Someone told me recently that Method soaps have phthalates in them.  Does anyone know if that's true? 

A common ingredient of "fragrance" is phthalates. 

"DEP and other phthalates, which are plasticizers used to soften vinyl plastic, are among the most common fragrance ingredients in perfumes and cosmetics. Phthalates are added to cosmetics and perfumes for multiple reasons. For example, their oily texture helps lubricate other substances in a formula. Phthalates also help lotions penetrate and soften the skin. They’ve become essential to scented products, however, because phthalates help fragrances last longer, according the American Chemistry Council.

Some health advocates and some researchers are becoming wary of phthalates, though. Phthalates are suspected carcinogens and hormone disruptors that are increasingly being linked to reproductive disorders. Some disturbing trends in human male reproductive health mirror the effects of phthalate exposure in animals. And one study has associated phthalates from hair care products and cosmetics with early puberty in Puerto Rican girls." (P. Lundquist, CHEC)

But fragrances are also put in soaps.  Skin Deep is the cosmetics safety database from Environmental Working Group.  It has reports on more than 25,000 products and it has company profiles.  Here is that of Method.

Here's an interesting video on YouTube about the elusive fragrance ingredient:

I think Method is a greenwashing company. They boast "petroleum free" but many of their products contain parabens. Hello, those are made from petroleum. I question their ethics in products that have broad term ingredient names.

I posted this elsewhere...but it fits here too. (still learning the catagories)

Just last week the OCA & Dr. Bronner is getting tough. Check out all this info. Seems 7th Gen, Method, and many others have gotten themselves in a bit of "hot water".

"Alert: Stop Bogus "Organic" Misbranding or Certification

To help remove some of this misleading organic labeling from the market, in late March 2008, the OCA and Dr.Bronner's filed Cease and Desist Letters to many of the bogus "organic" brands who utilize conventional and/or petrochemical material instead of organic material in making their main cleansing ingredients, some of whom even tested positive for the carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane in this study. Read the press release here and the Cease and Desist letter here.

Many of these companies misbrand “Organics” on their labels but consumers should look for products certified under the USDA like Dr. Bronner’s, because there are other weak so-called “organic” standards that a product can become "certified" under, which do not allow ethoxylation and 1,4-Dioxane, but allow hydrogenation and sulfation of conventional, not organic material, to make cleansing ingredients preserved with synthetic preservatives.

Two of these weak standards consumers should look out for are the Ecocert and OASIS standards; Ecocert actually allows certain petrochemicals in cleansing ingredients. Learn more here.

Surveys clearly indicate that when a product labels itself as "Organic" or is sold by a company with the word "Organic" in its brand name, consumers are willing to pay extra, because they believe that product does not contain cleansing ingredients made with conventional and/or petrochemical material, that may be contaminated with carcinogenic compounds like 1,4-Dioxane.

Surveys clearly indicate that when a product labels itself as "Organic" or is sold by a company with the word "Organic" in its brand name, consumers are willing to pay extra, because they believe that product does not contain cleansing ingredients made with conventional and/or petrochemical material, that may be contaminated with carcinogenic compounds like 1,4-Dioxane. "

Also check out:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/DioxaneRelease08.cfm

 It's important to always do your research and be a conscientious consumer, but it can get quickly overwhelming and confusing (which is why I'm ecstatic about Huddler). Still, let's keep our eye on the big picture. Most products that claim to be "green" or "natural" are oodles better than their conventional counterparts, even if they are not perfect. Green washing is getting more pervasive, but it's a sign that the market is shifting due to consumer demand. This is a very good thing.

In the meantime, we need to support organizations like EWG and OCA who struggle to keep consumers informed. But, we also need to be careful to fully understand the information from them, as well. OCA's recent study was very enlightening in some respects, but also slightly misleading. We really need to re-examine our goals when we start supporting one of the industry's biggest polluters (Clorox) over one of the industry's most environmental innovator (Seventh Generation). Read In Defense of Seventh Generation.

As for the initial question about phthalates in Method, yes they are often in "fragrance," but not always. Call the company and ask.

I agree with Janekay.  There is definitely a moment when you hit information overload and you just have to stop.  Third party certification often helps make the research go a little easier but there are quite a few different programs with (of course) different standards.  At this point, no one program has really stepped up and become the obvious leader.  It'll be interesting to see how that develops in the next few years as consumer demand increases.

I read the ingredients list and noticed they use sodium laurel sulphates in their product....not very green to me.

Miranda - can you go into a bit more detail about what sodium laurel sulphates are and why their dangerous/non-green? We'd really appreciate it - happy Earth Day!

dan

Dr. Bronners uses SLS in their Sal's Suds.

I must first disclose that I am a supplier of organic cleaning and personal care products but having said that, I only went in to business because I was frustrated with how hard it was to find trustworthy sources of information and products.  I have a resource center on my website where I have tried to help people decipher "green" labels. Mine and others.  The resource center is at http://www.chartreuseproducts.com/resource.html.   EWGs site, skin deep, is also a fabulous resource though tough to decipher at times and thegreenguide.com has good articles.

Sodium lauryl sulfate, is used in about 90% of personal care products and cleaning products that foam.  It is a petrochemical and a common skin irritant. When rinsed off, the product will have cleaned the area but will have taken moisture from the top layers of skin. In people with sensitive skin the drying property of these type of detergents can cause flare-ups of skin conditions or may worsen existing conditions. Personal care product manufacturers often add back chemically derived oils such as mineral oil to coat the skin leaving the illusion of the skin being moisturized when in fact these products only interfere with the skin’s natural moisturizing abilities.

