Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products
(Who's at risk and what's at stake for American power)
Mark Schapiro VT: Chelsea Green Publishing, 2007;
189 pp.; bibliography; index. ISBN 13:978-1-933392-15-8

The title of this book is somewhat misleading. It is not so much an indictment of the toxins in everyday products as an account of how the U.S. has abandoned its leadership role in the area of environmental protection.

By "power" (in the subtitle), the author means soft power, the combination of economic might and moral suasion that characterized the U.S.A. until shortly before the end of the last century. What Schapiro cogently argues is that this power has now been largely assumed by the European Union and that this happened largely because of American hubris. Indeed, the ultimately unsuccessful attempts of American lobbyists to halt the march toward environmental accountability in the EU is a telling commentary on waning U.S. influence.

Every bit of this book is interesting, and none more so that the story of how the directive REACH (Registration, Evaluation & Authorization of Chemicals) came to be passed and its subsequent effects on markets all over the world — particularly China. Another directive, RoHs (Removal of Hazardous Substances) which bans lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury and flame retardants from all electronic products, promises to have similar far-reaching effects. And these effects will govern not only the manufacture and marketing of e-products but also the safe disposal and/or recycling of e-waste.

The book also touches on the issues of safety of personal care products, pthalates, POPs (persistent organic pollutants), GMOs (genetically modified organisms), and studies of 'body burden'. In each of these cases, Schapiro argues that the U.S. has listened not to the concerns of its citizens, but to industry and industry associations, thus abandoning its responsibility and leadership.

There are lessons here for Canada. It is clear that harmonizing our policies with the U.S. means losing ground when compared to more environmentally-sensitive countries inside and outside of the EU. If there had been a more enlightened U.S. administration, perhaps the countries of North America could have become viable trading partners of the EU. According to this book, it is already too late.

Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry
Stacy Malkan B.C.: New Society Publishers, 2007; 177 pages. ISBN 978-0-86571-574-5

Warning! Reading this book may be good for your health, and the health of your children and grandchildren—not to mention the planet. Author Stacy Malkan traces the evolution of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics which, like many other grassroots efforts, was born out of the personal experiences of a group of tenacious women. As their awareness and rage increased concerning serious flaws in the manufacture and marketing of personal care products (and the effect that has had on individuals and the global environment), they developed a savvy initiative to spread their message of advocacy and consumer rights. Thus was born the Campaign and subsequently, the ever-expanding and searchable database, Skin Deep.

Much of the book documents the deficiencies in the manufacture of personal care products, including the use of toxic chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and learning disabilities; practices based on outdated premises regarding levels of exposure and no safety standards (instead of the precautionary principle); the lack of oversight of an industry that has been self-regulating since the 1970s; and the dangers inherent in the use of nanotechnology. Malkan also points to the increasing body of evidence about chemical pollution and its devastating effects on the environment, on you and on me. But her exposé begins and ends with a promise of hope. She tells the impressive story of a growing teen movement that began in California, the Teen Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. Concerned students have focused their attention on these alarming issues and have developed outreach projects to recruit more and more youth intent on changing the status quo.

The author also provides insight into the potential of cutting-edge technologies that may provide options for the challenge to replace harmful chemicals with healthier ingredients in products ranging from shampoo and deodorant, to hair dye and nail polish. In this category are developments based on the concept of green chemistry*, "…also called sustainable chemistry,[ ] a chemical philosophy encouraging the design of products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances." Another fascinating concept is biomimicry, "…from bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate, [ ] a relatively new science that studies nature, its models, systems, processes and elements and then imitates or takes creative inspiration from them to solve human problems sustainably." Both definitions courtesy of Wikipedia and both approaches may lead to rational change for a sustainable future.

Not Just a Pretty Face is easily read, anecdotal and recommended if you want to be well informed about the potential hazards of personal care products and the powerful influence of the cosmetics industry. Malkan reminds us that the biggest-name cosmetic companies spend millions of dollars on marketing campaigns to convince consumers that their products are safe rather than reformulate them using safer ingredients (as they are already required to do for the European Union).

*Bev Thorpe, a BCAM Board member, is a consultant for cleaner business practices using green chemistry.