California labeling contention targets hygiene products

In connection with the previously discussed Proposition 65 in California, another potentially dangerous ingredient is being targeted. Multiple companies and brands are involved in this legal effort, indicating the pressure put on maintaining and producing safe examples of cleaning and cosmetic labels. While only four companies are the current subjects of this lawsuit at the moment, the plaintiffs launching it are planning to rope in many more in the future, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The allegations stem from the presence of a chemical said to be present in 98 different products and left off the labels. This chemical, known as cocamide DEA, is thought to be a source of cancer and harmful to users. Many of the products that the plaintiff group, the Center for Environmental Health (CEH), are targeting are made by well-known brands and producers, including a Palmolive shampoo, Trader Joe’s hand soap and a Kmart brand of bubble bath. Labels for products with this ingredient have been required under Proposition 65 for more than a year now.

The Chronicle quoted the research director from the CEH, Caroline Cox, as describing the reason for this fight.

“There’s lots of ways to make shampoo without it,” she said, “This is one we don’t really need.”   

This particular example shows how a chemical can have these unexpected properties and stay part of a certain item’s production. But any element required by law to be labeled needs to be taken care of, and durable, high speed cosmetic label printing may make this an easily accomplished reality. Custom solutions can be sought out to make this process even easier.