Whew! Why is it so hard for us to believe? It is very disappointing to hear about so much greenwashing going on. Consumers, we have to be on our toes!
Dr. Bronner’s press release:
Top-selling natural soap brand Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps applauds the final recommendation by the Certification, Accreditation, and Compliance Committee (CACC) of the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on Solving the Problem of Mislabeled Organic Personal Care Products set forth this week. The recommendation urges the National Organic Program (NOP) to regulate personal care products and “ensure consumers and businesses alike that the products have an unquestioned home in the USDA National Organic
Program.” The current regulatory approach fails to protect consumers from misleading and deceptive organic labeling of personal care because compliance with the NOP is currently voluntary, not mandatory.
President of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, David Bronner said, “Dr. Bronner’s strongly believes that the best and most effective way to protect consumers of organic personal care products is for the USDA to make the National Organic Program (NOP) standards mandatory for personal care. We applaud this recommendation as a step forward in improving the current regulatory regime.” The Certification, Accreditation and Compliance Committee will present the recently released document to the NOSB at its public meeting in early November for a vote. Dr. Bronner’s full formal comments submitted to the NOSB can be found at the link below. In related news, Whole Foods is requiring that all supposedly “natural” and “organic” personal care products in their stores test below 10 parts per million for the probable carcinogen 1,4 Dioxane. 1,4 Dioxane is produced when the petrochemical Ethylene Oxide is attached to primary cleansing and moisturizing ingredients in a process called Ethoxylation. “We’re fed up with organic cheater brands who use high-foaming ethoxylated detergents in bodywashes and shampoos that produce 1,4 Dioxane contamination” says David Bronner. “Petrochemical compounds like Ethylene Oxide have no place in organic personal care ingredients. This is just
one of many violations of basic organic criteria by organic cheater brands, and demonstrates why federal NOP regulation is necessary.”
In July, Dr. Bronner’s filed its Second Amended Complaint against numerous personal care companies that use non-organic pesticide-intensive agricultural and/or petrochemical material to make the main cleansing and moisturizing ingredients of their mislabeled ‘Organic’ products. That Complaint charges defendants with false advertising in violation of the federal Lanham Act, based on the fact that the labeling and marketing of their products as “Organic” is misleading and confusing consumers. Defendants had the case transferred to federal district court in San Jose, CA and moved to dismiss the case on the grounds that USDA/NOP is considering
regulating personal care products even though these same defendants strongly oppose such regulation. Arguments on those motions will be held on Friday, September 25. The entire Second Amended Complaint along with background on the case is posted online at:
http://www.drbronner.com/usda_organic_body_care.html
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On their website, we’re urged to boycott these “fake” organic brands.
Amazon Organics, Avalon Organics, Desert Essence Organics, Earth’s Best Organic, Giovanni Organic Cosmetics, Head Organics, JASON Pure Natural and Organic, Nature’s Gate Organics, Organics by Noah’s Naturals
Dr. Bronners also urges us to buy these certified USDA organic brands.
Alteya Organics, Baby Bear Shop, Badger, Bubble and Bee Organic, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, Indian Meadow Herbals, Intelligent Nutrients, Kimberly Parry Organics, Little Angel, Mercola, Miessence Certified Organics, Nature’s Paradise, OGmama and OGbaby, Organicare, Organic Essence, Origins Organics, Purely Shea, Rainwater Organic Lotion, Rose Tattoo Aftercare, SoCal Cleanse, Sensibility Soaps/Nourish, Terressentials, Trillium Organics, Vermont Soap
Do you look for the certification logo when you buy?

Maybe going with the word “Organic” on the label isn’t enough.
Read more about the campaign
Dr. Bronner’s video on the topic:
