The Environmental Impact of Personal Care Products

The Environmental Impact of Personal Care Products

Visit any drugstore, supermarket, or beauty store and you’ll see aisles and aisles of personal care products to choose from. However, common ingredients in these products may pose threats to ecosystems, especially our rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans. Here, we’ll look at some of the common ingredients in toiletries and beauty products to examine their environmental impact.

Ingredients of concern in cosmetics

Whether it’s lipstick or lotion, shampoo or body wash, personal care products can contain a variety of chemicals that may harm the environment and human health. They enter the environment when they’re washed down the drain and are not fully removed from wastewater at sewage plants. When the treated wastewater is released into surface waters like rivers or the ocean, these chemicals can persist, building up in the aquatic organisms that live in the water—with detrimental effects on their health.  

Parabens, for example, are widely used in cosmetics as preservatives; they’re added to products to prevent microbial growth and spoilage. However, they are known to disrupt the endocrine system and are accordingly classified as “chemicals of emerging concern,” meaning that they are not regulated under current law and more research is needed to fully understand their toxicity. In aquatic life, parabens can be toxic, harming the nervous and immune system as well as neural function.

Formaldehyde, another preservative, is known to cause cancer in humans and is highly toxic to aquatic life. It’s less commonly used in personal care products than it was in the past and it is banned outright in cosmetics in the EU and a handful of US states. Still, various personal care items may contain substances that release formaldehyde. The environmental and human health effects of this are not fully understood.

Phthalates are substances added to cosmetics like nail polishes, cleansers, and shampoos as solvents and stabilizers and for a variety of other purposes. In both humans and wildlife, they are endocrine disrupters and have been linked with reproductive and developmental health issues.

An antifungal and antibacterial compound, triclosan can affect hormone production in fish. It is also known to damage algae. It is banned in the US when used in soaps, hand washes, and other consumer cleansing products because of its potential health effects in humans. However, triclosan is still allowed in industrial cleaning products and toothpaste.

Spotlight on sunscreen

Because people often slather on sunscreen right before swimming in the ocean, it’s worth examining its environmental impact a little more closely. Unfortunately, sunscreen typically contains a number of substances that may harm coral reefs, fish, and other marine life. These chemicals can contribute to coral bleaching and inhibit the growth of algae, a major food source for many creatures, and can travel up the food chain, threatening larger aquatic animals.

Chemicals of concern in sunscreen include oxybenzone, octocrylene, octinoxate, and avobenzone. Though there is no ban on sunscreens with these ingredients at the US national level, a few localities have passed legislation to outlaw them. Hawaii, for example, enacted a statewide ban on sunscreens with oxybenzone and octinoxate, and so did the municipality of Key West, Florida. A few other island nations have passed similar bans, including Aruba and Palau.

To protect ocean life and coral reefs, consider using a sunscreen that contains only zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. These are classified as “physical sunscreens” because they contain minerals that physically block the sun’s rays, rather than chemicals that absorb them. You can also look for labels like “reef friendly,” but know that this term is not regulated—so always check the ingredient list. You can also wear swim apparel like UV-rated swim shirts and rash guards to physically block the sun without any of the chemicals that harm reefs.

Manufacturing and packaging

The manufacturing processes of cosmetics and personal care products also have an impact on the environment.

For example, raw materials, energy, and fresh water are all necessary for the making of these items and, traditionally, the resources have been needed in high quantity. However, manufacturing practices employed by some companies are gradually becoming more sustainable, with a focus on biodegradable formulas and harvesting raw materials in a way that won’t hurt the ecosystem, but this is still not the norm.

The wide use of palm oil in cosmetics and many other products has led to large tracts of land in Southeast Asia being turned over to palm plantations. This is often done at the expense of natural habitats as landscapes are deforested and pesticides and fertilizers can harm the soil if not used efficiently. Orangutangs are just one of the many species that are threatened by the palm oil industry destroying their habitat. 

Packaging matters, too—it’s one of the top strategies used by the personal care industry to sell their products. Overpackaging and the use of plastics has contributed to pollution for many years.

Safer ingredients

The good news is that there are options for personal care products that are kind to the planet and its inhabitants. Shampoos and soaps that are biodegradable, creams and lotions that use safer ingredients, and packaging that’s environmentally friendly are all gaining traction in the marketplace.

When you’re at the store, choose products that are free from parabens, phthalates, triclosan, and formaldehydes. If in doubt, go for products that contain fewer ingredients, which means fewer potential hazards. To find palm oil-free products, look for those certified by the Orangutang Alliance or the Palm Oil Free Certification Trademark.

In addition, be wary of labels that say “organic,” “natural,” or the like; these terms are not regulated and they don’t necessarily mean anything. A good resource for further information and guidance is the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep searchable database, which offers a safety assessment of over 130,000 personal care products. 

You can make a difference

From cleansers to creams, lotions to deodorant, and perfume to cosmetics, personal care products can cause environmental harm and may even pose a threat to human health. However, there’s been positive change, with some countries and states taking action to ban the most harmful ingredients in these products. Many companies are taking note, too, and voluntarily removing certain ingredients from their formulations. You can support these efforts by making informed decisions and choosing products that are safer for our planet and humans alike.