NSF International, an independent not-for-profit public health and safety organization, developed the NSF American National Standard for Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients (NSF/ANSI 305) to provide personal care companies with a credible way to demonstrate the integrity of their organic product claims.
The Organic Trade Association Personal Care Task Force initially proposed the creation of the standard and later relinquished it to NSF. Adopted as an NSF American National Standard in February 2009, NSF/ANSI 305 established a level playing field by setting requirements for organizations choosing to comply with an American National Standard for personal care products containing organic ingredients. This is an important step for manufacturers and retailers that produce and sell organic nonfood products, as well as for consumers who choose to purchase certified-organic products. Major retailers and consumers have already expressed their support for the standard.
Products covered by this standard include, but are not limited to: cosmetics, rinse-off and leave-on personal care products, oral care product, and personal hygiene products. These products may be applied to or used externally on any part of the body (e.g., hair, face, hands and feet).
Requirements
The voluntary standard defines labeling and marketing requirements for personal care products that contain organic ingredients and allows for limited chemical processes that are typical for personal care products but would not be allowed for food products. See below.
Illustrative Lists of Allowed Ingredients, but not limited to:
PRESERVATIVE INGREDIENTS: benzoic acid and its salts and esters (non-petroleum feedstock only); grapefruit seed extract; potassium lactate; salicylic acid, its salts and esters; sorbic acid, and its salts and esters; benzyl alcohol (nonpetroleum feedstock only); and glucose, glucose oxidase, lactoperoxidase.
Other ingredients with anti-microbial properties produced by an allowed process include, but are not limited to: ethanol, glyceryl c aprate, capryloyl glycine, glyceryl caprylate, glyceryl laurate, lauroyl lysine, undecylenoyl glycine.
MINERAL INGREDIENTS: chalk, clays, pumice, iron oxides, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide
Prohibited Labeling Practices, but not limited to:
The labeling of whole products or ingredients as organic is prohibited if those products or ingredients are created using any of the following:
- Ingredients or catalyst and reagent produced using excluded methods;
- Ingredients that have been produced using applications of sewage sludge;
- Ingredients that have been processed with ionizing radiation;
- Ingredients that have been made using any genetically engineered organisms or its product;
- Ingredients with petroleum compounds, except as specifically allowed in this standard;
- Substances not on the NOP National List or permitted under this standard.