WASHINGTON STATE SENATE PASSES TOXIC-FREE COSMETICS ACT
The Washington State Senate passes a bill banning PFAS, lead, phthalates, formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products.
The Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, sponsored by Washington State Representative Sharlett Mena, is an important piece of legislation that has passed in the Washington State Senate with a vote of 28-20-1.
The act is set to ban a range of harmful chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products, including PFAS, lead, phthalates, formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers.
The bill had previously passed in the Washington State House of Representatives on March 1, 2023 with a vote of 55-41 and is now set to go back to the House for a concurrence vote before heading to the Governor's desk.
The legislation comes at a time when retailers are increasingly adopting policies to phase out and ban toxic chemicals in beauty and personal care products.
According to the Retailer Report Card, a number of major retailers including Sephora, Walmart, CVS Health, Target, and Whole Foods Market have been actively working to reduce and eliminate harmful chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, PFAS, and/or formaldehyde releasers in beauty and personal care products.
In fact, Sephora recently reported a significant 39.5% reduction in brand-name beauty products with one or more toxic chemicals, while Walmart has reduced priority chemicals by an impressive 37 million pounds in key product categories such as cosmetics, personal care, household cleaners, and formulated baby care products.
Representative Mena highlights the importance of the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, stating that consumers shouldn't have to be toxicologists to shop for cosmetics. She notes that while many assume that products on store shelves are safe, this isn't always the case.
Furthermore, exposure to harmful chemicals is not always evenly distributed, with certain groups such as women of color disproportionately affected by toxic products.
The passage of this act will ensure that products commonly used by consumers are safe and not harmful to their health or the environment.
As Washington takes a stand and leads the nation in banning these harmful products, other states may follow suit and adopt similar legislation to protect their citizens.
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