Recently, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) released a report showing the nonprofit advocacy group’s findings that several leading children’s bath and body-care products contain formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, which are considered probable carcinogens by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since both chemicals were present as byproducts, not ingredients, they weren’t listed on the product labels.
While the CSC’s study sample was small, out of the 48 products tested (28 for formaldehyde) more than half contained one or both chemicals. Formaldehyde, a chemical present in many other consumer products, may also cause allergic reactions in some people. The list of products found to contain the chemicals includes Baby Magic “Soft Baby Scent” lotion, Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, and Sesame Street Bubble Bath ("Orange Mango Tango").
Detected formaldehyde levels ranged from 54 to 610 parts per million (ppm) and levels of 1,4-dioxane ranged from 0.27 to 35 ppm. The health risks of using these products is unclear. In the case of formaldehyde, carcinogenicity has been demonstrated from inhalation exposure. It also isn’t clear how much formaldehyde in a particular cosmetic formulation would release into the air and contribute to inhalation exposure. In the case of 1,4-dioxane, carcinogenicity has been linked to inhalation and also to dermal exposure in animal studies.
There are no specific federal limits for these chemicals in personal-care products in this country, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is not required to review these products for safety before they appear on store shelves. But other countries have set restrictions.
The European Union and Canada have a safety limit of 2,000 ppm of formaldehyde in personal-care products (with a few exceptions). Both the EU and Canada have also banned 1,4-dioxane from personal-care products. In Canada, however, 1,4-dioxane can be present as a byproduct, provided the level would not cause harm to the consumer during normal use.
In response to the CSC’s findings, parents filed a nationwide class-action lawsuit this Spring against the makers of several of the products in question. The suit makes claims that the defendants were negligent in the design, manufacture and marketing of the products, and violated unfair and deceptive trade practice acts.
While the science continues to be debated, parents who wish to avoid personal-care products that may contain these ingredient by-products can try the following.
Start by reading labels and avoiding products with ingredients that have been linked with these two chemicals. Ingredients that have been associated with 1,4-dioxane include:
- PEG or polyethylene glycol
- Polyethylene
- Polyoxyethylene
- Polyethoxyethylene
- Polyoxynolethylene
Preservative ingredients that may release formaldehyde include:
- Quaternium-15
- 2-bromo-2nitropropane-1,3-diol
- Imidazolidinyl urea
- Diazolidinyl urea
Consider limiting the number of personal-care products used on infants and children to only those products that you really need. This will limit their exposure to ingredients that might not be listed on the label, including byproducts. Keep in mind that some other ingredients of concern, such as phthalates, which are often components of synthetic fragrance, also may not be listed on the label. To learn about other chemicals with health risks, check out GreenerChoices.org.—Kristi Wiedemann
The report is an eye opener! Thanks a lot or sharing this very useful information.
Childrens' skin and health is so delicate and should not be taken for granted! We should use more and more natural products.
I have e mails and comments from the company BABY MAGIC ..IN THERE OWN WORDS SAID BABY MAGIC WAS DECLARED UNSAFE on facebook they said this is the reason its hard to find Baby magic in the store.If you would like more info e mail me unsafebabymagic@yahoo.com
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