'Organic' soaps, shampoos, cleaning products contain cancer-causing chemical

Washington, March 23 : Scientists at the Minnesota-based Organic Consumers Association have proved that the so-called organic and natural products contain a cancer-causing chemical.

The research team has shown that 47 of 100 "natural" or "organic" soaps, shampoos and cleaning products have 1,4-dioxane, which is a by-product of chemical soap softeners and a potent cancer-causing compound.

Lead author David Steinberg said that 1,4-dioxane could be avoided by using coconut or other plant oils instead of the chemicals.

However, he added that this replacement comes at a cost.

"We need standards," the Scientific American quoted Steinberg, as telling Los Angeles Times.

"Consumers walk into a health food store or natural product supermarket with the expectation that the produce they purchase will be natural or safer than what they could purchase at the drugstore or supermarket," he added.

The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates cosmetics, has suggested that levels such as those detected here do not pose a risk, though manufacturers are urged to decrease them as much as possible.

ANI