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:
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