SAN FRANCISCO — An environmental group filed a lawsuit Thursday against 26 cosmetics 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 note that the natural ingredients used to make the product were grown without pesticides, chemicals and other traditional methods thought to be unhealthy. There has been growing confusion over what constitutes organic and a growing number of false labeling lawsuits.
The center previously sued organic heavyweight Boulder’s 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 were targeted. None of those lawsuits has been resolved. The Associated Press
