Comments on: From The President – Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 http://www.soapguild.org/blog/2010/07/from-the-president-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010/ Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:06:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Sonsa Rae http://www.soapguild.org/blog/2010/07/from-the-president-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-8328 Sonsa Rae Sat, 21 Aug 2010 06:19:50 +0000 http://www.soapguild.org/blog/?p=2118#comment-8328 I agree with Leonard, it's not just the cosmetic industry that's being attacked. This is happening across the board in other industries as well. The United States has moved away from being a capitalist democracy to a socialist technocracy. Because the Environmental Working Group and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics have established their position as that of being the "expert" on this subject, this is influencing public opinion and legislation. Once again, artisans are being eliminated from industry, just as they were during the Industrial Revolution. Remember the Luddites? Except this time the government is behind it, not machinery. Our industry needs professional representation at this time, just as trade unions were established then. I agree with Leonard, it’s not just the cosmetic industry that’s being attacked. This is happening across the board in other industries as well. The United States has moved away from being a capitalist democracy to a socialist technocracy. Because the Environmental Working Group and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics have established their position as that of being the “expert” on this subject, this is influencing public opinion and legislation. Once again, artisans are being eliminated from industry, just as they were during the Industrial Revolution. Remember the Luddites? Except this time the government is behind it, not machinery. Our industry needs professional representation at this time, just as trade unions were established then.

]]> By: Madame Koiteh http://www.soapguild.org/blog/2010/07/from-the-president-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-8292 Madame Koiteh Sun, 15 Aug 2010 05:01:16 +0000 http://www.soapguild.org/blog/?p=2118#comment-8292 The question here is why this bill is being introduced now? Where is the rash of "soap poisonings" taking place? Who has died from allergic reactions to shampoo or lipstick? If an ingredient is known to the government to be unsafe and they don't want it to be available to the public, then let them ban that ingredient. What sense does it make to permit "dangerous" ingredients to be marketed and sold as long as they are clearly identified? And how does reporting our gross revenues and the names of all our workers make the consumer safe? If anyone can't see that this proposal has less to do with safety and more to do with protecting the big businesses who are now threatened by our cottage industry, they can't read the signs of the times. Perhaps if American manufacturers had not shifted all of the jobs overseas they wouldn't be in this dilemna. But we are where we are and the American people have responded by becoming industrious and inventive small business owners once again. Let us also be intelligent, insistent, and united in urging our lawmakers to vote no! We have the right to engage in free enterprise. Why don't we write a letter to the President? The question here is why this bill is being introduced now? Where is the rash of “soap poisonings” taking place? Who has died from allergic reactions to shampoo or lipstick? If an ingredient is known to the government to be unsafe and they don’t want it to be available to the public, then let them ban that ingredient. What sense does it make to permit “dangerous” ingredients to be marketed and sold as long as they are clearly identified? And how does reporting our gross revenues and the names of all our workers make the consumer safe? If anyone can’t see that this proposal has less to do with safety and more to do with protecting the big businesses who are now threatened by our cottage industry, they can’t read the signs of the times. Perhaps if American manufacturers had not shifted all of the jobs overseas they wouldn’t be in this dilemna. But we are where we are and the American people have responded by becoming industrious and inventive small business owners once again. Let us also be intelligent, insistent, and united in urging our lawmakers to vote no! We have the right to engage in free enterprise. Why don’t we write a letter to the President?

]]> By: Personal Care http://www.soapguild.org/blog/2010/07/from-the-president-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-8258 Personal Care Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:25:52 +0000 http://www.soapguild.org/blog/?p=2118#comment-8258 <strong>Are You Ready to Pay the Price for Safe Cosmetics?...</strong> We all want to feel beautful inside and outside. Thanks for sharing that with us.... Are You Ready to Pay the Price for Safe Cosmetics?…

We all want to feel beautful inside and outside. Thanks for sharing that with us….

