Rachel's Friends won a legislative victory on June 6 when
the Oregon House unanimously passed Senate Joint Memorial 8
-- the first step in giving Oregonians protection when they
purchase cosmetics, personal care products and baby toys.
Now we're heading to Congress and, together with our
coalition partners, plan to meet with Oregon's Congressional
delegation, urging them to take action on this vital issue.
Here's what Senate Joint
Memorial 8 does:
It tells Congress that we want accurate labeling of all the
ingredients in cosmetics, personal care products and
toys. Currently manufacturers are not required to disclose
the fragrances and flavorings found in these products --
many of which contain chemicals known as phthalates, acrylamide,
formaldehyde and/or ethylene oxide, which have been listed
as carcinogens, reproductive toxins or both by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and the state of
California. Our legislation also directs Congress to require
the FDA to test the safety of cosmetics, personal care
products and toys.
Rachel's Friends
is not alone in calling for safer products. Our legislation
has been endorsed by the Oregon Center for Environmental
Health, the Oregon Environmental Council, the Oregon Toxics
Alliance, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Oregon
chapter, the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG),
the Oregon Medical Association, the Oregon Nurses
Association, and the Breast Cancer Fund.
Thanks for helping
us reduce our risk factors, protect our families and
make Oregon safer.
Questions?
Contact Diane Lund-Muzikant, board chair of Rachel's
Friends, at
