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Testing cosmetics on animals

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Testing cosmetics on animals is a type of animal testing used to test the safety and hypoallergenic properties of products for use by humans. Because of the harm done to the animal subjects, this testing is opposed by animal rights activists and others. Cosmetic animal testing is banned in the European Union, India, Israel,[1][2] and Norway.[3]

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Using animal testing in the development of cosmetics may involve testing either a finished product or the individual ingredients of a finished product on animals, often rabbits, but also mice, rats, and other animals.

Re-using existing test data obtained from previous animal testing is generally not considered to be cosmetic testing on animals; however, the acceptability of this to opponents of testing is inversely proportional to how recent the data is.

Due to the strong public backlash against cosmetic testing on animals, most cosmetic manufacturers say their products are not tested on animals. However, they are still required by trading standards and consumer protection laws in most countries to show their products are not toxic and not dangerous to public health, and that the ingredients are not dangerous in large quantities, such as when in transport or in the manufacturing plant. In some countries, it is possible to meet these requirements without any further tests on animals. In other countries, it may require animal testing to meet legal requirements. The United States and Japan are frequently criticized for their insistence on stringent safety measures, which often requires animal testing. Some retailers distinguish themselves in the marketplace by their stance on animal testing.

Legal Requirements In Japan

Although Japanese law doesn’t require non-medicated cosmetics to be tested on animals, it doesn’t prohibit it either, leaving the decision to individual companies.[4] Animal testing is required mainly when the product contains newly-developed tar colors, ultraviolet ray protective ingredients or preservatives, and when the amount of any ingredient regulated in terms of how much can be added is increased.[5]

Japanese Brands such as Shiseido and Mandom have ended much, but not all, of their animal testing. However, most other leading cosmetics companies in Japan still test on animals.[4][6][7]

Places that have bans

Brazil, São Paulo

São Paulo in Brazil, banned cosmetic animal testing in 2014.[8]

European Union

The European Union (EU) followed suit, after it agreed to phase in a near-total ban on the sale of animal-tested cosmetics throughout the EU from 2009, and to ban cosmetics-related animal testing.[9] Imported cosmetics ingredients tested on animals were phased out for EU consumer markets in 2013 by the ban,[9] but can still be sold to outside of the EU.[10] Norway banned cosmetics animal testing the same time as the EU.[11]

India

In early 2014, India announced a ban on testing cosmetics on animals in the country, thereby becoming the second country in Asia to do so.[12] Later India banned import of cosmetics tested on animals in November 2014.[13]

Israel

Israel banned "the import and marketing of cosmetics, toiletries or detergents that were tested on animals" in 2013.[14]

New Zealand

In 2015, New Zealand also banned animal testing.[citation needed][15]

Turkey

Turkey "banned any animal testing for cosmetic products that have already been introduced to the market." [16]

UK

Animal testing on cosmetics or their ingredients was banned in the UK in 1998.[17]

Places where prohibitions are considered

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is also potentially "making strides toward ending cosmetics testing on animals."[3]

Australia

In Australia, the End Cruel Cosmetics Bill will be introduced to Parliament in March 2014, which would ban local testing, which generally doesn't happen there, and importation of cosmetics tested on animals.[18]

Brazil

Brazil's legislation will vote on a nationwide animal testing for cosmetics ban by the end of March 2014.[2]

United States

In March 2014, the Humane Cosmetics Act was introduced to the U.S. congress which would ban cosmetic testing on animals and eventually would ban the sale of cosmetics tested on animals.[3]

South Korea

South Korea are also potentially "making strides toward ending cosmetics testing on animals."[3]

Taiwan

Taiwan has launched a bill proposing a ban on cosmetic testing on animals.[19]

Other statuses

China

China passed a law on 30 June 2014 to ban the requirement of animal testing on cosmetics in China. Though animal testing on domestically produced ordinary products of China cosmetic goods do not require testing, animal testing may be tested on cosmeceutical products. Exported goods before the law have never been required, which is why China is a large root of where cosmetic companies are located. China's requirement ban of animal testing has created a great amount of difference for over a dozen countries to re-evaluate their future plans for the guidelines of animal testing requirements.[citation needed]

Russia

In 2013, the Russian Ministry of Health stated "Toxicological testing is performed by means of testing for skin allergic reaction or test on mucous tissue/eye area (with use of lab animals) or by use of alternative general toxicology methods (IN VITRO). In this manner the technical regulations include measures which provide an alternative to animal testing".[20]

