“Hundreds of people have pledged their support for the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 through our efforts”, Weleda Communications Manager Carrie Ruehlman told CosmeticsDesign.com USA.
Since its introduction to Congress in July of this year, the Act has fueled debate within the cosmetics industry with many expressing concern over the burden enforcing it would place on the FDA.
It has been criticized by the industry trade association Personal Care Products Council, which said the Act is ‘not based on credible and established scientific principles’, and many smaller cosmetics companies believe they will be unfairly damaged by the fees and paperwork it would require.
Act would close ‘gaping holes’ in ‘outdated federal law’
Weleda holds that the Safe Cosmetics Act is an ‘incredible opportunity’ to raise safety standards in the industry and aim for a situation in which consumers are safe regardless of the number or types of cosmetics they use.
“For the first time in 70 years, Congress is poised to close the gaping holes in the outdated federal law that allows potentially dangerous chemicals in the products we use every day,” said Ruehlman.
Confronting the apprehension about the impact the act could have on small businesses, Ruehlman added that “in the end, environmental groups and businesses--large and small--should work together to come up with a final bill that is meaningful and workable, and does not unfairly burden small companies.”
The situation for Weleda
For Weleda, the passing of the Act would not be challenging, it claimed. Whilst it would be obliged to pay the fees that the FDA would require under the Act, ensuring the FDA has the capacity to evaluate the safety of its ingredients, Weleda has “long disclosed all of the ingredients on its labels and on its website”.
According to Ruehlman, Weleda’s products already meet safety regulations in Europe, which it claims currently go beyond those in the U.S, and Weleda does not anticipate ‘any negative consequence’ of the Act on its operation.
“We think the Act will actually benefit companies like ours in the industry that are doing the right thing and already making products free of potentially toxic chemicals. And it will certainly benefit the health of consumers and the environment.”
Consumer support for the Safe Cosmetics Act and their confidence in Weleda’s product ingredients goes some way to explaining why Weleda has “experienced double digit growth over the last couple of years, even in the middle of a recession,” claimed Ruehlman.