L’Oréal Donates $1.2 Million to EPA’s ToxCast

• The US Environmental Protection Agency and L’Oréal are collaborating to determine if EPA’s chemical toxicity forecaster (ToxCast) can be used in systemic toxicity tests.

L’Oréal is providing EPA with $1.2 million in collaborative research funding plus robust safety data from a set of representative substances from the cosmetic sector, expanding the types of chemical use groups assessed by ToxCast.

EPA is using ToxCast to screen chemicals to understand their potential impact on processes in the human body that lead to adverse health effects.

“Because of the high costs and length of time it takes for animal testing, not all the chemicals in use have been thoroughly evaluated for potential toxicity. ToxCast is able to rapidly screen thousands of chemicals in hundreds of tests and provide results that are relevant to various types of toxicity,” said Dr. David Dix, acting director, EPA National Center for Computational Toxicology.

EPA will compare the ToxCast results to the L’Oréal data to determine if the reliability and the relevance are appropriate for use in the safety assessment of chemicals in cosmetics.

“For more than 30 years, we have invested in Predictive Evaluation for Safety, in other words, animal-free toxicology. Our new L’Oréal Predictive Evaluation Center‘s activity is based on new-generation tests, using reconstructed human tissues, automated platforms and molecular modeling. In this perspective, the ToxCast program from EPA could enrich our testing platforms and help us to predict earlier the safety of substances for our products,” said Laurent Attal, executive VP, L’Oréal Research & Innovation.

“EPA is pleased to collaborate with L’Oréal in the pursuit of improved methods for chemical testing,” added Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s regional administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Using state-of-the art methods, we hope to show that products can be proven safe for the consumer without the use of animals.”

“The urgent need for more efficient and relevant methods of safety testing is underscored by the tens of thousands of inadequately assessed chemicals in the environment,” said Andrew Rowan, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of The Humane Society of the US and president and chief executive officer of Humane Society International. “A successful outcome of this partnership will go a long way toward demonstrating the value of advanced, non-animal testing tools and the need for ongoing investment in this area.”

EPA researchers have published scientific papers showing how ToxCast can be used to predict a chemical’s potential for liver toxicity, developmental toxicity, reproductive toxicity and cancer. ToxCast is screening more than 1,000 chemicals in more than 700 high-throughput screening tests.

More info: www.epa.gov

Inolex Rebranding Builds On Global Expansion
• Inolex has unveiled a new branding campaign to support its global expansion. The new branding reflects its multi-million dollar investment in cosmetic technologies that are natural, sustainable, and meet the most pressing consumer needs, according to the Philadelphia-based firm.

“Inolex has risen rapidly to the forefront of ingredient innovation, and our new brand reflects that,” noted Conrad Plimpton, chairman of Inolex. “It represents our forward-thinking approach to formulating with naturals and to helping our clients stay on top of the important consumer and regulatory trends.”

The latest results of Inolex’s innovation program will be seen with the launch of a range of natural silicone alternatives, the LexFeel N-Series, at the In-Cosmetics show this month. The lightest fluid in the range, LexFeel N5, has a sensory profile similar to cyclomethicone D5. The other versions, LexFeel N20, N50, N100, N200 and N350, are “uncanny in their similarity to dimethicones,” according to the firm. All of the products are 100% natural and manufactured by using several important green chemistry principles.

The new branding also reflects the company’s rapidly expanding global reach, including the establishment of new sales and technical support offices in Japan, Thailand, India and China. The new offices complement Inolex’s existing activities in the European Union and North America.

More info: www.inolex.com

The DeWolf Companies Acquires Tempo Canada
• The DeWolf Companies (DeWolf Chemical, Inc. – Glenn Corporation) will acquire Canadian specialty chemical distributor Tempo Canada Inc., which is headquartered in Oakville, Ontario and has regional offices located in Montreal, Quebec.

With this acquisition, The DeWolf Companies contends it will be strategically positioned to offer one channel to the personal care, color cosmetic and HI&I markets throughout North America. The synergies of the combined organizations will allow the organization to capitalize on the significant growth opportunities that exist in the Canadian personal care and HI&I markets.

“The DeWolf Companies have had a strong desire to expand our business model into Canada. With the acquisition of Tempo Canada, we are now in the position to fully execute our strategic vision” said Hank DeWolf, president and CEO, The DeWolf Companies. “Since its inception 28 years ago, Tempo Canada has been providing the Canadian market with a similar approach in supplying specialty chemicals. By combining forces, we will be able to maximize the potential of each of our companies, offering an overall distribution advantage for the North American market.”

Similar to the markets served by DeWolf Chemical and Glenn Corporation, Tempo Canada’s sales and marketing efforts are focused on personal care, HI&I and nutrition. Tempo Canada Inc. will retain its name and identity in the marketplace and will continue to operate as a separate stand-alone entity with its own sales, supply chain and customer service teams operating from its existing offices and facilities.

“With the acquisition of Tempo Canada we are positioned to continue our steady and sustainable growth throughout the North American market,” added DeWolf.

