Cosmetics producers in North America now can certify their natural and organic products by standards similar to Europe's. According to a report by Yahoo Finance, Certech Registration Inc., an independent accredited certifying body based in Canada, now offers natural and organic certification for cosmetic products.
"I believe this certification standard places us firmly at the forefront of the organic industry," stated Brian Lane, president of Certech Registration Inc., in a press announcement. "With this standard we aim to bring clarity to natural and organic cosmetics producers and create trust among consumers."
Through its IOS Cosmetics Standard, Certech reports it is the first organization to bring producers in North America the option for natural and organic certification; previously, North American manufacturers could only resort to US and Canadian agricultural regulations for certification. "[That] state of affairs is confusing for producers and consumers who, up to now, did not have access to a clear, independent definition of organic cosmetics."
According to the company, the IOS standard is a hybrid, addressing effective management controls/systems, product stewardship, testing and auditing through the design, sourcing, production and labeling of natural and organic cosmetics. Cosmetic products that obtain certification under Certech's standard must follow rigorous examination both in terms of ingredients as well as production process, facilities and even packaging. In order to be certified as natural under the IOS Cosmetics Standard, a minimum of 95% of the product must be of natural origin.
In addition to this, products that obtain certification as organic must also reportedly use certified organic ingredients that have been grown, cultivated and stored without the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, fumigants or other toxins. The standard also addresses the manufacturing process that cannot use or produce toxins or other harmful substances, and the packaging of the product must be recyclable. The products themselves as well as their individual ingredients must not have been tested on animals, must be virtually free of synthetic ingredients, and must not contain pesticides, harmful preservatives, artificial colors and fragrances.
According to the report, the IOS Cosmetics Standard was created specifically for North America using as reference and conforming to existing European, US and Canadian regulations and legislation:
- US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Title 7 Part 205 Natural Organic Program
- California Health and Safety Code, Article 7 "The California Organic Products Act of 2003"
- Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act (Canada)
- Canadian Food and Drugs Act
- FDA/CFSAN Cosmetics Good Manufacturing Practice guideline
- CAN/CGSB 32.310 2006 Organic Production Systems General Principles and Management Standards
- EEC Regulation number 2092/91
- ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems - Requirements ISO
- 14001 Environmental Management Systems - Requirements
Copies of the IOS Standard (.PDF version) are available free by request from Certech Registration Inc. by e-mailing [email protected].
