Actress Alicia Silverstone is urging the European Commission to stick to a 2013 deadline that would ban cruel cosmetic tests on animals.
Silverstone says pushing the deadline further would only delay plans to develop non-animal tests that can better predict how cosmetics affect humans.
“I am writing to ask you to uphold the European Union’s 2013 marketing ban on cosmetics tested on animals,” she writes. "I’m a new mother, so I’m concerned about the safety of the personal care products that I use for both myself and my child. Cosmetics products like baby shampoo must be safe and free of toxic chemicals – but postponing this deadline will not accomplish that goal.
“The impending ban has motivated cosmetics companies in the EU, the United States, and around the globe to invest in high-tech alternatives to animal tests. Significant progress has already been made toward replacing animal-based cosmetics tests. But if you allow this deadline to slip away, cosmetics companies will be less motivated to invest in new test methods.
“We need modern cosmetics and chemical test methods that can assess how products will affect the human body. Testing these products on animals is inherently cruel—and it is not a good predictor of how chemicals affect humans.
“The modern, nonanimal chemical test methods in development are amazing. They are faster, cheaper, and more effective than testing chemicals on rabbits and rats—and they’re cruelty-free. Some of them can even determine how a chemical will affect specific human populations like infants.
“We need to encourage cosmetics companies to keep investigating new testing methods that will better protect both humans and animals. Please do all you can to keep this ban on track for 2013.”
Silverstone joins True Blood star Kristin Bauer, who recently wrote a similar letter to the European Commission.
