I’ve always been fond of Canadians, from their figurehead moose to the charming way they say “aboot.” And just recently, Canada has given me one more thing to smile about. The Canadian government has declared two chemicals used in personal care products to be toxic to the environment, and two others as harmful to the environment. The chemicals in question are siloxanes D4 and D5, which are found in moisturizers and makeup. The government says that they may not be detrimental to your health, but they are certainly harmful to the rivers, lakes, and streams they wash up in and the fish that inhabit these waters. Simultaneously, they have also declared isoprene and epichlorohydrin as human carcinogens because they have been found with the potential to cause cancer. The chemicals are to be added to the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist, and manufacturers will be discouraged from using them in future products. (more…)