_http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_10961.cfm
Cancer-Causing Contaminant Soils Cleaning Products
By Vanessa L. Facenda
Brandweek, March 17, 2008
Straight to the Source
Seventh Generation, Method and other leading personal care and cleaning brands may soon face lawsuits if they don't remove the word "organic" from their labeling and marketing by Sept. 1. The ultimatum comes following a recent investigation by the Organic Consumers Assn., which uncovered a potentially carcinogenic contaminant in various products.
The OCA investigated nearly 100 organic cosmetic, personal care and household cleaning formulas, and found that nearly 50% of them contain detectable levels of 1,4-dioxane, which is known to cause cancer in lab animals. None of the manufacturers disclosed this information on their labels, even though many had levels greater than 1,000 times the acceptable level.
The biggest offenders were the "natural" dish detergents, including Citrus Magic 100% Natural Dish Liquid, Earth Friendly Products Ultra Dishmate, Method Dish Naturally Derived Ultra Concentrate, Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid and Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid. Method, San Francisco, refuted the study saying it never made the claim on labels that its products are natural or organic. "We state that our products are naturally-derived," said rep Katie Molinari.
The findings were released by the OCA, which is based in Washington, on Friday in Anaheim, Calif., at the Natural Products Expo West trade show.
David Steinman, a consumer advocate and author who directed the study, called the findings a wake-up call for the natural products industry: "To knowingly and unnecessarily put carcinogens into commerce in these modern times is cynical and barbaric. It betrays the public trust." The brands will have to remove all "organic" branding and labeling from their packaging by Sept. 1. Manufacturers have until April 20 to agree to the terms, said Adam Eidinger, principal with Mintwood Media, Washington, a consulting firm that works with the OCA. "If [manufacturers] do not comply, they will face a lawsuit accusing them of false and deceptive advertising and unfair and unlawful business practice under California law," Eidinger said. "No one is regulating natural claims and these carcinogens have cumulative effects on humans and the environment. Something needs to be done to create higher standards for these products."
The lawsuit will be filed on behalf of the national OCA, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, Escondido, Calif., and the regional Organic Consumers Assn. chapter in Little Marais, Minn.
While 1,4-dioxane is present in many conventional personal care products such as shampoos and body washes, as well as household cleaning products, the issue at hand has to do with mislabeling products that consumers deem organic and natural, which implies they are free of chemicals and harmful ingredients.
The OCA study also revealed that all products certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program were free of 1,4-dioxane. In order to receive the seal, 95% or more of the ingredients have to be organic. Brands found not to contain 1,4-dioxane include Burt's Bees, Clorox Green Works, Avalon Organics and Dr. Bronner's.
_http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/CeaseDesist080317.cfm
For Immediate Release: March 17, 2008
OCA & Dr. Bronner's Issue Cease and Desist Letters to Organic Cheaters
Major Companies Claiming "Organic" or "Organics" on Labels Use Cleansers Based on Conventional Agricultural and/or Petrochemical Material
ANAHEIM, CA - The Organic Consumers Association and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps today issued a series of Cease and Desist letters to bodycare companies which have misbranded their products as "Organic" or "Organics" despite the fact that their cleansing ingredients are actually made from non-organic conventional and/or petrochemical material, preserved with petrochemical preservatives.
Dr. Bronner's has determined, based on extensive surveys, that organic consumers seek cleansing ingredients in "Organic", "Organics" or "Made with Organic" branded and labeled soaps, shampoos and bodywashes, that are made from organic as distinct from conventional agricultural material, produced without synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides, and such ingredients should be free of petrochemical compounds.
The major cleansing ingredient in Jason "Pure, Natural & Organic" liquid soaps, bodywashes and shampoos is Sodium Myreth Sulfate, which involves ethoxylating a conventional non-organic fatty chain with the carcinogenic petrochemical Ethylene Oxide, which produces caricinogenic 1,4-Dioxane as a contaminant. The major cleansing ingredient in Avalon "Organics" soaps, bodywashes and shampoos, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, contains conventional non-organic agricultural material combined with the petrochemical Amdiopropyl Betaine. Nature's Gate "Organics" main cleansers are Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate (ethoxylated) and Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Kiss My Face "Obsessively Organic" cleansers are Olefin Sulfonate (a pure petrochemical) and Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Juice "Organics", Giovanni "Organic Cosmetics", Head "Organics", Desert Essence "Organics", Ikove "Organic" Amazonian Avocado Bath & Shower Gel all use Cocamdiopropyl Betaine and no cleansers made from certified organic material.
Ronnie Cummins, Executive Director of the OCA, said: "The labeling and formulation practices of these companies are so unsupportable, we wonder sometimes if the garbage manager is in charge of product development and R&D." Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Soap, in contrast to the brands noted above, contains cleansing ingredients made only from certified organic oils and contains no petrochemical preservatives. Attached is a graphic comparing the ingredients' listings of the brands. Since 2003, Dr. Bronner's has been certified under the USDA National Organic Program to label its products as being "Made with Organic" ingredients. Company President David Bronner stated that, "We've grown increasingly frustrated with the companies in our industry who seem to feed off each others' misleading practices and show no inclination to clean up their formulations and live up to their organic branding claims."
Dr. Bronner's and the Organic Consumers Association plan to pursue legal remedies on Earth Day April 20th, if they do not receive responses indicating these companies noted above will cease organic branding by September 1, 2008.
