With a clear rejection of all nanomaterials and microplastics, the Society for Applied Business Ethics (GfaW) has revised its natural cosmetics standard NCS. The seal thus identifies healthy and environmentally friendly cosmetic products at a consistently high level and remains true to its claim of anchoring current developments directly in the label’s criteria.
Nanomaterials of the raw materials titanium dioxide and zinc oxide were previously considered indispensable as light protection filters in sun protection creams. Nowadays, the desired effect can also be achieved without these tiny particles. Reason enough, therefore, to ban these particles, which are controversial in terms of health and harmful due to deposits in the oceans, from the standard.
The exclusion of solid and insoluble polymers, i.e. plastics, also serves to protect the oceans. As long as these were of petrochemical origin, as was previously the case, the corresponding exclusion criteria of the NCS were sufficient. Because so-called bio-plastics can now be produced in accordance with natural cosmetics (e.g. polylactic acid), an explicit ban in the standard is necessary in order to avoid the use of plastics in natural cosmetics products.
This means that NCS sets the strictest quality standards in this area.
