The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has announced that nearly 500 cosmetics and body care products companies have signed an agreement to eliminate toxic ingredients from their products worldwide. The agreement, Compact for Safe Cosmetics, was a pledge to replace ingredients linked to cancer birth defects, hormone disruption and other negative health effects with safer alternatives in three years. According to the organization, The Body Shop and Burt's Bees have already signed the compact in addition to some smaller niche beauty brands.
"The companies that have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics are really leading the way toward safer products and healthier people," said Cindy Luppi, organizing director for Clean Water Action in Boston and a co-founder of the organization.
Because there is no federal regulation of cosmetics, states have begun to regulate personal care. California, Washington, Oregon, New York and Maryland have all made steps toward regulating beauty products.
In order to sign the compact, companies must meet certain criteria including: Meeting EU standards banning chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects globally; Conducting an inventory of all ingredients to determine whether they use chemicals that pose health hazards including cancer, hormone disruption, genetic mutation, reproductive toxicity, developmental harm and neurotoxicity; implementing substitution plans that replace chemicals of concern with safer alternatives; and reporting on their progress in meeting these goals to the public.
To obtain a full list of the personal care companies that have signed the compact, visit www.safecosmetics.org
