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How Organic Is Your Organic? Possibly Not Very, Says Lawsuit
Photo by morgan.arnold via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
When you spring for organic cosmetics, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it's because you expect them to be organic.And you'd be right to expect that -- the California Organic Products Act of 2003 requires that cosmetics and personal care products that are labeled "organic" contain at least 70% all-natural ingredients.
But a lawsuit brought about by Center for Environmental Health accuses 25 companies, including Kiss My Face and Hain Celestial Group, of mislabeling their packaging, reports the Huffington Post. The center asserts that some of the products named in the suit contain less than the required 70%, and some don't contain any organic ingredients at all.
For example:
...a kids' hair-softening system made by Organics by Africa's Best contains BHA, which California has classified as a carcinogen for more than 20 years... [and] Hold Up styling mousse by Kiss My Face had just one certified organic ingredient, listed 12th out of 16. As such, the product could be no more than 8 percent organic.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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