Environmental group claims companies are mislabeling 'organic' products

 The Center for Environmental Health claims companies are violating a California labeling law requiring organic products to contain at least 70% organic ingredients.

An environmental group filed a lawsuit Thursday against 26 cosmetic companies, claiming they are improperly labeling products such as shampoo, facial washes and soaps as organic.

The Center for Environmental Health said in its lawsuit filed in Alameda County Superior Court that the companies are violating a California labeling law requiring organic products to contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients.

Organic labels connote the natural ingredients used to make the product were grown without pesticides, chemicals and other traditional methods now thought to be unhealthy.

There has been growing confusion and debate over what constitutes organic and a growing number of false labeling lawsuits.

The center previously sued organic heavyweight Hain Celestial Group Inc. in May, claiming its Jason and Avalon Organics brands were mislabeled. Other Hain brands were included in the lawsuit filed Thursday. A company representative didn't return a call seeking comment.

Legal disputes over organic labeling initially targeted food growers in 2007. The next year, cosmetic products claiming to have organic ingredients were targeted. None of those lawsuits have been resolved.

In the latest action, the Oakland-based center alleges in its lawsuit that popular organic cosmetic companies such as Kiss My Face, Alliance Boots and others violated the California Organic Products Act of 2003, which mandated the 70 percent rule. Neither company returned a phone call.

Executive Director Michael Green said the center purchased dozens of the products earlier this year. He said a simple reading of the ingredients list on the back of many products revealed they fell short of meeting the 70 percent threshold.

"For years, organic advocates have called on personal care companies to fix their improper 'organic' labels, but our recent purchasing shows the industry is still rife with unsubstantiated organic claims," Green said.

The center wants to encourage companies to use organic ingredients, and ensure that consumers can trust organic labels to be meaningful and consistent, he said.

The federal government doesn't have organic labeling rules for cosmetic products. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved California standards.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/06/17/ap/health/main20072138.shtml#ixzz1PqDVf3Ku

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Noreen Hay claims makeover of mall too 'cosmetic'

Wollongong MP Noreen Hay says the city council's grand plan to reawaken the Crown St Mall is a "cosmetic" makeover that falls short on innovation.

Wollongong City Council on Wednesday unveiled a revised $14.2 million proposal to transform the troubled retail precinct.

It includes new pavers, a stand of trees, textured timber seating, coloured lighting and a children's water play area, plus removal of the much-derided "birdcage" to let shoppers move freely.

"Any improvement is better than none, but I don't think it's enough to reinvigorate the CBD … I just think it's cosmetic.

"I don't look a gift horse in the mouth, but I would have preferred to see more innovation to encourage more investment and movement in the mall," Ms Hay said.

She has long lobbied for slow-moving traffic through the mall.

But the MP praised the council for fast-tracking the revamp from five to three years.

"To be honest, for too long there has been too much talk and to-ing and fro-ing. At least we are doing something," she said.

Illawarra Property Council chairman David Laing questioned why the council set aside just $3.5 million for the mall upgrade in its next budget - one-third of the $10.3 million allocated to the North Beach Bathers' Pavilion refurbishment work.

"We haven't seen analysis as to why one project is better than another from an economic perspective," he said.

"We should be appraising a project in terms of economic benefit to the city. The Blue Mile is fantastic, but it's time to refocus on the city centre."

He called for a faster mall upgrade to "instil confidence" in the precinct, adding: "I think it's too important to do in bite-size chunks over a long time frame."

The bathers' pavilion was named in the council's CBD Action Plan last year as a "priority project" to link the foreshore to the city centre - a decision Mr Laing said "watered down" the plan.

"The problem is the city centre is too big. I wouldn't think many people out there would think the bathers' pavilion is part of the city centre," he said.

A council spokesman said it encouraged the Property Council to "provide positive suggestions for the refurbishment of this vital part of the CBD" through the DA submission process.

He said the bathers' pavilion work would create a leasable space which would enable the council to earn a return on its investment and create jobs.

The council is seeking public feedback on the plan. It will hold information kiosks in the mall next Friday from noon-2pm and on May 14 from 11am-1pm.

View the original article here

Noreen Hay claims makeover of mall too 'cosmetic'

Wollongong MP Noreen Hay says the city council's grand plan to reawaken the Crown St Mall is a "cosmetic" makeover that falls short on innovation.

Wollongong City Council on Wednesday unveiled a revised $14.2 million proposal to transform the troubled retail precinct.

It includes new pavers, a stand of trees, textured timber seating, coloured lighting and a children's water play area, plus removal of the much-derided "birdcage" to let shoppers move freely.

"Any improvement is better than none, but I don't think it's enough to reinvigorate the CBD … I just think it's cosmetic.

"I don't look a gift horse in the mouth, but I would have preferred to see more innovation to encourage more investment and movement in the mall," Ms Hay said.

She has long lobbied for slow-moving traffic through the mall.

But the MP praised the council for fast-tracking the revamp from five to three years.

"To be honest, for too long there has been too much talk and to-ing and fro-ing. At least we are doing something," she said.

Illawarra Property Council chairman David Laing questioned why the council set aside just $3.5 million for the mall upgrade in its next budget - one-third of the $10.3 million allocated to the North Beach Bathers' Pavilion refurbishment work.

"We haven't seen analysis as to why one project is better than another from an economic perspective," he said.

"We should be appraising a project in terms of economic benefit to the city. The Blue Mile is fantastic, but it's time to refocus on the city centre."

He called for a faster mall upgrade to "instil confidence" in the precinct, adding: "I think it's too important to do in bite-size chunks over a long time frame."

The bathers' pavilion was named in the council's CBD Action Plan last year as a "priority project" to link the foreshore to the city centre - a decision Mr Laing said "watered down" the plan.

"The problem is the city centre is too big. I wouldn't think many people out there would think the bathers' pavilion is part of the city centre," he said.

A council spokesman said it encouraged the Property Council to "provide positive suggestions for the refurbishment of this vital part of the CBD" through the DA submission process.

He said the bathers' pavilion work would create a leasable space which would enable the council to earn a return on its investment and create jobs.

The council is seeking public feedback on the plan. It will hold information kiosks in the mall next Friday from noon-2pm and on May 14 from 11am-1pm.

View the original article here