Johnson & Johnson's Responds to Pressure and Agrees to Remove Cancer-Causing Chemicals from Baby Shampoo

In 2009 the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics released it's No More Toxic Tub report which was the first to document the widespread contamination of baby and children's products with formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane, both carcinogens.  In their testing they found that 67% of the products tested contain 1,4 dioxane and a whopping 82% contained formaldehyde!  And, many contained both.  Neither of these ingredients are listed on the label as they are not added ingredients, they are contaminants created by the manufacturing of other chemicals.

One of the most promenant and well known products that contains both is Johnson's Baby Shampoo.  You know the one...the No More Tears product we all grew up with and is used my many hospitals on brand new babies.  The formaldehyde in Johnson's Baby Shampoo is likely a byproduct of Quaternium-15.  While formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane are the focus of the testing and the campaign, Johnson's Baby Shampoo also contains other dangerous ingredients such as D&C Orange 4, a color additive not approved by FDA for cosmetics used around eyes, fragrance which is likely made up of a number of synthetic chemicals including phthalates, cocamidopropyl betaine, PEG-80, PEG-150 Distearate, Polyquaternium-10, and Tetrasodium EDTA.  In fact, the majority of the ingredients they use have health concerns.  

Now, 2 1/2 years later, those ingredients are still in Johnson's Baby Shampoo...at least here in the U.S and a few other countries.  In many other countries Johnson & Johnson offers safer versions.  Some, but not all of these countries have laws prohibiting some of the ingredients we find here.  According to Mia Davis, Organizing Director for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics:

We heard from supporters in other countries that J&J's iconic baby shampoo did not contain quaternium-15, the formaldehyde-releasing preservative that we've been urging the company to get out of its products. Our ingredient analysis of J&J baby shampoo from 13 countries revealed that the company does have a double standard: some markets have safer versions of the shampoo than others, and the countries' cosmetics laws are not always the reason for the formulation 

So we know they CAN create safer products, they just choose not too. Why? Likely because these unsafe ingredients are cheaper.

So, October 31st, 2011 the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics sent a letter to Johnson & Johnson signed by approximately 25 environmental, medical and other groups representing about 3.5 million people in the U.S. and other countries. It urges the company to publicly commit by Nov. 15 to removing the chemicals from all personal care products worldwide.  They also asked consumer to sign a petition asking the same.

The very next day, Johnson & Johnson released a statement saying that they are phasing out formaldehyde-releasing ingredients worldwide...althought they deny the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics' campaign is the reason.  They also say they reformulated 70% of their products to reduce the amount of 1,4 dioxane and are looking for new technologies to eliminate it entirely.

This is great news!  Johnson & Johnson is a leader in the industry for baby products and we can hope that the bad publicity they've received this week and their decision to change will influence other brands that still contain these 2 ingredients.  We must remember, however, that when they remove both of these ingredients, that still won't make their product safe, nor the other products that they make.  They still use many other ingredients that have safety concerns that they aren't committed to removing.  

"We commend J&J for this new commitment to making safer baby products globally," says Mia Davis, Organizing Director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. "We would like to know how and when J&J's phase-out of formaldehyde-releasing preservatives will occur, and we look forward to the day when all J&J products are free of carcinogens and other chemicals of concern."

So while we should applaud this decision, I wouldn't run out and buy their products.  And, we should keep the pressure on them to move quickly on removing these 2 ingredients, and to remove all other ingredients of concern.

Also, in Johnson & Johnson's statement they refer to their Naturals line which is free of formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane (this line was introduced in response to the earlier criticisms).  However, while safer, these products have questionable ingredients as well.  

Congratulations to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and their allies for getting Johnson & Johnson to commit to removing 2 dangerous ingredients that have no business being in any product, let alone those marketed to children.  And lets hope they can be equally effective on the other brands.