Washington Lawmakers Pass Bill to Ban Harmful Chemicals in Cosmetics

Recent studies have discovered that many cosmetics, even "green and cruelty free" products are testing positive to toxins. Shutterstock

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to sign into law the strongest regulations on toxic chemicals in beauty and personal care products in the country.

The Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act was passed through state legislatures last week. The bill, sponsored by Democrat state Rep. Sharlett Mena, would protect consumers from skin irritations and damage as a result of chemicals mixed into cosmetic products and contribute to regulations that would hold manufacturers responsible for making their cosmetics and personal care products safer for consumers to use.

The chemical ban on cosmetic and personal care products would include PFAS, phthalates, formaldehyde, and formaldehyde-releasing agents, according to the bill.

(L-R) California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and British Columbia Premier John Horgan meet before a press conference in San Francisco, on Oct. 6, 2022. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Mena says that even though the exposure to these chemicals may be minimal, consumers shouldn’t have to worry about allergic reactions when using cosmetics.

“You shouldn’t have to be a toxicologist to shop for your cosmetics. When we go to the store, we assume that a product on the shelf is safe, but that isn’t always the truth. When we find these toxins in certain cosmetics, it doesn’t mean that everybody is getting just a little bit of exposure. A lot of us go back to the same products and the same brands, so functionally, some of us are getting more exposure than others,” the lawmaker said in a statement.

Mena warns of the harmful side effects that chemicals found in cosmetics can cause, such as reproductive issues and even cancer.

“The chemicals we’re talking about, nine chemicals and classes of toxic chemicals, are things that we know are bad because we’ve studied them …we know them, we know they have harmful effects,” Mena added.

The Department of Ecology is required to perform a hazard assessment for chemicals in cosmetic products in order to detect and restrict chemicals during the production of cosmetics, the bill states.

Earlier this year, the Washington State Department of Ecology tested products used by consumers and found “high levels of formaldehyde in cosmetics and personal care products marketed to people of color,” the report states.

Laurie Valeriano, executive director of Toxic-Free Future, expressed her gratitude towards Washington lawmakers for passing a bill that she’s advocated for.

“We are thrilled that the Senate passed this bill, which brings us another step closer towards safer cosmetics and personal care products for Washington state and beyond,” Valeriano said in a statement.

Valeriano believes Washington is setting an example for the rest of the U.S. to pass more regulated laws to prevent harmful products from getting into the hands of beauty shoppers nationwide.

“It is outrageous that we have to worry about PFAS and other hazardous chemicals in products we apply to our bodies that are then washed down the drain and wind up in our waterways. This bill will set a national precedent in protecting us from unnecessary exposures to dangerous chemicals like PFAS, lead, and formaldehyde and will increase the availability of safer products,” Valeriano added.

Manufacturers would be banned from selling or distributing any cosmetic product that contains intentionally added lead in cosmetic products in any amount and could be fined up to $5,000 per violation for a first offense or $10,000 per violation for each repeat offense.

Major beauty retailer Sephora has already made efforts to reduce dozens of toxic chemicals in brand-name formulated products and has achieved a 39.5 percent reduction in brand-name products with one or more toxic chemicals, according to the company’s retailer report card.

“It was an exciting moment when Sephora first launched its ‘Clean at Sephora’ program last year, banning 13 toxic ingredients from products bearing their clean seal. Just over a year later, Sephora is already refining what clean means to them by expanding their no-no list to 50 ingredients that all ‘Clean at Sephora’ products must be formulated without!” the company states on their website.  

The Epoch Times reached out to the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC), one of the main objectors of the bill, for comment.

PCPC is a leading national trade association representing 600 global cosmetics and personal care products companies.