Chemical Calculator
Most of us blindly assume that the products we use everyday for general hygiene are safe to use. Yet, more and more studies are proving that this is far from true. Every year hundreds of new chemicals are released onto the market and only a very small proportion are tested. Most Governments around the world rely on the manufacturers to test the safety of their products but can we really trust them to put safety before profit?
Here are some interesting statistics:
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US states: "a cosmetic manufacturer
may use any ingredient or raw material and market the final products without
governmental approval".
- The UK Government does not require pre-market testing of cosmetics and
personal care products. Any company selling a cosmetic product is responsible
for ensuring the safety of its own products (Epstein, Unreasonable Risk).
- The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has found
that 884 chemicals available for use in cosmetics have been reported to the US
Government as toxic substances (Steinmann & Epstein, The Safe Shoppers Bible).
- In 1990, 38,000 cosmetic injuries were reported in the US that required
medical attention (Cosmetic Product Safety Commission, CPSC, Product Survey
Report: Washington DC, 1990).
- "A study by the respected, non-partisan General Accounting Office reported
that more than 125 ingredients available for use in cosmetics are suspected of
causing cancer. Other cosmetics may cause adverse effects on the nervous
system, including convulsions. Still other ingredients are suspected of causing
birth defects. A carefully controlled study found that one in sixty users suffered
a cosmetic related injury identified by a physician" (quoted by Senator Edward
Kennedy, 10/9/97).
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