Safe cosmetics drive

MANILA, Philippines - A group of communication professionals and graduate students from the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) is currently holding a social marketing campaign to increase consumers’ awareness on cosmetics that contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals beyond the limits regarded as safe. The campaign also urges consumers to use organic/organic-based daily personal-care products with safe ingredients. “We want to empower the general public to make informed decisions on choosing safe, green and organic alternative,” says the group of students under the Master of Development Communication program of the UPOU. Dubbed as Organic Switch!, the campaign has been launched in support of a growing interest by individuals, organizations such as EcoWaste Coalition, and the government on the health hazard of unsafe cosmetics. It seeks to provide measurable results that can be used in future research and studies on personal-care products with safe active ingredients. According to the campaign’s website: “Government scientists have ‘identified a group of toxic chemicals known as phthalates in urine of adults, with highest levels in premenopausal women, resulting from inhalation and skin exposure to volatile parent ingredients used extensively as solvents and plasticizers in personal-care and cosmetic (PCC) products,’ according to Dr. Samuel Epstein as quoted in Senate Bill 1886 (An Act Establishing the Safe Cosmetics Act).” For more information, visit organicswitch.wordpress.com. Like the Organic Switch! campaignon Facebook at www.facebook.com/OrganicSwitch208 and follow on Twitter @OrganicSwitch.