Personal Care Manufacturers Agree to Comply with CA Organic Rules
The Center for Environmental Health announced it has reached settlements with eleven companies1, including Kiss My Face, Boots, and Colomer, requiring them to adhere to the California Organic Production Act (COPA). The settlement follows CEH’s June lawsuit alleging their products were mislabeled as organic.
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Companies to Increase Organic Content to 70% or Change Label
The legal agreements, which were certified by the Alameda County Superior Court on November 29, 2011, call for the companies to ensure that their products manufactured after March 31, 2012 are in compliance with COPA2, either by increasing their use of organic ingredients to 70% or by changing their labels.
On or before that date, the companies will also make available to CEH information on their labeling codes, so the nonprofit can identify which products were made following the compliance date.
Impact of Settlements Expected to Be Felt Nationwide
Given the size of the California market, CEH expects the settlements will affect products nationwide. It also notes that action is pending on similar lawsuits CEH filed against 23 other companies in June.3 (See ITT’s Online Archives 11061701 for summary.)
CEH Says These “Organic” Products Had Package Warnings,Harmful Ingredients
CEH claims that in some cases, “organic” labeled products from these companies contain synthetic ingredients suspected of causing serious health problems. For example, an Organic Root Stimulator Girls Olive Oil No-Lye Conditioning Relaxer System, a product marketed to young children, contains ingredients linked to birth defects, hormone altering effects, and skin allergies. Package warnings on this “organic” product read "Keep away from eyes. Can cause blindness."
1The 11 settling companies are: (1) Boots (Boots brand); (2) Kiss My Face; (3) E.T. Brown (Palmer’s Olive Oil Formula brand); (4) Pacifica; (5) At Last Naturals (Lucky Tiger brand); (6) Himalaya (Organique brand); (7) RenPure; (8) Suki (Sukiface brand); (9) Stearns (derma e® brand); (10) Cosway (Head Organics brand); and (11) Colomer (Crème of Nature brand).
2The California Organic Products Act of 2003 outlines rules for labeling of organic personal care products, requiring that any product using the term “organic” on the front of the package must contain at least 70% organic ingredients. Products with less than 70% organic ingredients may only use the term “organic” on the ingredient list. Note that FDA does not define or regulate the term “organic” as it applies to cosmetics, body care, or personal care products, but USDA regulates the term organic as it applies to agricultural products. According to CEH, USDA has approved California’s organics program, including the state's rules regarding cosmetics and personal care products.
3List of 23 companies with pending complaints: (1) Advantage Research Laboratories Inc./Murray’s Worldwide, Inc. (Parnevu® brand); (2) All Natural Distributors Inc. (Tints of Nature brand); (3) Aubrey Organics, Inc.; (4) Beauty Without Cruelty/Lotus Brands, Inc.; (5) California Inside & Out, Inc. (Out of Africa® brand); (6) Curls LLC; (7) Episencial LLC; (8) Hain Inc (Jason brand); (9) Herb UK Limited (Tints of Nature brand); (10) House of Cheatham, Inc. (Organics by Africa’s Best brand); (11) International Trade Routes of New York, Inc/Laboratorios Phergal, S.A. (Naturtint® brand); (12) Jean Pierre Inc. (Blum® Naturals brand); (13) Kinky-Curly Hair Care, LLC; (14) Lafe’s Natural BodyCare, Inc/Lafe T. Larson, Inc.; (15) Lamas, Inc. (Peter Lamas brand); (16) Morrocco Method, Inc.; (17) Namasté Laboratories, L.L.C. (Organic Root Stimulator brand); (18) Nature’s Baby Products, Inc.; (19) Nubian Heritage Group LLC/Sundial Brands LLC (SheaMoisture and Nubian Heritage brands); (20) Nutrition Resource, Inc. dba NutriBiotic (NutriBiotic® brand); (21) Rainbow Research Corporation (Rainbow Baby Oh Baby® brand); (22) Strength of Nature Global, LLC (Elasta QP® brand); and (23) Todd Christopher International, Inc. dba Vogue International (Organix brand).