]]> By: AMP http://www.soapguild.org/blog/2010/07/from-the-president-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-8250 AMP Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:31:20 +0000 http://www.soapguild.org/blog/?p=2118#comment-8250 All of us do label our products and are very conscious of a savvy intelligent public who read labels and are informed about their health issues. The issue for all of us soapers, is that we do not use chemicals or their variants in our soaps. The mere process of saponification renders most volatile chemicals useless. Does not anyone stop to think--if that were not the case, all the big companies with millions in research labs and chemists, would have flooded the industry with product. For me, the big issue seems to be the fragrance industry. They should continue to independently regulate themselves through IFRA (International Fragrance Association) and with complete compliance to a govt. regulatory agency which at present, I believe they do. If we purchase our fragrances from reputable suppliers who purchase their inventory from companies in compliance with IFRA standards then, the burden of safety lies with the govt agencies. IFRA org. has full disclosure of ingredients for the interested or concerned consumer on their web site. They also, released their own reply to H.R. 5786 which can be read in its entirety on their homepage. Yes, I firmly believe safety issues must always be part of an intelligent society but, if we are going to have a govermental agency test thousands upon thousands of soap bars because of a common denominator (fragrance), shouldn't they start with the common denominator first and stop dividing their neurons to split hairs! All of us do label our products and are very conscious of a savvy intelligent public who
read labels and are informed about their health issues.

The issue for all of us soapers, is that we do not use
chemicals or their variants in our soaps. The mere process of saponification renders most volatile chemicals useless. Does not anyone stop to think–if that were not the case, all the big companies with millions in research labs and chemists, would have flooded the industry with product.

For me, the big issue seems to be the fragrance industry. They should continue to independently regulate themselves through IFRA (International Fragrance Association) and with complete compliance to a govt. regulatory agency which at present, I believe they do. If we purchase our fragrances from reputable suppliers who purchase their inventory from companies
in compliance with IFRA standards then, the burden of safety lies with the govt agencies.

IFRA org. has full disclosure of ingredients for the interested or concerned consumer on their web site. They also, released their own reply to H.R. 5786 which can be read in its entirety on their homepage.

Yes, I firmly believe safety issues must always be part of an intelligent society but,
if we are going to have a govermental agency test thousands upon thousands of soap bars because of a common denominator (fragrance), shouldn’t they start with the common denominator first and stop dividing their neurons to split hairs!

]]> By: Recent News : H.R. 5786, Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 |www.ThereseMartin.net http://www.soapguild.org/blog/2010/07/from-the-president-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-8247 Recent News : H.R. 5786, Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 |www.ThereseMartin.net Tue, 10 Aug 2010 05:49:31 +0000 http://www.soapguild.org/blog/?p=2118#comment-8247 [...] Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild Inc.’s Blog From the President-Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 [...] [...] Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild Inc.’s Blog From the President-Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 [...]

]]> By: John Jay Miller http://www.soapguild.org/blog/2010/07/from-the-president-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-8230 John Jay Miller Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:24:54 +0000 http://www.soapguild.org/blog/?p=2118#comment-8230 “Self reporting isn’t working, the honors system, and self regulating, or buying your auditor (Arthur Anderson Accounting and Enron) regulation is not enforced when it comes to corporate America.” - Pamela on 8.2.2010 Exactly! This is why we should support this bill. Soap makers also have an ethical responsibility to disclose all ingredients so that consumers can make informed choices. Just like labeling of food products that contain peanuts, soap products _can_ contain substances that can be very harmful/fatal to some people. Transparency is the way. The bill’s sponsors will most likely find a way to rectify the labeling issues so that common ingredients can be listed as such. Paperwork, labeling and accounting are just part of being a business, I know a designer if you need one. Good work all, open discussion/government can solve problems that confront us. - John Jay Miller “Self reporting isn’t working, the honors system, and self regulating, or buying your auditor (Arthur Anderson Accounting and Enron) regulation is not enforced when it comes to corporate America.” – Pamela on 8.2.2010

Exactly!

This is why we should support this bill.

Soap makers also have an ethical responsibility to disclose all ingredients so that consumers can make informed choices.

Just like labeling of food products that contain peanuts, soap products _can_ contain substances that can be very harmful/fatal to some people.

Transparency is the way. The bill’s sponsors will most likely find a way to rectify the labeling issues so that common ingredients can be listed as such.

Paperwork, labeling and accounting are just part of being a business, I know a designer if you need one.

Good work all, open discussion/government can solve problems that confront us.

