Women
faith leaders call for greater oversight
of the cosmetic industry to protect children
Washington,
March 22, 2012 -- Women religious leaders called today for greater
government oversight of the cosmetics industry to protect children and the
environment from toxic chemicals.
“Scripture tells us that we were made in God’s image,” said Chloe Schwabe,
environmental health program manager at the National Council of Churches.
“Yet when we
use personal care products such as lotion, deodorant, and body wash we apply
an average of 100 chemicals on our body daily which are linked to chronic
disease, cancer, and reproductive harm," Schwabe said. "In order to protect
God’s handiwork, we must reform the 1938 Cosmetics law so that the FDA can
guarantee the safety of everyday cosmetics.”
The statement by faith leaders coincides with the March 27 House
Energy and Commerce hearing on Food and Drug Administration warnings about
mercury in face cream and formaldehyde in keratin hair smoothers,
and the release of FDA product testing
results which found lead in hundreds of popular lipsticks.
"Women, children, low-income communities, and communities of color are
uniquely vulnerable to the unregulated toxic chemicals found in personal
care products," the statement said. "We believe it is the federal
government’s role to regulate chemicals and ensure personal care products
are safe. Knowing that the products we use can contribute to the suffering
of others is a challenge to our conscience as people of faith.”
Sister Janet Stankowski of Voices for Earth Justice, who also signed the
statement, said, “Low-income women lack access to non-toxic cosmetics and
bear a disproportionate chemical burden in the workplace. Nail salon
workers, for instance, are exposed to chemicals linked to cancer and
reproductive harm for ten hours a day. We must protect low-income women and
workers from carcinogens and reproductive toxicants.”
Jenny Holmes of Ecumenical Ministry of Oregon, another signer to the
statement, said, “We are called to care for our body as a temple.The Oregon
Occupational Safety and Health Administration found formaldehyde, a
suspected carcinogen, in a popular hair smoother last year. In the absence
of federal regulation, the state issued a warning but this does not fully
protect women and workers in Oregon, New Jersey, or anywhere.”
“Women of faith are calling on Congress to protect women’s and children’s
health by reforming the 74 year-old cosmetics law with a meaningful approach
that ensures that cosmetics are free of chemicals linked to reproductive
harm,” said Robin Fillmore, women’s advocacy coordinator for Church Women
United and the NCC.
The complete text of the statement can be
found at
http://nccecojustice.org/downloads/health/safecosmeticsltr.pdf
For more information on the National Council of Churches’ Environmental
Health Initiative, visit:
http://nccecojustice.org/health/cosmetics.php
For more information contact:
Chloe Schwabe
Environmental
Health Program Manager
National
Council of Churches
202-481-6932
chloe@nccecojustice.org
Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of
the Churches of Christ in the USA has been the leading force for
shared ecumenical witness among Christians in the United States. The NCC's
37 member communions -- from a wide spectrum of Protestant, Anglican,
Orthodox, Evangelical, historic African American and Living Peace
churches -- include 45 million persons in more than 100,000 local
congregations in communities across the nation.
NCC News contact:
Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office), 646-853-4212 (cell),
pjenks@ncccusa.org
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