Formaldehyde and 1,4 Dioxane In Baby and Child Products Warrants More Intelligent Consumer Practices

It is simply no longer safe to assume baby or child products are safe. Parents need to be informed consumers. From the site that warned about child cold medicine (LINK), we now turn to other potential hazards. Last week it was revealed that dozens of popular children's bath products may contain two cancer-causing chemicals according to The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. The organization paid for a study to test 48 top-selling children's products for 1,4-dioxane and 28 of them for formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is a by-product of a preservative added to the products to prevent bacteria growth and extend their shelf-life. 1,4-dioxane is a foaming agent in some products.
Twenty-three of 28 products tested contained formaldehyde. 17 of those products contained both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane. According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics report,
Johnson's Baby Shampoo, L'Oreal Kids Extra Gentle 2-in-1 shampoo and Pampers Kandoo foaming hand soap contained one or more of what some percieve to be hazardous ingredients.

The US National Cancer Institute has shared studies involving workers exposed to formaldehyde. The studies link formaldeyde to cancers of the nasal sinuses, nasopharynx, brain and possibly leukemia. (Keep in mind, the amount of exposure to formaldeyde may be a critical factor in any correlation.)

Sixty Seven percent of the 48 products tested contained 1,4-dioxane. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission claims that even trace amounts of 1,4-dioxane give "cause for concern." Similarly, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Health and Human Services have both identified dioxane as causing cancer in animals and as a "probable human carcinogen."

THE DISSENT: The Personal Care Products Council dismissed recent study as being "patently false." They considered the amount of the two chemicals found in the products are considered to be 'trace' (extremely low). They conclude that the amount of the chemicals are well below established safety thresholds and therefore are not a cause for concern. The trace amount of chemicals may actually serve the purpose of ensuring that the products are safe and gentle but still prevent bacterial growth.

THE REBUTTAL: While the amount of these chemical is below current threshold limits, perhaps the threshold is too high when it comes to children. Children are arguably more vulnerable to the toxic chemicals.

GOVERNMENT'S POSITION: Formaldhyde and 1,4 dioxane are for the most part unregulated in the United States. 1,4-dioxane is banned in Europe. Europe places some restrictions on formaldehyde but it is not by any means banned.

BOTTOM LINE: Be a smart consumer. Don't panic just because your child has used products containing these substances. However, look to make future purchases of products that are formaldhyde and 1,4 dioxane free. This will force outstanding companies, like Johnson and Johnson to manufacture products without these chemicals. Better safe then sorry.