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A28 SCIENCE
Tuesday 4 February 2020
U.S. states join global push to ban animal-tested cosmetics

By MICHELLE L. PRICE say.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A grow- Some of the biggest names
ing number of U.S. states in personal care and beau-
are considering a ban on ty, including Avon, Unilever
the sale or import of cos- and Procter & Gamble,
metics that have been have used MatTek's tissues
tested on animals, as advo- for testing.
cates argue testing prod- Carl Westmoreland, a safe-
ucts such as lotions, sham- ty scientist with Unilever,
poos and makeup on rab- said the European Union
bits, mice and rats is cruel ban drove more innovation
and outdated. in non-animal testing. Com-
The cause has gained sup- panies like Unilever, trade
port from consumers and groups and advocates are
many cosmetics compa- among those working with
nies, but the biggest hurdle Chinese regulators and sci-
is China, which requires entists to push for new rules,
that cosmetics sold in its helping to familiarize them
large, lucrative market un- with procedures and results
dergo testing on animals. from non-animal tests.
California, Nevada and Il- "They have been chang-
linois all saw new laws take ing and are continuing to
effect this year that ban change," he said, noting
the sale or import of ani- China in recent years has
mal-tested cosmetics. allowed some cosmetics
The laws, which apply In this Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020, photo scientist and study director Jennifer Molignano uses an produced within the coun-
electronic pipette to prepare culture medium, a dark pink fluid that provides nutrition to living
to tests performed after human skin tissue, as she sets up a demonstration of experiments at a MatTek Corporation lab, in try to avoid animal testing.
Jan. 1, aren't expected Ashland, Mass. Francine Lamoriello, execu-
to cause much disruption Associated Press tive vice president for glob-
for the industry because al strategies at the Personal
many companies already push Chinese cosmetics slow to advance. The most already a thing of the past." Care Products Council said
use non-animal testing. In- companies to rely on non- recent version introduced The bans in all three states it's a slow process, but Chi-
stead, they draw a line in animal tests if they want to in November marks the first require cosmetics sellers nese regulators are working
the sand that puts pressure sell their products in the U.S. time the country's leading to use non-animal tests to to accept non-animal tests.
on the U.S. government to "We're not trying to create cosmetics trade group, prove their products are "They're having conferenc-
pass a nationwide ban and an island out here in Ne- the Personal Care Prod- safe. Many international es. They really seem to be
help end China's require- vada," said state Sen. Mel- ucts Council, has become companies are already do- quite motivated to do as
ment that most cosmetics anie Scheible, who spon- a vocal backer of the ban, ing that after the European best as they can to accept
sold in that nation of more sored Nevada's law. "We support that should ease Union passed a series of and validate certain meth-
than 1.4 billion people un- are trying to join a group lawmaker concerns about similar bans on animal test- ods," she said.
dergo testing on animals of other communities that business opposition. ing, culminating with a 2013 The Personal Care Products
by Chinese regulators. have stood up and said, The California, Nevada and ban on the sale of animal- Council supports most of
China's policy applies to 'We don't support animal Illinois laws create exemp- tested products. the state legislation but is
all imported cosmetics, in- testing.'" tions for any cosmetics that Supporters note that sci- pushing for a nationwide
cluding makeup, perfume Animal-rights groups like were tested on animals to ence has advanced, al- law instead of a patchwork
and hair care products, Cruelty Free International comply with regulations lowing companies in most of rules across the country.
along with some "special and the Humane Society of a foreign government cases to use non-animal Similar to the state laws, the
use" goods produced in of the United States hope — an exception that ac- alternatives — such as hu- proposed ban before Con-
China, such as hair dye, to get more states to pass knowledges the reality that man cell cultures or lab- gress would exempt cos-
sunscreen and whitening bans this year. most companies will see grown human skin and eye metics required to undergo
products that make func- Legislation has been intro- their products tested on tissue — to test whether testing in China. It would
tional claims. duced or will soon be made animals if they sell in China. a product or ingredient is allow those products to be
Animal-tested cosmetics public in Hawaii, Maryland, China is a "big complicat- safe. sold in the U.S. as long as
already are banned in Eu- New Jersey, New York and ing factor," said Monica For example, EpiDerm, a sellers relied on additional,
rope, India and elsewhere. Virginia, according to Cru- Engebretson, who leads synthetic skin tissue made non-animal tests to show
A ban in the United States, elty Free International, and public affairs for Cruelty by Massachusetts-based they are safe.
one of the world's larg- a national ban has been Free International in North MatTek Corp., is created California was first to pass
est economies, would put introduced in Congress America. "That's put com- from cells taken from skin the legislation in 2018, a
further global pressure on since 2014, though the bi- panies that want to enter donated during proce- move that's part of the
China to end its policy and partisan measure has been that Chinese market in a dures such as breast reduc- state's pattern of wielding
real bind." tion surgery, circumcision its status as the world's fifth-
Scheible said her aim in and tummy tuck proce- largest economy to push
Nevada was not to punish dures. change.
those multinational corpo- Products can be applied "That's the beauty of doing
rations but to raise aware- to synthetic tissue to deter- things in California," said
ness and put pressure on mine whether they cause Judie Mancuso with the
other governments, like skin irritation, damage, group Social Compassion
China, to act. sensitivity or other issues. in Legislation who pressed
"A lot of people thought That can be used in place for that state's ban. "You
that we no longer tested of a testing a product on set the stage, you set the
on animals at all," she said. the back of a shaved rab- standard, and others grab
"They thought that this was bit, animal rights supporters it and grow."q