Baby products should not contain toxic ingredients, according to common sense as well as 40 + organizations lead by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) co-founded Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
Just last week, the Campaign sent a letter to Johnson and Johnson asking that its products made for children don't contain hidden carcinogenic contaminants 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde.
No More Toxic Tub
The action comes after a recent Campaign-sponsored No More Toxic Tub report that found those two contaminants in over 60 percent of the 48 products tested. Both 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde are known carcinogens and formaldehyde can also trigger skin rashes. Like other toxic ingredients often found in your shampoo, lotion and deodorant, they are not limited in personal care products. In addition, since they are contaminants and not ingredients, they are not disclosed on product labels.
Not breaking the law isn't good enough when the law is weak
The line of defense for the manufacturers has been the typical "we didn't break the law" as well as the usual "small doses are insignificant." It is true that companies did not break the law. But it's also true that the law - the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) - is so weak that under it, the federal government wasn't able to ban asbestos! A chemical responsible for at least 10,000 deaths a year in the U.S.
Low doses matter
The small doses are not insignificant because we are all exposed to chemicals in personal care products every day, several times a day. Those exposures are there in addition to exposures to other toxics in food we eat, water we drink, air we breathe and so forth. All of these exposures add up, and could lead to diseases later in life.
The companies don't have to use the toxic ingredients, as alternatives are available. Even Johnson and Johnson can make formaldehyde-free products, as they do in Japan.
Tell Johnson & Johnson to get rid of the toxic chemicals
Without a tough federal law that would require the chemicals in personal care products be safe, consumers are left out on their own to make the best purchasing decisions.
That's why we created Skin Deep, a cosmetics database that can help you make informed decisions when it comes to toxic contained in personal care products you use.
Until the law is changed, you can join us and tell Johnson and Johnson that you don't want these toxic chemicals in your baby's shampoo and they should take it out!