Brands that do not test on animals

Company Market Products Yearly Revenue
Beiersdorf Global[21] Nivea Personal Care 7.4 billion (2014)[22]
L'Oreal Urban Decay Cosmetics 3.7 billion (2015)
J.A. Cosmetics Corp. E.L.F. Cosmetics 5 million (2005)[23]
LUSH LUSH Cosmetics, personal care 350 million (2014)[24]
Colgate-Palmolive Tom's of Maine[25] Toiletries, personal care 1 million (2014)
John Paul Mitchell systems Paul Mitchell Hair products, personal care 600 Million (1999)
L'Oreal NYX Cosmetics 3.7 billion (2014)
Hain Celestial Alba Botanica Personal care, cosmetics 2.7 million (2014)
Hain Celestial Avalon Organics Personal care, home goods 2.7 million (2014)

Brands that do test on animals

Company Market Yearly Revenue Product Industry Animal Testing Market Segment
Avon Products, Inc Avon US $9.955 billion (2013) Cosmetics, perfumes, clothing,

toys

Fashion Yes Mass Market
Chanel SAS Chanel 6.7 billion (2014) Perfume, Haute, Couture, Ready-to-wear, Accessories Fashion Yes Luxury
Coty, Inc OPI $7 billion (2015) Nail Polish Beauty Yes Value for Money
Estee Lauder Co. Aveda $5.43 billion (2014) Hair products, cosmetics, personal care Beauty Yes
Johnson & Johnson Neutrogena $6 billion USD (2005) Cleansers, Cosmetics, Hair Product Consumer

Packaged

Goods

Yes Value for money
LVMH Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton Sephore $4 billion (2013) Cosmetics Beauty Yes Value for money
Mary Kay holding Corporation Mary Kay US $2.9 Billion (2011) Cosmetics, sunscreen Cosmetics and personal care products Yes Value for money
Procter & Covergirl $57 million Cosmetics Fashion Yes Mass

Methods

Methods of testing cosmetics on animals include many different tests that are categorized differently based on which areas the cosmetics will be used for.

Draize test: This is a method of testing that may cause irritation or corrosion to the skin or eye on animals (e.g. Draize test), dermal sensitization, airway sensitization, endocrine disruption, and LD50 (which refers to the lethal dose which kills 50% of the treated animals).

Acute toxicity: This test is used to determine danger of exposure to a chemical by mouth, skin, or inflammation. Rats and mice are injected in lethal does 50 (LD50). This test can cause animal convulsions, loss of motor function, and seizures.[26]

Skin corrosivity or irritation: This method of test assesses the potential of a substance causing irreversible damage to the skin. It is typically performed on rabbits and involves putting chemicals on a shaved patch of skin. This determines the level of damage to the skin that includes itching, inflammation, swelling, etc.[26]

Skin sensitisation: This is a method that determines if a chemical causes an allergic reaction. The chemical adjuvant is injected to boost the immune system. In the past it was performed on guinea pigs, and applied on a shaved patch of skin. Substances are assessed based on appearance of skin.[26]

Dermal penetration: Rats are mostly used in this method that analyzes moment of a chemical, and the penetration of the chemical in the bloodstream. Dermal penetration is a method that creates a better understanding of skin absorption.[26]

Alternatives

Cosmetics manufacturers who do not test on animals may now use in vitro screens to test for endpoints which can determine potential risk to humans with a very high sensitivity and specificity. Companies such as CeeTox in the USA , recently acquired by Cyprotex ,specialize in such testing and organizations like the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), PETA and many other organizations advocate the use of in vitro and other non-animal tests in the development of consumer products. By using safe ingredients from a list of 5,000 which have already been tested in conjunction with modern methods of cosmetics testing, the need for tests using animals are negated.[18]

EpiSkin™, EpiDerm™ and SkinEthic—each composed of artificial human skin is an option for alternative testing. It can imitate the reaction actual human skin will have to a product and the chemicals it contains. It is a safe animal free way of testing for skin reactions, also known as Pyrogen tests, to product chemicals. Another alternative is The Bovine Corneal Opacity and Permeability Test and Isolated Chicken Eye Test use eyes from animals slaughtered for the meat industry to detect chemicals and products that are severely irritating to the eyes.[27][promotion?]

Certification

The "Leaping Bunny" logo which indicates that products carrying this logo have not been tested on animals.

