Watch Group Lauds Cosmetics Maker’s Shift to Paraben and Plastic Microbeads-Free Products
A non-profit watch group promoting consumer
and environmental health commended a cosmetics manufacturer for offering products
that are free of parabens and plastic microbeads.
The EcoWaste Coalition lauded Intelligent Skin Care Inc. (ISCI), maker of the
Belo Essentials product line, for taking steps to remove parabens, which are
potential endocrine disrupting chemicals due to their ability to imitate
estrogen, as well as ocean-polluting plastic microbeads, from their products.
At a dialogue held yesterday between the EcoWaste Coalition and ISCI
representatives led by general manager Robby Sicam, the company confirmed that
materials used in their cosmetics formulations do not contain isobutyl paraben
and four other types of paraben banned under the European Union and ASEAN
Cosmetics Directives.
“Belo Essentials Body Bar and Lotion do not contain isobutyl paraben since 2009
as can be verified from the certificates of analysis provided by our supplier
Eurochemicals. This was even before the government advised manufacturers to
remove such ingredient by the end of 2015,” stated Sicam.
The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) through Circular 2015-008 banned isobutyl
paraben as well as benzyl, isopropyl, pentyl and pheny parabens and gave
manufacturers until December 31, 2015 to reformulate and initiate product phase-outs
and recalls.
Furthermore, ISCI told the group that they have altogether removed permissible parabens
in their cosmetics such as butyl, ethyl, methy and propyl parabens making their
full range of products paraben-free.
“We are satisfied with the explanation given by ISCI regarding the outdated
ingredient information on the product packs and recognized their ongoing effort
to correct it,” said Thony Dizon, Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition’s
Project Protect.
The EcoWaste Coalition had earlier disclosed that some
Belo Essentials products contain the banned isobutyl paraben as indicated on
the ingredient list.
As agreed upon with the FDA, the ISCI has embarked on an action plan to end in
August 2016 involving the “re-stickering” of product packs to correct the ingredient
information.
To the delight of the EcoWaste Coalition, the ISCI also confirmed at the
meeting that Belo Essentials have also already eliminated the use of plastic microbeads.
In January this year, the EcoWaste Coalition urged Congress
to enact a law that will forbid the manufacture of facial wash, shampoo,
toothpaste and other personal care products containing plastic microbeads, which
can pollute the oceans, harm marine life and threaten public health.
This was after US President Barack Obama signed the
Microbead-Free Waters Act on December 28 last year phasing out cosmetics with
added plastic microbeads, including those made from “biodegradable” plastics,
by July 1, 2017 and banning the sale of such products by July 1, 2018.
Plastic microbeads in personal care products go straight to the drainage system
and into water bodies and subsequently polluting the oceans with minuscule,
non-biodegradable particles that are then eaten by aquatic organisms who mistake them for eggs or
plankton, lamented the EcoWaste Coalition.
According to the International Campaign against Microbeads in Cosmetics, “the microbeads used in personal care products are mainly made of polyethylene (PE), but can also be made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyly methacrylate (PMMA) and nylon.”
According to the International Campaign against Microbeads in Cosmetics, “the microbeads used in personal care products are mainly made of polyethylene (PE), but can also be made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyly methacrylate (PMMA) and nylon.”
As part of their ongoing advocacy to protect human health and the environment,
the EcoWaste Coalition is exhorting all cosmetics makers to go paraben-free and
plastic microbeads-free.
-end-
ISCI’s full statement can be viewed here:
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