Animals exposed to SLS experienced eye damage, depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation and even death. 

On cleaning products:

There is no way to know if phthalates unless it says it doesn't contain it or you send it to a lab.

Cleaning products are not required to list their ingredients and so most, even the “environmentally friendly” ones do not. This becomes especially annoying when you realize that most environmental claims have no legal definition. “Biodegradable” means that it breaks down eventually. “Plant-based” or “plant-derived” means the ingredients started out as a plant but anything could have been done to it. “Nontoxic” means to company believes it to be so. Many “nontoxic” cleaners have toxic ingredients but in low enough doses they are believed to be safe. “Phosphate-free” is meaningful in dishwasher detergent but most states have outlawed the use of phosphates in other household detergents.

You are best off checking any warning labels which will give you a good indication as to the contents. Another option is to look for products which do list all ingredients or at least offer a listing of harmful substances which they don’t contain. The only way to avoid petrochemicals is to use a soap based product made of saponified oils."

 On organics:

"Unlike the food industry, there are no regulations in the personal care industry around the term “organic”. So many in the industry has been clamoring for certification rules to separate the “real organics” from the “imposters”. But the issue is extremely contentious. Rules for organic certification were written for the food industry. Manufacturers are restricted to using food ingredients so most traditional emulsifiers and preservatives can not be called organic. Some soap products can easily be made but other products like lotions are much trickier.  They require preservatives to prevent contamination.  Cosmetic companies are responding differently. Some companies are sticking with their existing formulas insisting they are safe. Some are slapping organic on their labels hoping consumers don’t know any better. Others are creatively modifying ingredients, in some cases eliminating safe, effective ingredients in order to adhere to the ever changing certification standards. A few have come out with 100% organic, preservative-free products but these generally contain warnings to keep the products out of high heat and direct sunlight and avoid placing unclean fingers in the product. This can be a tough sell for lotions and soaps that are applied with fingers and get stored in gym bags.

Many companies have been lobbying to change or reduce standards to meet the needs of the industry. Products can now be certified organic if they contain 70% organic ingredients. Some companies have figured out how to manipulate the percentages by using organic “teas” or “juices” as their base instead of water (which can not legally be included in the percentage calculation.) Hopefully, all this upheaval will lead to genuinely safer products in the long run. In the mean time consumers are left confused, and often misled, by all of the marketing hype."

I read somewhere else about Tom's of Maine having SLS in their toothpaste.  But since SLS is being discussed here-

Tom's of Maine claim that their SLS is "naturally derived from coconut and/or palm kernel oil."  (According to their website.)

So is SLS always a petrochemical?

The Tom's box says its derived from coconut, which I would have thought was ok.  I do not approve of them using palm oil though!

Unfortunately, "naturally-derived" or "plant-based" only means that it started out as a plant but anything could have been done to it in the process and yes, it is still a petrochemical.   In fact, I was very disappointed in their SLS statement overall because it contained all the hallmarks of evasive corporate speech.

One of the major concerns about SLS is a tentative link to cancer.  I have seen reputable sources both confirm and attempt to debunk this concern.  I will not attempt to way in on the cancer issue though I have no faith in statements like "used safely for years" and no "definitive proof."  (Or statements by the American Cancer Society which is a very political organization.)  If you want to see how these same statements were used for decades by industry for asbestos and cigarettes (and the politics behind the ACS) read "The Secret History of the War on Cancer."

I avoid SLS in soap and detergent products because it is a skin irritant which strips the natural moisture from the top layer of your skin.   I find by avoiding these products, I do not develop dry skin in the winter.  I even shave with my soaps and shower gels that are SLS free instead of shower gel.  So if you have sensitive gums or issues with mouth sores, you might try a toothpaste without SLS.  Tom's of Maine does offer some SLS free options, but they are hard to find.

I think Tom's of Maine is a good company (though they are now owned by Colgate) so expect even more corporate speak out of them.  I happen to use their toothpaste because they are readily available and better than those with saccharine and artificial colors.  But whenever I see one of their options without SLS or other brands without SLS, I grab it. 

Thank you for explaining that lwalter!  I have been lulled into a false sense of security with the prefix "coconut derived."

Wow, definitely good to know, lwalter!  Thanks for all that great information. 

Have you used any other SLS free toothpastes?

wikipedia has a great bit on SLS and th emany names it can be under

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_laureth_sulfate

I knew method wasn't to be trusted when I realized theres dyes in everything. but what about those wipes? does anyone know whats in them?

Petrochemical simply means derived from petroleum or other hydrocarbons. Oleochemicals are derived from vegetable oils or fats. SLS is manufactured from vegetable oils.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is made by sulfating (basically adding sulfur to) an alcohol - in this case, a 12-carbon (aka, lauryl) alcohol which is obtained from coconut oil fatty acids (or palm oil fatty acids).  Since the sulfate intermediate isn't stable by itself, you treat it with a base (sodium or ammonium hydroxides are most common) and you wind up with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS).

Thanks for the great info!

I had heard a lot of raves about method and my mother gave me some as a moving gift. At first I was stoked, smells great and worked wonderfully, more proof that natural products are just as good as conventional. Then I was reading the ingredients and realised it was more like only as good as conventional. The ingredient list stated that it had methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone- harsh chemical perservatives (first can cause chemical burns and it is a skin and membrane irritant, second is a neurotoxin).