In mid-July Congressman Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jan Schakowsky of Illinois and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin filed a bill designed to get harmful chemicals out of personal care products. The proposed Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 would require companies to conduct safety testing of the ingredients they use and include a full, detailed list of ingredients on their websites and product labels.
Additionally, the proposed law would require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to conduct random testing for contaminants in cosmetics and personal care products. It would further require companies to report adverse health issues from their products to the Food and Drug Administration. Finally, it would give the FDA the authority to issue recalls for products that fail to meet specific safety standards.
In talking with a number of our clients in the Cosmetic and N&OPC product industries, the general consensus is that additional oversight is inevitable. The question is when and in what form.
So, what is a manufacturer in this industry to do? Below are a few things to think about…
- Educate Yourself – Review warning letters, inspection reports, compliance correspondence, etc. to understand if there are things you can begin doing today that will better prepare and protect your company.
- Ensure Current Compliance – Make sure you fully understand the FPLA (Fair Packaging and Labeling Act) and FD&C (Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act). Additionally, review your compliance with GMP’s (Good Manufacturing Practices). While there are no regulations set forth specific to GMP requirements for cosmetics much of what is contained in the GMP’s will ensure safe practices.
- Embrace Potential Challenges – When it comes to contaminants (including heavy metals) in your products it pays to be proactive. With consumer activists purchasing products off store shelves and independently testing them, sound knowledge of your products safety and quality is an absolute must. Your brand depends on it.
If you focus on the three items above you will proactively put your company in a stronger position for any upcoming regulations. To learn more about how Frontier Global Sciences might support your efforts give us a call or send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
About Frontier – Frontier Global Sciences is an internationally recognized analytical laboratory, specializing in the analysis of trace metals or heavy metals in industrial, environmental and consumer applications. For over 18 years the company has provided innovative solutions and “gold standard” analytical services to corporations and government entities throughout the world
