Why this approach?
We were shocked to learn that a very high proportion of personal care products – even a few classified as “organic” or “natural” – are contaminated with compounds recognized as carcinogens, according to the Organic Consumer Association’s 2008 report. We decided to act.
To save money, manufacturers use ethoxylated ingredients contaminated with 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide by-products, which are classified as carcinogens (groups 1 and 2), according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. These industrial pollutants are not identified on the label, so it’s very difficult for the consumer to know whether a product contains them or not. Because these by-products appear in low concentrations, industry and the governments ignore them, hiding behind the age-old principle that it’s the amount that kills, thus tolerating these contaminants.
We strongly disagree and believe that this principle should be called into question by all stakeholders. This is why we decided to offer consumers a natural product that DOES NOT contain these carcinogenic contaminants.
Today, cancer is recognized primarily as a chronic disease associated with our lifestyle. Therefore, daily exposure to low doses of carcinogenic by-products is not a trivial matter. Who knows what the consequences of daily exposure to low doses will be after 20 or 30 years? Consumers have the right to have access to products free of carcinogenic by-products and to know exactly what is in the products they use on their bodies. They may then decide whether or not they want to be exposed to these compounds, regardless of the concentration.
Is it legal to have carcinogens in a personal care product?
No. Health Canada, the FDA, and the European Commission all ban the use of any dangerous ingredient in the manufacturing of personal care products. However, products contaminated by 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide are accepted even though these contaminants are clearly recognized as carcinogens (groups 1 and 2) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. This decision is based on models and studies (relatively short-term tests on animals) that demonstrate that low doses are not dangerous to human health. There is thus quite a contradiction in the regulations.
Are my cosmetic products carcinogenic?
There are no studies that clearly demonstrate that the long-term use of conventional shampoo, for example, causes cancer. Governments have used models and other available studies as a basis to authorize the sale of cosmetic products contaminated with 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide. These studies are generally carried out on animals over short periods of time (less than three years). The long-term effects of very low exposure on humans are thus unknown.
Over the past few years, scientists have noticed a significant increase in the rates of chronic diseases (diseases directly related to lifestyle). Contrary to popular belief, cancer is classified as a chronic disease and only 10% of cancers are associated with heredity, according to a report by the World Cancer Research Fund (2007).
Humans are constantly exposed to more and more industrial pollution; at the same time, the number of cases of cancer continues to rise. We, at ATTITUDE, simply believe that it is essential to reduce human exposure to these carcinogenic contaminants and to stop using them in manufacturing processes. This will maximize our chances of staying in good health, longer.
How do we ensure that there is no 1,4-dioxane or ethylene oxide in our ATTITUDE personal care products?
First of all, we choose natural ingredients made from renewable resources (plants, minerals, free from petrochemical compounds). In addition, our ingredients come from processes that DO NOT use synthetic carcinogenic compounds like ethylene oxide. Consequently, it is theoretically impossible that 1,4-dioxane or ethylene oxide could be found as by-products in our products.
Secondly, we require that ALL our suppliers submit statements complying with CA Proposition 65 to assert that our ingredients do not contain chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Finally, we have submitted ALL our products to an independent laboratory for analysis to confirm the absence of 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide. We have established random testing to periodically test our products and validate their production.
What products are contaminated with 1,4-dioxane or ethylene oxide?
Unfortunately, manufacturers of personal care products are under no obligation to indicate on their labels whether or not a product has been contaminated. The Organic Consumer Association report has shown that even so-called “natural” or “organic” brands may contain 1,4-dioxane. Therefore, if there is no claim on the product that it has not been contaminated, this does not guarantee that it’s uncontaminated. There are, however, some ways to identify product ingredients that are contaminated (see the next question).
How do I recognize ingredients that might be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane or ethylene oxide?
There are a few tricks to recognize the main ingredients. The first is to recognize ethoxylated ingredients, i.e. ingredients made with one or more parts ethylene oxide. In addition to using ethylene oxide, this chemical process automatically creates 1,4-dioxane. Ethoxylated ingredients contain a word ending in “eth,” like sodium laureth sulfate, a surfactant widely used in the cosmetics industry.
Ingredients containing the word “PEG” (polyethylene glycol) or “polysorbate” are also ingredients that are contaminated with these two industrial pollutants. These ingredients are made using ethylene oxide and the chemical reaction creates 1,4-dioxane.
Many other ingredients may also be contaminated. Several databases list the ingredients found on the labels of personal care products. The Skin Deep database (http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/) set up by the Environmental Working Group is a very useful and user-friendly resource.
