Published on October 1, 2013
There are literarily 1000’s of compounds we use in our daily lives. Most if these are ingredients formulated into various products. However, there are quite a number of household products that are relatively pure compounds or solutions of these. But did you know that there are toxic trespassers lurking in some of the products we use every day? There are thousands upon thousands of individual chemicals in products that are available for consumer use, most of which have not been adequately tested for their effects on human and environmental health. With so many skin care options on the market it’s easy to invest in products proven to combat acne, oily-skin, fine lines, wrinkles, dry skin, eczema, and many other problematic skin issues. However, some of the ingredients found in our skin care products are actually toxic chemicals that may be hazardous to our health and the environment. Many women prefer scented products; however, studies suggest that one artificial fragrance can contain hundreds of synthetic chemicals primarily made from petroleum and coal. Also, companies are not required to tell you what these chemicals are. Fragrances are considered to be one of the top 5 known allergens and are known to cause asthma and even trigger asthma attacks. Fragrances are also a main concern for hormone and reproductive dysfunction, cancer, headaches, dizziness, skin disorders, asthma and other allergies. Also Formaldehyde and Toluene are used in nail hardeners, nail color and polish. It is an aromatic hydrocarbon commonly used as an industrial solvent for the manufacturing of paints, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and rubber. These compounds have been responsible for skin irritation, dermitis and cancer. Even worse, many of the products that we use only include a small amount of these toxic chemicals, when you factor in daily use, multiple product usage it’s no surprise that our skin may become adversely affected overtime.
With concern on the above aspect, United States’ largest retailer, Wal-Mart has announced that it will require suppliers to disclose and eventually phase-out about ten toxic chemicals from their products namely – fragrances, cosmetics, household cleaners and personal care products. The basic agenda behind the announcement is to prevent people using products that can be harmful to them in context to various attributes related to the adverse effects of toxic chemicals, on them, as well as the environment.
Being the first move of its kind as a chemical policy, it is being widely applauded as being a step of such a significance as it shows the company is listening to what consumers want and because of its market dominance Wal-Mart can shift the whole industry. Due to their sheer size and buying power, Wal-Mart’s decision to phase out ten nasty chemicals from products sold in their stores will have a huge effect throughout the world. This is an example of the private sector being ahead of the government in being proactive about chemical safety for consumers. It has chosen a list of ten high-priority chemicals, based on their environmental impact and whether there were greener alternatives. Wal-Mart does not intend to cut suppliers off but to remain collaborative. It will monitor progress on the high-priority chemical reduction, restriction and elimination and will begin to publicly report on the progress in January 2016.
Much interestingly, the move follows an announcement made by Procter & Gamble Co.., the world's largest consumer product maker, earlier this month that it will eliminate phthalates and triclosan from its beauty products by 2014. In 2012, Johnson & Johnson pledged to eliminate phthalates, triclosan, formaldehydes and parabens from all its personal care products globally.
This might cause certain chemical industries to face a nose-dive, as a part of the phase out, Wal-Mart’s policy undoubtedly signals a new era of going beyond regulatory compliance and being proactive and not just reactive to industrial needs and expectations, related to the market scenario. The move has set an example that a successful business scenario is the one that keeps brilliant track of customer needs and expectations and functions with respect to that without just being a tool of profit tracker, jeopardizing other attributes associated to it.
By,
Shruti Acharya (Author)