Companies producing beauty and household products which do not to test their products on animals for any market can request membership of The Leaping Bunny Program which allows to feature Cruelty Free International's Leaping Bunny logo on their products. The program sets global standard of operations and sales. Internationally headquartered companies can obtain certification from Cruelty Free International.[28] Companies headquartered in the US and Canada can obtain certification from The Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC)[29] In 2013 over 500 companies were certified.[30] However, some company's certifications were revoked after it was discovered they continued to test on animals in Asia.[31]

Procedures of Animal Testing

There is a strategy used in animal testing laboratories titled the ' Three R's:' Reduction, refinement, and replacement (Doke, "Alternatives to Animal Testing: A Review"). The approach of reduction is built upon the ethics to have a minimal number of animal subjects being tested on for current and later tests. Refinement suggests the planned distress and pain caused to an animal subject be as little as possible. Refinement focuses on making a home for the animals before entering testing grounds in order to elongate the life of laboratory animals. Discomfort to animals causes imbalance in hormonal levels which create fluctuating results during testing. Replacement provides the opportunity to study the response of cellular models, but in other words, replacement searches for alternatives that could be done otherwise than testing on animal subjects.[citation needed]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Engebretson, Monica (16 March 2014). "India Joins the EU and Israel in Surpassing the US in Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Testing Policy". The World Post.
  2. ^ a b Fox, Stacy (10 March 2014). "Animal Attraction: Federal Bill to End Cosmetics Testing on Animals Introduced in Congress" (Press release). Humane Society of the United States.
  3. ^ a b c d "Cruelty Free International Applauds Congressman Jim Moran for Bill to End Cosmetics Testing on Animals in the United States" (Press release). 5 March 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Be Cruelty-Free Campaign Backed by Global Stars, Launches in Tokyo to End Cosmetics Animal Testing in Japan (March 17, 2014)". Humane Society International. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  5. ^ "Development of Cosmetics -- Toward Abolishment of Animal Testing (February 2015)". JFS: Japan for Sustainability. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  6. ^ "Initiatives in Response to Animal Testing and Alternative Methods". Shiseido Group. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  7. ^ "Approach to alternative to animal experiments". Mandom. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  8. ^ "São Paulo Bans Animal Testing". AFP News. 24 January 2014.
  9. ^ a b "EU extends ban on animal-tested cosmetics". EuroNews. 11 March 2013.
  10. ^ Fynes-Clinton (20 March 2014), OPINION: Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon’s End Cruel Cosmetics Bill 2014 answers the public’s growing opposition to animals testing, Courier-Mail
  11. ^ Aryan (12 March 2013). "Norway ban animal testing of cosmetics". The Oslo Times.
  12. ^ Mukherjee, Rupali (23 January 2014). "Govt bans cosmetic companies from testing on animals". The Times of India.
  13. ^ Mohan, Vishwa (14 October 2014). "India bans import of cosmetics tested on animals". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  14. ^ "Import ban on animal-tested products goes into effect". The Times of Israel. 1 January 2013.
  15. ^ "MPs unanimously support animal testing ban". Radio New Zealand. 31 March 2015.
  16. ^ "Animal testing for cosmetics banned in Turkey". DailySabah. 27 July 2015.
  17. ^ "Animal Research Regulations in the UK". Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  18. ^ a b Bainbridge, Amy (17 March 2014). "Australia urged to follow EU ban on animal testing; Greens to move bill in Senate this week". Australian Broadcasting Corporation News.
  19. ^ "Taiwan Proposes Animal Testing Ban for Cosmetics".
  20. ^ "Cruelty Free International wins Russian commitment on non-animal testing". Retrieved 12 May 2015. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
  21. ^ "Beiersdorf – About Us". Beiersdorf. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  22. ^ "overview". Beiersdorf. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  23. ^ "Terms of Use | e.l.f. Cosmetics". www.elfcosmetics.com. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  24. ^ "Lush". Retail Merchandiser. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  25. ^ "Tom's of Maine founder reinvents for-profit sustainability in his second company". Mainebiz. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  26. ^ a b c d "Testing". American Anti-Vivisection Society.
  27. ^ "Alternatives to Animal Tests : The Humane Society of the United States". m.humanesociety.org. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  28. ^ https://www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/what-we-do/corporate-partnerships/corporate-faqs
  29. ^ About Cruelty Free International. Cruelty Free International, d.d.
  30. ^ Leaping Bunny Welcomes Wen® Hair and Body Care by Chaz Dean as Cruelty-Free. Leapingbunny.org, d.d.
  31. ^ [1]. Eluxe Magazine, d.d.
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