I’ve got good news & bad news on 2023 Health Protective Legislation: It was a year of fantastic health protective change through legislation and regulation. But, these bi-partisan laws have now become part of political money games, to the detriment of people and planet. Here’s everything you need to know as we look towards 2024.
👍 Good News
I have been lucky enough to be part of Beautycounter‘s community effort to send 236,000 emails, make over 16,000 calls and hold over 2,200 meetings with members of Congress for change. As a result, we have been instrumental in passing 15 pieces of legislation over the last 10 years.
“We played a critical role in The Washington State Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act that was passed in May, Oregon’s Toxic Free Cosmetics Act and the California Assembly Bill 496,” Renfrew says. “California is my home state and that was a big one because it was taking a significant stand for the first time in a long time.” Additionally, they helped pass their first federal bill in Canada, The Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act (Bill S-5). “That represents the first significant update to Canada and the Environmental Protection Act, so it’s been a long time. It’s been several decades in the making. We started our advocacy efforts in the States, but we’ve been working in the Canadian market as well.” [source, Forbes]
You can learn more about their specific efforts in 2023 Year in Review: A Better Beauty Recap.
👎 Bad News
While today is supposed to be the first day of implementation by of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), the first Federal update to personal care protection since 1938, the FDA has postponed requirements for at least 6 months. The real problem is that the bi-partisan health-protective regulatory changes passed for both the FDA and EPA are now being thwarted through political money games:
1️⃣ House Appropriations are proposing reducing funding in order to ensure “there’s no money to carry out [FDA] goals… which was especially focused on food safety, implementing the cosmetics safety program and Cancer Moonshoot.” [source, ResearchAmerica.org]
2️⃣ And on November 3rd, the House passed the FY2024 HR 4821, which “curbs the EPA’s funding by nearly 40%” in order to repeal protective measures for people and planet. [source, Appropriations.gov]
What’s this mean?
That we need to keep fighting for everyone through voting for the topics that matter. And, voting with our wallet. Because YOUR VOICE MATTERS. This is a huge endeavor – which no one can do alone. We need you to help us get safer products into the hands of everyone.
We need you to tell your representative these regulations protect both people and planet. Text BETTERBEAUTY to 52886 to be connected directly to your local legislatures with an editable form letter. I suggest you be specific about your disapproval of budget cuts to both FDA and EPA. Because we need it to protect our loved ones health and safety.
Which is why I love partnering with Beautycounter.
Because when you shop with me you’re supporting:
1) a woman-owned small business
2) a certified B Corp
3) sustainability
4) lobbying for legislative change and health-protective laws for all.
From Forbes’ Feature
“One of Beautycounter’s crowning achievements is helping to pass the MoCRA, which was the first significant update to federal cosmetics laws since 1938. To celebrate the one year anniversary of its passage, as well as the passage of four laws this year, Beautycounter produced “We Matter,” a video that tells the story of the history and events that lead to the bill’s passage.
By showing the passage of time, “We Matter” illustrates how the beauty industry has evolved, but the laws surrounding it have not kept up. “For a very brief moment in time, Americans were protected under the federal Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Act passed by FDR,” Renfrew says. “But post World War II, you have this industrial revolution, and all the plastics come in. We’ve introduced many tens of thousands of chemicals into commerce since World War II, but those haven’t necessarily been tested for safety on human health. And so it’s helping people understand that while there were laws that protected our health at one moment in time, there haven’t been for a really long period of time.
As much as I’m thrilled about MoCRA, we have so much more work to do, because we’re still not where we need to be. This is a great first step. But it’s not the only step that we’re going to take. This is just the beginning of the mountain that we need to climb to really tackle toxic chemicals and the products we’re all using on our bodies every day.” [source, Forbes]
Conclusion
I do have faith that we are headed in the right direction. The video recapping our timeline of change gave me chills. WE ALL are changing the future for our children! [more here]
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