Have you noticed that Johnson & Johnson products irritate the skin of the children in your care?
China has pulled Johnson & Johnson products off their shelves, yet the United States has not.
The reason is Johnson & Johnson products contain carcinogens. The carcinogens found in some of their popular baby products include 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde.
The Environmental Working Group Campaign for Safe Cosmetics commissioned the study to test 48 products for 1,4-dioxane, and 28 of those products were also tested for formaldehyde.
The lab found:
- 67 % of products contained 1,4-dioxane
- 82 % contain formaldehyde
- 17 products contaminated with both 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde
The full list of products tested is in the Campaign’s report, No More Toxic Tub. They include: Johnson & Johnson’s baby shampoo, Baby Magic “Soft Baby Scent” Baby Lotion, and American Girl “Hopes & Dreams” Glistening Shower and Beth Wash.
Even if there are only trace amounts of carcinogens in these products, when a baby is bathed in the chemicals each and every day it is common sense that their cancer risk increases.
Considering that formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane are known carcinogens and that formaldehyde can also trigger skin rashes in children it's upsetting that unlike many other countries, the U.S. government does not limit formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, or most other hazardous substances in personal care products.
If our government won't do it for you, than consider the risks yourself.
What You Can Do:
1. Choose safer alternatives by visiting the Skin Deep data base maintained by Environmental Working Group.
2. Contact Johnson & Johnson, and urge them to clean up their products by removing dangerous ingredients like 1,4 dioxane and formaldehyde. Here is a sample of what to write:
"Please remove all carcinogens from your products. Since Johnson & Johnson baby products contain the known carcinogens 1,4 dioxane and formaldehyde in which no child should be exposed, I will no longer use your products until these compounds are removed from all your products."
Main Office:
One Johnson & Johnson Plaza
New Brunswick, New Jersey 08933
(732) 524-0400
3. Write to Rep. Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee,
with responsibility for legislation and oversight in the areas of public health, consumer protection, food and drug safety, and the environment. Urge Rep. Waxman to convene hearings on toxic ingredients in baby products.
2204 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Telephone (202) 225-3976
Fax (202) 225-4099
4. Write your Senators and Representative and urge them to support the Kid-Safe Chemical Act, legislation that would strengthen laws and regulations to protect kids from toxins in all products including baby soap and shampoo.
10 comments:
Yes Johnson's baby shampoo and baby soaps irritate MY SKIN and I'm adult. They are NOT tear free. They dry out my skin too. You failed to mention that they have fragrance that irritates any sensitive skin. We had to change to Cetaphil for all the children. I have used Johnson's baby oil on children in bath successfully though!
Yes, I find their products to be drying. But, they smell so good!
I have used Johnson and Johnson products especially the baby shampoo for years at work. I feel all products with fragrance irritate sensitive skin. I can't use Johnson products on my own sensitive skin. Tide, Bounty and all dryer sheets, baby products with fragrance all dry me out. And their baby shampoo def irritates baby eyes, no tears is a myth.I will share with my boss but not sure she'll change products or not we love the smell of their baby shampoo.
the china news link is from 2009...
Anonymous, Even though the topic has been discussed for years go to the johnson and johnson web site and read their response. They haven't eliminated the carcinogens from their baby products. All that matters is the carcinogens need to be removed and their response isn't good enough IMO. You can still write them to remove these carcinogens and make better choice for the kids in your care. IMO.
Here is what Johnson & Johnson says TODAY:
Recently, a coalition of groups known as the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics issued a report critical of some of the ingredients in JOHNSON'S® Baby products. The first and most important thing to know is that the products
they mention are safe - up to our own high standards and approved by regulators in the U.S., E.U., and China.
Still, because we know that some consumers are concerned, we have made a number of changes to our product line over the past two years. You can read more about the actions we've taken on the JOHNSON'S® Baby site, by clicking...
The topic is still current my anonymous friend.
Thanks for often sharing info from EWG their info + campaign is current, so is the rest of info.I just contacted J and J + very first link to contact them addresses this very info ahowing it is a current problem. Please keep sharing info from EWG to help protect the kids we nanny for.
I can't use the baby wash or shampoo personally. They are drying and irritate my skin so I can imagine they do to some babies as well.
Michelle, Johnson & Johnson says they are trying to eliminate formaldehyde but say they use it for to combat bacterial growth. Ugh.
Anonymous, this is happening today even if it was FIRST reported in 2009. These chemicals are in baby products now and Johnson & Johnson doesn't deny that TODAY. If you visit their site today they explain that they have reduced the chemicals but have not yet found a way to eliminate them.
I agree with others that we should try other products the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics have tested as safe.
ONLY the baby oil doesn't bother my skin. I find the shampoo & baby washes to be very drying.
It's current! In news Nov 17 this year!
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/lifestyle/a/-/lifestyle/11748307/j-j-attempts-to-remove-harmful-chemicals/
Two weeks ago, the campaign was emboldened after finding the healthcare giant had removed the two chemicals - 1,4-dioxane, a byproduct of a process for making chemicals gentler on the skin which is considered a likely carcinogen, and quaternium-15, a chemical that releases the preservative formaldehyde - from products in several countries, including the UK, Scandinavia and South Africa.
So the campaign pushed J&J to also remove trace amounts of the chemicals from products sold elsewhere, urging a worldwide boycott of J&J baby products via its Facebook page and its website.
Johnson & Johnson, which is based in the US State of New Jersey, told The Associated Press that it expects to remove all quaternium-15 from its hundreds of baby products within about two years - sooner for baby shampoo.
It's already started providing some versions with alternative preservatives.
The company's long-term goal was to keep seeking new alternatives that don't produce 1,4-dioxane in the manufacturing process, J&J said in a letter sent late Wednesday to the campaign's director, Lisa Archer.
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