In June, Congress passed sweeping legislation to update the way chemicals are used in consumer and industrial products. The new law aims to review old chemicals that are already in the marketplace and review new chemicals entering the marketplace.
So this means chemicals in cosmetics will be reviewed for safety now, right? Wrong.
The new law will regulate chemicals in cleaners and carpets, but not those in food and cosmetics. That’s because food and cosmetics chemicals are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, not the Environmental Protection Agency.
So, until Congress acts again, cosmetics companies will still be able to put just about anything in their lotions, shampoos and other personal care products.
Fortunately, bipartisan bills have been introduced in the Senate and the House to screen cosmetics chemicals and give the FDA more oversight powers.
As EWG recently testified, many of these chemicals have been linked to serious health problems, including cancer and reproductive harm.
Let's hope the next Congress will build on recent chemical safety reforms to finally update cosmetics law, which has remained largely unchanged since 1938. Until then, consumers can look to tools like EWG's Skin Deep® for direction on how to avoid dangerous chemicals in cosmetics.