More info: www.dewolfchem.com, www.glenncorp.com, www.tempo.ca

Kyowa Hakko Chemical Is Now KH Neochem Americas
• Effective April 1, Kyowa Hakko Chemical Americas will operate as KH Neochem Americas, Inc. The company will continue to operate from its current corporate offices in Schaumburg, IL.

The move is concurrent with that of Tokyo-based parent company, Kyowa Hakko Chemical Co., Ltd., which officially changed its name to KH Neochem, Ltd. on the same date.

“This transition marks another milestone in our organization’s growth and commitment to serve both established and emerging markets in the Americas,” said KH Neochem Americas’ president, Jiro Suezawa. “While our name may have changed, we remain dedicated to making significant contributions to the productivity and financial success of the many clients and industries we serve. With those goals in mind, KH Neochem Americas will offer the highest quality products available, while operating with even greater cost efficiency, responsiveness and flexibility,” he said.

KH Neochem Americas’ products include synthetic fatty acids, specialty diols, functional monomers and other high-performance chemicals based on proprietary synthesis technologies.

More info: www.khneochem.com

NPA Marks 800th Certification
• The Natural Products Association (NPA) has certified its 800th item under its Natural Seal program.
“In almost four years, NPA has certified more than 800 products and ingredients under the Natural Seal. More and more consumers are using the Natural Seal to find natural products at their favorite stores,” said Jeff Wright, NPA president. “We’re pleased that the industry is increasingly rallying to Natural Seal certification. Retailers, manufacturers and suppliers can be confident that a product with the Natural Seal will stand out for consumers.”

To date, 247 ingredients have been certified natural, according to the organization.

There are 64 companies that currently offer NPA-certified products or ingredients.

CIBS Holds First Innovation Event of 2012

John Morgan, Fran Cardiff, Leslie Artesona, Michele Sawyer, Linda Buck and Ukachi Anonyuo

Charles Marchese, Michael LaGreca, Victoria Fogarty, Michael Robinson and Mario Magali

• CIBS’Innovation Committee held its first event of the year on Jan. 26 with an informative evening at Material ConneXion’s library ofinnovativematerials and processesin New York City.

More than 55 CIBS members and non-members toured the library learning about packaging made from non-traditional materials and cutting edge manufacturingsuch assalmon skin “leather” and protective packaging that grows itself using mushroom spores.

More info: www.cibsonline.com

Register Now for L’Oréal’sFore the Children Golf Outing
• L’Oréal USA Operations North America has announced the fifth anniversary of the “Fore the Children” charity golf outing, which benefits the Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation.

The outing will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, NJ. All courses at Fiddler’s Elbow plus nearby Fox Hollow will be used.

All are encouraged to register before May 1 online at http://lorealUSA.kintera.org/2012forethechildren.

New Websitefor MonoSol
• Since 1954, MonoSol has been dedicated to manufacturing water soluble polymer films, compounds, and solutions—and now the firm has a new website, www.monosol.com.

The new online presence provides a streamlined way to gain more information about the company and its range of products.

More info: www.monosol.com

Industry Refutes Silent Spring Institute Study
• Stakeholders in the household and personal care industry are circling the wagons to refute findings in a paper co-written by the Silent Spring Institute.

The study, titled “Endocrine Disruptors and Asthma-Associated Chemicals in Consumer Products,” was recently published in the journal, Environmental Health Perspectives.

According to its website, Silent Spring Institute began in 1994 after members of the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition called for a scientifically sound investigation into elevated breast cancer rates on Cape Cod. They founded “a laboratory of their own” and named it Silent Spring Institute in tribute to Rachel Carson, author of “Silent Spring.”

The Personal Care Products Council said the study again demonstrates the group’s lack of understanding of safety science. Equating the presence of certain chemicals in products with potential harm needlessly scares consumers about products formulated with ingredients that have been supported by scientific data.

“The results of this study are not new or surprising and should not alarm consumers. The mere presence of those chemicals identified does not mean they are harmful,” said Linda Loretz, PhD, senior scientist and director of safety and regulatory toxicology for the Council. “Cosmetics and personal care products companies formulate their products to ensure that the amounts of ingredients used are within safety limits that have been established by scientific and regulatory bodies around the world.”

The report contains several key flaws with the methodology, including: 1) no criteria for the list of chemicals identified as “endocrine disruptors” or “asthma-associated” is provided in the study; 2) products were inappropriately tested together in batches, so no conclusions can be drawn about the results for any specific product; and 3) the analysis also provides no consideration for the potency, dose or exposure levels of the ingredients, according to PCPC.

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) also released a statement in response to the study.

“We are disappointed that the Silent Spring Institute would make unfounded claims about the health effects of very low-levels of government-approved chemicals used in everyday consumer products without facts to support their claims. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated, the level of exposure to a chemical is relevant, not its mere presence. Additionally, Silent Spring claims a relationship between certain chemicals in consumer products and asthma, without providing adequate scientific information to draw such a connection.”

Also sending out its own warnings were the International Fragrance Association North America and SOCMA.

“This study presents a clear example of biased, advocacy-based research,” says William Troy, Ph.D., scientific advisor to the International Fragrance Association North America. “It is a repackaging of older information and the methodology used defies basic principles and standards of scientific protocols and investigations. The advice to consumers based on study findings is simply wrong.”