Chemical companies to go under the microscope
How safe is the face cream you'll be putting on before bed, or the hand soap you'll wash your hands with before making dinner?
If you're like most people, you've probably given this little or no thought. If it's on the market, it must be OK, right? Not so fast.
Not a month goes by that I don't write about some chemical or other that has been unleashed on the American public without proper safety testing. It's a devil- may-care attitude that results in untold numbers of hidden long-term side effects. I've seen chemical companies – and the chemical industry, for that matter – blame these side effects on "bad luck," "bad genes," and any other handy excuse—except the truth.
But we still have some friends in Congress, and they've recently launched a long- overdue investigation, the likes of which these chemical companies have never experienced. Specific charges include a familiar theme usually reserved for the drug companies: tinkering with data and playing fast and loose with the science behind their products.
Congress will investigate the industry's lobbying group, the American Chemistry Council, to determine how much sway they hold over the researchers providing the science to back up these products. Here's a clue that they may: Some of the folks sitting on panels to determine the safety of chemicals have alleged financial ties with the same industry they're charged with watch-dogging.
Sound familiar?
I'll offer you this advice: if you can't pronounce it easily, it doesn't belong in or on your body. There are plenty of natural alternatives that'll give these chemical companies a run for their money. If you're looking for personal products, I recommend Burt's Bees (www.burtsbees.com) and Aveda (www.aveda.com). I don't receive a dime from either company—I just like their products. And housecleaning products can be made from scratch. Your grandmother probably used vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda. She knew better than to let unproven science experiments into her home. Take her lead.
