Better Organic Standards for Cosmetics
Though the US may not regulate the cosmetics industry as rigorously as Europe, things are moving in the right direction. On November 5th the USDA National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) voted 12 to 1 in favor of heavier scrutiny by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) when it comes to organic labeling by personal care product manufacturers, holding them to the same guidelines as food producers.
The USDA holds strict standards for organic food products but up to this point cosmetics and personal care products have been very loosely regulated in the US. The new recommendation will require cosmetic manufacturers who use the term “organic” on their labels to either meet certain requirements, reformulate products that do not meet these requirements or cease use of the organic labeling.
