Apr. 19 – Cancer and cosmetics (Cosmetic Labels)

A lengthy article in Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper on cosmetics labeling. Here’s a snippet:

Aside from labelling, Health Canada does maintain a hot list of more than 500 banned and restricted chemicals. Companies selling cosmetics here are also required to disclose the ingredients contained in their products to Ottawa.

In the United States, ingredients have been listed on cosmetics for years. But there are loopholes that allow companies to conceal some suspect chemicals under the vague title of “fragrance” or refuse to name ingredients that are claimed to be trade secrets.

“There are some ingredients that have benefits and some risk as well,” says Carl Carter, director of the Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association. “But our feeling is that under the Canadian regulatory system, we are very confident about the safety of the substances that are used.”

The full article is available here. It goes on to discuss some of the Proposition 65 issues we’ve been discussing at some length on this site.