- John Jay Miller

]]> By: alyssa http://www.soapguild.org/blog/2010/07/from-the-president-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-8229 alyssa Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:41:33 +0000 http://www.soapguild.org/blog/?p=2118#comment-8229 I really appreciate you sending out this information. It would end many small businesses. I make lip balms and body balms too. My clients love the fact that I am a local, small business. I also sell at Farmers' markets and it's such a wonderful atmosphere for the community to come together....The government would be reducing us to relying on big business to cover our needs. It's really unacceptable. Any further information as to how I can help would be appreciated. Thanks again! I really appreciate you sending out this information. It would end many small businesses. I make lip balms and body balms too. My clients love the fact that I am a local, small business. I also sell at Farmers’ markets and it’s such a wonderful atmosphere for the community to come together….The government would be reducing us to relying on big business to cover our needs. It’s really unacceptable. Any further information as to how I can help would be appreciated. Thanks again!

]]> By: 5 Ways The “Safe Cosmetics Act” Will Harm Consumers | Personal Care Truth or Scare http://www.soapguild.org/blog/2010/07/from-the-president-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-8227 5 Ways The “Safe Cosmetics Act” Will Harm Consumers | Personal Care Truth or Scare Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:04:19 +0000 http://www.soapguild.org/blog/?p=2118#comment-8227 [...] leaders have already written about this (Kayla Fioravanti, Donna Maria Coles Johnson, Cindy Jones, Leigh O’Donnell, Anne-Marie Faiola, Kristin Fraser Cotte, and  many [...] [...] leaders have already written about this (Kayla Fioravanti, Donna Maria Coles Johnson, Cindy Jones, Leigh O’Donnell, Anne-Marie Faiola, Kristin Fraser Cotte, and  many [...]

]]> By: Pamela http://www.soapguild.org/blog/2010/07/from-the-president-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-8189 Pamela Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:37:12 +0000 http://www.soapguild.org/blog/?p=2118#comment-8189 I saddens me to think that 3 democratic elected officials wrote this short sighted bill H.R. 5786, The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010. I think this suggested bill is an ill conceived attempt at product safety in the cosmetics industry. Please there are currently serious food safety issues (Mad cow, e-coli) that need to be addressed. Clean water is a must for life. These two public safety areas are heavily regulated, THERE ARE LAWS(LIKE the OIL Drilling Industry) but THESE LAWS to protect the safety of our population ARE NOT BEING ENFORCED. Self reporting isn't working, the honors system, and self regulating, or buying your auditor (Arthur Anderson Accounting and Enron) regulation is not enforced when it comes to corporate America. So my suggestion is before we put further laws and regulations on the books we start supporting the ones that are already on the books. Until then I don't think H.R. 5786 or any further regulation should be written or passed by ANY PARTY. Like a vanity book legislation for legislation's sake to get ones name in the lights is not going to help the situation. I saddens me to think that 3 democratic elected officials wrote this short sighted bill H.R. 5786, The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010.

I think this suggested bill is an ill conceived attempt at product safety in the cosmetics industry. Please there are currently serious food safety issues (Mad cow, e-coli) that need to be addressed. Clean water is a must for life. These two public safety areas are heavily regulated, THERE ARE LAWS(LIKE the OIL Drilling Industry) but THESE LAWS to protect the safety of our population ARE NOT BEING ENFORCED. Self reporting isn’t working, the honors system, and self regulating, or buying your auditor (Arthur Anderson Accounting and Enron) regulation is not enforced when it comes to corporate America.

So my suggestion is before we put further laws and regulations on the books we start supporting the ones that are already on the books. Until then I don’t think H.R. 5786 or any further regulation should be written or passed by ANY PARTY.

Like a vanity book legislation for legislation’s sake to get ones name in the lights is not going to help the situation.

]]> By: The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild heads to Washington, DC – Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 « Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild http://www.soapguild.org/blog/2010/07/from-the-president-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-8183 The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild heads to Washington, DC – Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 « Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild Mon, 02 Aug 2010 07:26:09 +0000 http://www.soapguild.org/blog/?p=2118#comment-8183 [...] « From The President – Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 [...] [...] « From The President – Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 [...]

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