SHAMPOOS & SOAPS

Shampoo, Body Shampoo, Liquid and Solid Soap products are a common part of everyday life. There are, however, a range of environmental and human health characteristics that you should be aware of when making personal choices.

These products are discharged to water after use. Accordingly, properties such as biological degradability, bioaccumulation and toxicity in aquatic environments are key considerations of overall environmental impact from their use.

The primary environmental and human health considerations relate to the chemical formulation of these products.

It is often difficult to make sense of the chemical ingredients of these product types. Many ingredients are classified as hazardous and you should be careful of fragrances and colouring agents which give many products an artificial smell and colour. The chemical formulation applies in particular to surfactants - the agents that remove soils from the skin - which are the most important constituents of the products in terms of quantity and function.

Shampoo and soap come into direct contact with the skin. Accordingly, their content of skin irritants, allergens or other harmful components and pollutants should be as low as possible.

For more specific information on these products use the Good Environmental Choice Standard for Shampoo & Soap Products in Australia. This standard is used to assess the environmental performance of shampoos and soaps sold in Australia and determine if they deserve the Australian 'Good Environmental Choice' Label.

GECA 22-2004 - SHAMPOOS & SOAPS

GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL CHOICES

• Consider using Good Environmental Choice certified products such as Herbon Natural Products.

• Avoid products that contain:

  • Styrene
  • Butylbenzylphtalate (BBP)
  • Di-(2-ethylhexyl)phtalte (DEHP)
  • 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propane
  • Resocinol
  • 4-chloro-3-methylphenol
  • Diisodecyl phthalate
  • Diisononyl phtalate =1,2-Benzene-dicarboxylic acid, diisononyl ester (DINP)
  • O-phenylphenol