Every ingredient Ariel uses and every product created undergoes thorough evaluation by a team of more than 500 safety and compliance experts. This is done using a trusted, science-based approach to evaluate risk, originally developed by the National Academy of Sciences (National Research Council, National Academy Press, 1983) and updated in 2009 by the Environmental Protection Agency. This approach is adopted by all experts in this field.
How does Ariel’s four-step safety process work?
A thorough review of the science: we begin by collecting all available safety information about an ingredient. This includes our own testing, published scientific studies, public databases, and information from suppliers. We check for relevant human and environmental endpoints and determine safe exposure levels for use.
The identification of potential hazards: most ingredients have a long history of safe use, but new ingredients or new ways of using them require extra care. Our scientists identify any potential hazards and make sure any testing required by government authorities is completed before the ingredient is used in a product.
The assessment of exposure: Understanding how people actually use our products is critical. With years of experience serving billions of consumers worldwide, and research centers around the globe, we study real-life consumer habits to calculate how much of each ingredient people may be exposed to during normal use.
The evaluation of risk: By combining the ingredients’ properties with expected exposure, our experts assess the overall risk. We then apply a large safety margin – typically 100 to 1,000 times below the level that is considered safe.
A physical hazard assessment of the packaging is also conducted to ensure that the correct packaging is used based upon local regulations and any hazards associated with the formulation.
Finally, our scientists’ work doesn’t stop there. If new information emerges that could impact the risk assessment - such as updated information on an ingredient’s intrinsic properties or changes in product use - our safety experts reassess the risk to ensure the product continues to meet our high safety standards.
