We have learnt that the government does not play a major role in regulating cosmetic companies. It is the sole responsibility of the manufacturer of the cosmetic companies to ensure that their products are safe. This procedure has its own pros and cons. You would have your own opinions about deregulation of cosmetic companies. But in Canada, it is a different picture. The Canadian cosmetic companies are regulated by Health Canada.
Regulations on Canadian Cosmetic Companies
Cosmetics sold in Canada must meet certain safety requirements outlined by the Food and Drugs Act and the Cosmetic Regulations. As per the regulations, the ingredients used in a cosmetic product must be disclosed by the cosmetic manufacturer to Health Canada. Departmental officials then review the information and ensure that the product does not contain ingredients in quantities above the acceptable concentration.
The product should also not contain a substance that is found on the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. The Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist is an important safety feature and it includes a list of restricted and prohibited cosmetic ingredients in Canada. The list included over 500 ingredients. These ingredients are not supposed to be used by the manufacturer in their product.
Scientists of Health Canada are continually monitoring Canadian and international studies and research on the risks posed by certain chemicals used in cosmetics. If the ingredient is found to be unsafe then the department would take immediate action. This may be banning the ingredients or restricting their use through the Hotlist. The cosmetic product will also be removed from the stores.
In addition, consumer complaints or reports of adverse reactions received regarding the safety of cosmetic products are investigated by Health Canada Product Safety Inspectors. If a consumer product is determined to be unsafe, Health Canada recommends the company to issue a recall of that product. A warning is also issued so that the consumers are aware and informed of unsafe products.
By this regulation of Canadian cosmetic companies, the risks associated with the use of cosmetics marketed in Canada are minimized. These regulations are necessary to avoid the high potential of risk to the user if a product is found to be unsafe.
Purpose of the Regulations
The main purpose of these regulations is to strengthen the protection of the health and safety of the Canadian public with regard to the use of cosmetic products. As per the Cosmetic Regulations, the ingredients of the cosmetic products are required to be given by the cosmetic companies on the label or on the exterior wrapping of all cosmetics. By doing this, the safety of the Canadian public is ensured because the users are provided with the valuable information about the composition of cosmetics.
This regulation procedure is a really extensive process. This makes Canada one of the safest countries with regard to cosmetic ingredients. Since this deals with the safety of the consumers, the government regulates the cosmetic industry very carefully.
So after reading this, do you think you should have been in Canada? Well, let’s see if our government also adopts such procedures.
