eNews 2.0, Sophia Keenan
Published March 12, 2009
Many baby and child care products contain the chemicals formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, both of which have been blamed for cancer and various skin conditions but the labels don’t list them, according to a report from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetic Use.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane are considered probable carcinogens. However, more than half of bubble bath, shampoo and other common products that were tested contained these chemicals. And still, producers don’t list them on the products’ label.
Formaldehyde can lead to allergic reactions in sensitive people. Japan and Sweden have banned the chemical from personal care products.
“Our intention is not to alarm parents, but to inform parents that claim to be gentle and pure are contaminated with carcinogens, which is completely unnecessary,” said Stacy Malkan, founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetic Use and co-author of the report. She is calling for the government to more strictly regulate personal care products such as shampoo, lotion and makeup.
For the study, the group tested 48 baby bath products such as bubble bath and shampoo. Of those, 32 contained trace amounts of 1.4-dioxane and 23 contained small amounts of formaldehyde. Both chemicals were found in 17 of the tested products.
The report found that Baby Magic “Soft Baby Scent” Lotion contained the highest levels of formaldehyde. After analyzing two samples of the products, the researchers found they contained 570 and 610 parts per million (ppm) of the chemical. In Europe, products containing above 500 ppm would require a warning label.
Highest level of 1,4-dioxane was found in several samples of “American Girl” shower products, sold by Bath & Body Works.
Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, Sesame Street Bubble Bath, Grins & Giggles Milk & Honey Baby Wash and Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea
Baby Wash were among best-selling products found to contain both chemical contaminants.
A statement issued Wednesday by Johnson & Johnson said the report was an unnecessary alarm for parents.
“The trace levels of certain compounds found by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics can result from processes that make our products gentle for babies and safe from bacteria growth. The FDA and other government agencies around the world consider these trace levels safe, and all our products meet or exceed the regulatory requirements for every country where they are sold,” the statement said.
The report, called No More Toxic Tub, is the first to document contamination of children’s products with these chemicals. The Environmental Working Group helped with the analysis of the products. Sonya Lunder, MPH, of CSC and the Environmental Working Group said manufacturers could remove formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane from their products but they are not required to do so under federal cosmetics safety standards. However parents can use fewer body care products on their children or look for those products with fewer ingredients to prevent hurting their babies. “Labels that say ‘gentle’ or ‘pure’ or even ‘organic’ don’t really tell you much,” she said.
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