The National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program sent the following message concerning safe cosmetics, entitled "Do Dolphins Use Soap?"
I have never seen a dolphin wash their flippers with soap, but triclosan, an anti-bacterial chemical ingredient found in soaps is ending up in their bodies. Triclosan is suspected to interfere with hormones, cause toxicity to the liver, and to contribute to antibiotic resistance.
Triclosan is found in dolphins living miles away, but its also ending up in our bodies. This is only one of about 12,500 chemical ingredients that could end up in our personal care products. The average person in the U.S. uses about ten products a day with an average exposure to 126 different chemicals. Shockingly, the FDA does virtually no testing or regulation of these ingredients. But this could all change.
Congress is about to consider granting more oversight over our personal care products like soap, deodorant, shampoo, bubble bath and makeup. Will you send a message to your member of Congress asking for better oversight and testing of our personal care products?
We were made in God's image and we should treat our body with the same care that God did. Likewise, as stewards of Creation, we have a responsibility to ensure that toxic chemicals don't end up in our bodies or the rest of Creation that God called "good." Making smart individual choices is important, but this is not always an option or enough to protect workers, communities, dolphins, or our bodies. Lift up your voice today in support of stronger, more protective cosmetics regulation.
Take action for safe cosmetics and learn more about the issue by watching "The Story of Cosmetics" from The Story of Stuff Project.