What's your morning routine? The average person's personal care products - shampoo, lotion, toothpaste and more - contain more than a hundred chemicals, which they apply to their bodies before leaving the house each morning. The United States lags far behind other countries like those in the European Union when it comes to limiting harmful chemicals in these products.
These lotions and potions can contain chemicals that cause or contribute to asthma, allergies, hormone disruption, neurodevelopmental problems, infertility, and even cancer. Small amounts can add up to harm - even tiny doses of hormone disruptors can cause significant changes in our bodies.
While some companies are already making safer products, not enough are. The market alone won't fix these problems.
Fortunately, elected officials are stepping in: a bill introduced by Health Committee Chairs Senator Rivera and Assemblyman Gottfried (S.3331/ A.143) would require personal care products makers to:
reveal their ingredients,
identify which ones are chemicals of concern, and
keep the most harmful chemicals out of their products.
You can help get it passed. Contact the NYS Assembly Speaker and Senate Majority Leader and urge them to ensure that this bill to disclose personal care product ingredients passes both houses in 2021.