www.safecosmetics.org/) , the _Breast Cancer Fund_

(http://www.breastcancerfund.org/site/pp.asp?c=kwKXLdPaE & b=43969) and the

_Environmental Working Group_ (http://www.ewg.org/) , which found that many

mainstream children's bubble bath and shampoo products contain dangerous

amounts

of this undisclosed carcinogen.

Further Resources:

* OCA's " Coming Clean " Campaign: _www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/_

(http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm)

* Campaign for Safe Cosmetics:_ www.safecosmetics.org_

(http://www.safecosmetics.org/newsroom/press.cfm?pressReleaseID=21)

* FDA: _www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-hdb3.html _

(http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-toc.html)

 

 

 

 

 

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