Carcinogens Found in Children's Bath Products
Many children's hair and skin care products were found to contain toxic contaminants, according to a report released recently by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. This groundbreaking study is the first to document the presence of formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane in children's bath products. Formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane are listed as probable carcinogens by the EPA.Here in the U.S. there are no regulatory limits for formaldehyde or 1,4 dioxane in personal care products, although they are banned in other countries including Japan and Sweden.
Of the 48 children's products tested:
- Sixty-one percent contained both formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane, including top brands.
- Eighty-two percent contained formaldehyde, including many lotions.
- Sixty-seven percent of the products contained 1,4 dioxane.
- Out of the children's shampoos tested, Suave Kids 2-in-1 Shampoo Wild Watermelon did comparatively well.
To check your children's bath products, see the full results here. EWG's Cosmetics Database is also a great place to perform safety research on all of your personal care products. In addition, it's often best to use fragrance-free products when available, due to phthalates.
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