Johnson & Johnson to eliminate toxic chemicals
Major cosmetics brands are to face fresh calls to improve the environmental credentials of their ingredients, after Johnson & Johnson (J&J) pledged to phase out harmful chemicals from all its products.
J&J, maker of well-known brands such as Johnson’s Baby Oil and Neutrogena, announced on Wednesday that it will be removing carcinogens and other toxic chemicals from its baby and adult toiletries in the 57 countries in which it operates.
The move comes after J&J faced years of pressure from green and consumer groups concerned it was using potentially harmful ingredients, such as the preservative formaldehyde, which is released slowly by a chemical called quaternium-15 to kill bacteria, but is also a skin, eye, and respiratory irritant.
The company had already pledged last year to reformulate its baby range to remove probable carcinogens 1,4 dioxane and formaldehyde, both of which are believed to be human carcinogens, by the end of 2013.
However, this week’s announcement included a commitment to remove the toxins from adult products by the end of 2015. The company said it would also phase out triclosan, phthalates, and parabens, as well as fragrance ingredients, which are not disclosed on product labels.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC), a coalition of more than 175 NGOs, including Friends of the Earth and Clean Water Action, welcomed the news as a major breakthrough for its efforts to reform the industry.
The campaigners said they would now ramp up the pressure on other major cosmetic brands, such as L’Oreal and Procter & Gamble, to follow suit and to specify a timeline for the removal of harmful ingredients.
“While voluntary action on the part of manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson indicates that some in the cosmetics industry are getting the message that consumers want safer products, only stricter regulation of this $50bn industry will ensure that all consumers are protected,” said Cindy Luppi, director of Clean Water Action.
J&J also launched a website Wednesday showing how it ensures its ingredients are safe and of high quality, arguing the site will help to boost transparency of its processes.
The United States Congress is also in the process of considering the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011, which aims to phase out chemicals linked to cancer and reproductive harm, require companies to fully disclose the ingredients they use, while giving the government the authority to recall dangerous products.
J&J, maker of well-known brands such as Johnson’s Baby Oil and Neutrogena, announced on Wednesday that it will be removing carcinogens and other toxic chemicals from its baby and adult toiletries in the 57 countries in which it operates.
The move comes after J&J faced years of pressure from green and consumer groups concerned it was using potentially harmful ingredients, such as the preservative formaldehyde, which is released slowly by a chemical called quaternium-15 to kill bacteria, but is also a skin, eye, and respiratory irritant.
The company had already pledged last year to reformulate its baby range to remove probable carcinogens 1,4 dioxane and formaldehyde, both of which are believed to be human carcinogens, by the end of 2013.
However, this week’s announcement included a commitment to remove the toxins from adult products by the end of 2015. The company said it would also phase out triclosan, phthalates, and parabens, as well as fragrance ingredients, which are not disclosed on product labels.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC), a coalition of more than 175 NGOs, including Friends of the Earth and Clean Water Action, welcomed the news as a major breakthrough for its efforts to reform the industry.
The campaigners said they would now ramp up the pressure on other major cosmetic brands, such as L’Oreal and Procter & Gamble, to follow suit and to specify a timeline for the removal of harmful ingredients.
“While voluntary action on the part of manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson indicates that some in the cosmetics industry are getting the message that consumers want safer products, only stricter regulation of this $50bn industry will ensure that all consumers are protected,” said Cindy Luppi, director of Clean Water Action.
J&J also launched a website Wednesday showing how it ensures its ingredients are safe and of high quality, arguing the site will help to boost transparency of its processes.
The United States Congress is also in the process of considering the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011, which aims to phase out chemicals linked to cancer and reproductive harm, require companies to fully disclose the ingredients they use, while giving the government the authority to recall dangerous products.
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