Preserving the Abundance of Nature


Lisa Powers
EVP, Public Affairs & Communications, Personal Care Products Council

On July 28, we celebrate World Nature Conservation Day to raise awareness, and encourage advocacy and action for the health and well-being of our environment. It is an opportunity to acknowledge the urgent need for the preservation and protection of our natural resources and to ensure their abundance for future generations.

Experts agree that human activities on Earth are causing widespread resource depletion and degradation. Humanity’s ecological footprint (a measure of consumption and impact on the planet) is estimated to be two to three times the Earth’s capacity to sustainably provide resources to meet demand. Fueled by population growth, the shortfall between the supply of resources and the demand for them is being met through the depletion (or degradation) of natural capital – things like clean air, fresh water, soil, forests, wetlands, marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Rising demand for resources to meet the needs of more than 7.6 billion people has transformed land use and generated unprecedented levels of pollution and ecosystem loss. Scientists estimate Earth’s overshoot (when humanity’s needs exceed the planet’s capacity) began in the 1970s, and has accelerated ever since.

While we may not experience the decline in resources, biodiversity loss and species extinction on an individual level, nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history.1 Scientists believe biodiversity loss affects ecosystems as much as climate change, pollution and other major forms of environmental stress; numerous studies have demonstrated that more biologically diverse ecosystems are healthier and more productive. Driven by continued disruptions to the environment, scientists predict that more than 1 million species are on track for extinction in the coming decades.

Leading nonprofit conservation organizations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy, however, know we can be smarter about how we use our oceans, freshwater and land, and how we produce energy, food and other resources. They believe we have the knowledge and capability to explore new ways to feed the growing population, meet our energy demands and manage our water supply.

The beauty and personal care industry recognizes that we are at a cross roads – actions taken now are essential to protecting the natural world we rely on today and to ensure a sustainable tomorrow. Most of the leading companies in the sector have established goals to reduce their operating and product footprints, to better manage their resource use and reduce waste. Some have programs in place to protect against deforestation and biodiversity loss but, admittedly, it will require more than the efforts of just one sector to halt and reverse what we are experiencing.

In order to ensure a healthy future for our planet and all humankind, we need public policies that protect our fragile ecosystems, biodiversity and species and technology to enable us to distribute these finite resources smarter and more efficiently. Most importantly, we need to rethink how we value nature and its role in our existence, and conserve on a far greater scale.

How You Can Help

  • Talk to others about conservation and its importance for our planet
  • Support a conservation organization with a donation or membership
  • Conserve in your own life: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
  • Support those on the front lines of conservation work by reading a book or watching a documentary that celebrates nature and sustainability

1 https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/

Statement by Linda Loretz, PhD, Chief Toxicologist, Personal Care Products Council, in Response to the Wall Street Journal’s Column on Sunscreens


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:

Lisa Powers, (202) 297-1232, powersl@personalcarecouncil.org
Jamie Kurke, (202) 258-5285, kurkej@personalcarecouncil.org

Washington, D.C. – “The Wall Street Journal article, ‘Sunscreen Chemicals Accumulate in Body at High Levels,’ published July 17, 2020, is misleading and unnecessarily alarming about the safety of sunscreen products on the market today. The level of chemicals in the blood referred to in the article was the threshold set by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for requiring additional testing to determine if sunscreens currently on the market meet FDA’s standards to be considered Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). It did not represent a level considered to be unsafe.

“In fact, FDA’s statement on the study referenced in the article, published in January of this year, clearly states that absorption does not equal risk; FDA did not conclude that the study results indicated sunscreen ingredients are unsafe. FDA goes on to say that without further testing, it does not know what levels of absorption can be considered safe. Most importantly, FDA advises people to continue to use sunscreens in conjunction with other sun safety precautions while the Agency collects additional data.

“The comparison of the levels of sunscreen observed in the blood in FDA’s study to levels of THC (the active compound in marijuana) and alcohol after drinking two beers is another misguided attempt to needlessly scare consumers. A comparison of a controlled substance and an alcoholic beverage to sunscreen is entirely inappropriate, and the numbers are wildly inaccurate.

“The Personal Care Products Council and our member companies will continue to work cooperatively with FDA to determine what additional studies may be needed to ensure the ongoing safety of sunscreen active ingredients in the marketplace. We share FDA’s mission to protect public health and are committed to providing safe and effective products for consumers. We are proud that our industry offers innovative sunscreen products that help protect consumers from the harmful effects of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays.”