As far as i know, the best shampoo is egg yolk + coniaque; household cleanser - baking soda
Cancer-Causing Contaminant Soils Cleaning Products
By Vanessa L. Facenda
Brandweek, March 17, 2008
Straight to the Source
Seventh Generation, Method and other leading personal care and cleaning brands may soon face lawsuits if they don't remove the word "organic" from their labeling and marketing by Sept. 1. The ultimatum comes following a recent investigation by the Organic Consumers Assn., which uncovered a potentially carcinogenic contaminant in various products.
The OCA investigated nearly 100 organic cosmetic, personal care and household cleaning formulas, and found that nearly 50% of them contain detectable levels of 1,4-dioxane, which is known to cause cancer in lab animals. None of the manufacturers disclosed this information on their labels, even though many had levels greater than 1,000 times the acceptable level.
The biggest offenders were the "natural" dish detergents, including Citrus Magic 100% Natural Dish Liquid, Earth Friendly Products Ultra Dishmate, Method Dish Naturally Derived Ultra Concentrate, Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid and Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid. Method, San Francisco, refuted the study saying it never made the claim on labels that its products are natural or organic. "We state that our products are naturally-derived," said rep Katie Molinari.
The findings were released by the OCA, which is based in Washington, on Friday in Anaheim, Calif., at the Natural Products Expo West trade show.
David Steinman, a consumer advocate and author who directed the study, called the findings a wake-up call for the natural products industry: "To knowingly and unnecessarily put carcinogens into commerce in these modern times is cynical and barbaric. It betrays the public trust." The brands will have to remove all "organic" branding and labeling from their packaging by Sept. 1. Manufacturers have until April 20 to agree to the terms, said Adam Eidinger, principal with Mintwood Media, Washington, a consulting firm that works with the OCA. "If [manufacturers] do not comply, they will face a lawsuit accusing them of false and deceptive advertising and unfair and unlawful business practice under California law," Eidinger said. "No one is regulating natural claims and these carcinogens have cumulative effects on humans and the environment. Something needs to be done to create higher standards for these products."
The lawsuit will be filed on behalf of the national OCA, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, Escondido, Calif., and the regional Organic Consumers Assn. chapter in Little Marais, Minn.
While 1,4-dioxane is present in many conventional personal care products such as shampoos and body washes, as well as household cleaning products, the issue at hand has to do with mislabeling products that consumers deem organic and natural, which implies they are free of chemicals and harmful ingredients.
The OCA study also revealed that all products certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program were free of 1,4-dioxane. In order to receive the seal, 95% or more of the ingredients have to be organic. Brands found not to contain 1,4-dioxane include Burt's Bees, Clorox Green Works, Avalon Organics and Dr. Bronner's.
_http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/CeaseDesist080317.cfm
For Immediate Release: March 17, 2008
OCA & Dr. Bronner's Issue Cease and Desist Letters to Organic Cheaters
Major Companies Claiming "Organic" or "Organics" on Labels Use Cleansers Based on Conventional Agricultural and/or Petrochemical Material
ANAHEIM, CA - The Organic Consumers Association and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps today issued a series of Cease and Desist letters to bodycare companies which have misbranded their products as "Organic" or "Organics" despite the fact that their cleansing ingredients are actually made from non-organic conventional and/or petrochemical material, preserved with petrochemical preservatives.
Dr. Bronner's has determined, based on extensive surveys, that organic consumers seek cleansing ingredients in "Organic", "Organics" or "Made with Organic" branded and labeled soaps, shampoos and bodywashes, that are made from organic as distinct from conventional agricultural material, produced without synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides, and such ingredients should be free of petrochemical compounds.
The major cleansing ingredient in Jason "Pure, Natural & Organic" liquid soaps, bodywashes and shampoos is Sodium Myreth Sulfate, which involves ethoxylating a conventional non-organic fatty chain with the carcinogenic petrochemical Ethylene Oxide, which produces caricinogenic 1,4-Dioxane as a contaminant. The major cleansing ingredient in Avalon "Organics" soaps, bodywashes and shampoos, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, contains conventional non-organic agricultural material combined with the petrochemical Amdiopropyl Betaine. Nature's Gate "Organics" main cleansers are Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate (ethoxylated) and Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Kiss My Face "Obsessively Organic" cleansers are Olefin Sulfonate (a pure petrochemical) and Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Juice "Organics", Giovanni "Organic Cosmetics", Head "Organics", Desert Essence "Organics", Ikove "Organic" Amazonian Avocado Bath & Shower Gel all use Cocamdiopropyl Betaine and no cleansers made from certified organic material.
Ronnie Cummins, Executive Director of the OCA, said: "The labeling and formulation practices of these companies are so unsupportable, we wonder sometimes if the garbage manager is in charge of product development and R&D." Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Soap, in contrast to the brands noted above, contains cleansing ingredients made only from certified organic oils and contains no petrochemical preservatives. Attached is a graphic comparing the ingredients' listings of the brands. Since 2003, Dr. Bronner's has been certified under the USDA National Organic Program to label its products as being "Made with Organic" ingredients. Company President David Bronner stated that, "We've grown increasingly frustrated with the companies in our industry who seem to feed off each others' misleading practices and show no inclination to clean up their formulations and live up to their organic branding claims."
Dr. Bronner's and the Organic Consumers Association plan to pursue legal remedies on Earth Day April 20th, if they do not receive responses indicating these companies noted above will cease organic branding by September 1, 2008.
As far as i know, the best shampoo is egg yolk + coniaque; household cleanser - baking soda