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For more information on cosmetics and personal care products, please visit www.CosmeticsInfo.org.

Based in Washington, D.C., the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) is the leading national trade association representing global cosmetics and personal care products companies. Founded in 1894, PCPC’s approximately 600 member companies manufacture, distribute and supply the vast majority of finished personal care products marketed in the U.S. As the makers of a diverse range of products millions of consumers rely on and trust every day – from sunscreens, toothpaste and shampoo to moisturizer, lipstick and fragrance – personal care products companies are global leaders committed to product safety, quality and innovation.

Personal Care Products Council Launches Hand Sanitizer Ingredient Connection Program


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:

Lisa Powers, (202) 297-1232, powersl@personalcarecouncil.org
Jamie Kurke, (202) 258-5285, kurkej@personalcarecouncil.org

Washington, D.C. – The Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) launched today the Hand Sanitizer Ingredient Connection program as part of its ongoing COVID-19 relief efforts. Hand sanitizer is a critical tool in the industry’s collective response to the global pandemic.

At the onset of the pandemic, member companies worked to quickly address this public health crisis by building manufacturing capacity for retail and institutional customers, and donating more than 20 million units of hand sanitizer products to hospitals; community clinics; medical and emergency professionals; first responders; and industry employees. Shortages for some materials still remain.

“We have been working closely with our members to support their efforts over the past several months,” said PCPC President & CEO Lezlee Westine. “Our hope is that the Hand Sanitizer Ingredient Connection will help expedite production and increase supply of these essential products.”

The Connection program is intended to facilitate the ongoing manufacture and marketing of hand sanitizers in the United States by connecting buyers and sellers of materials with one another. Participants can use the Connection program to publish information about their business needs and view a list of other participants whose needs closely match their own, according to material type and quantity. PCPC is offering this as a public service and will not charge any fees.

For more information about PCPC’s COVID-19 relief efforts, please visit our website.

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Based in Washington, D.C., the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) is the leading national trade association representing global cosmetics and personal care products companies. Founded in 1894, PCPC’s approximately 600 member companies manufacture, distribute and supply the vast majority of finished personal care products marketed in the U.S. As the makers of a diverse range of products millions of consumers rely on and trust every day – from sunscreens, toothpaste and shampoo to moisturizer, lipstick and fragrance – personal care products companies are global leaders committed to product safety, quality and innovation.

Statement from the Personal Care Products Council on Implementation of USMCA, a Significant Milestone for Free Trade


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:     

Lisa Powers, (202) 466-0489, powersl@personalcarecouncil.org
Jamie Kurke, (202) 454-0316, kurkej@personalcarecouncil.org

Washington, D.C. – “The Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) applauds the implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which successfully renegotiates the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and brings North American trade into the 21st century. We congratulate Ambassador Lighthizer and his Mexican and Canadian counterparts for this significant undertaking.

“The Agreement provides our industry with further opportunities to grow regionally and contribute to our competitiveness around the world. Of particular note is the high standard Cosmetics Annex, the first of its kind, which commits all three countries to good regulatory practices and eliminating trade barriers affecting the cosmetics and personal care products sector.

“The U.S.-Canada Appendix to the Annex uniquely recognizes the importance of regulatory alignment for products at the cosmetic-drug interface, and will bring immediate and significant commercial benefit to our member companies.

“It is our hope that the USMCA Cosmetics Annex will serve as a model for all U.S. free trade agreements in the future. We look forward to continuing to work with all three governments to ensure the USMCA Cosmetic Annex and Appendix– and the entire Agreement – is fully implemented and enforced in a way that allows the cosmetics and personal care sector to realize all USMCA’s intended benefits.”

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For more information on cosmetic and personal care products, please visit www.CosmeticsInfo.org.

Based in Washington, D.C., the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) is the leading national trade association representing global cosmetics and personal care products companies. Founded in 1894, PCPC’s approximately 600 member companies manufacture, distribute and supply the vast majority of finished personal care products marketed in the U.S. As the makers of a diverse range of products millions of consumers rely on and trust every day – from sunscreens, toothpaste and shampoo to moisturizer, lipstick and fragrance – personal care products companies are global leaders committed to product safety, quality and innovation.