Latest news with #SilentSpringInstitute
Scientific American
13-05-2025
- Business
- Scientific American
California Told Companies to Label Toxic Chemicals. Instead They're Quietly Dropping Them
Requiring warning labels on products with potentially toxic ingredients can obviously help keep them out of a careful consumer's shopping cart. But a recent study shows that these 'right-to-know' laws may also halt such formulations long before they hit the shelves or are released into the air—and can even protect people outside a law's geographic range. One of the most significant such laws ever passed in the U.S., California's Proposition 65, requires businesses to post a warning when chemical exposures, whether through product ingredients or air emissions, exceed a safe standard. For the recent study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, researchers interviewed business leaders and found that California's rule has caused many companies to reformulate their products by reducing amounts of flagged ingredients to safer levels—or by dropping them entirely. The interviews covered dozens of industries such as cleaning products, electronics and home improvement. They included top-earning brands across all sectors as well as leading green cleaning brands—although the companies remain anonymous in the study, says lead author Jennifer Ohayon, a scientist at the nonprofit research organization Silent Spring Institute. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. Ohayon and her colleagues found that companies commonly replaced the warning-requiring ingredients altogether, in part to avoid possible litigation. Michael Freund is a lawyer who spent decades representing groups aiming to stop toxic chemical emissions; he says the California proposition's incentives can help fill a key gap. In the cases he worked on, 'every one of those companies had permits that allowed them to do what they were doing,' he says. 'And that's where Prop 65 comes into play.' Although the 1986 law is specific to California, the study results suggest its effects cross state borders as manufacturers reformulate their products nationally. A parallel study published last year by the Silent Spring Institute backs this idea up with data. That study looked at levels of 37 chemicals in blood and urine samples among both Californians and non-Californians. Of the chemicals, 26 were listed in Prop 65, and samples from before and after listing were available for 11 of those, which allowed for a comparison. For most of the chemicals, levels in people's bodies decreased after listing—both in California residents and across the nation. Megan Schwarzman, a researcher involved in both studies, says sample data exist for only a tiny fraction of the 900 Prop 65 chemicals. In a metaphorical game of Twister, the researchers had to figure out what publicly available data could be matched to Prop 65 chemicals because 'the data weren't collected for that purpose,' Schwarzman says. Monitoring all listed chemicals over time in future work would show any patterns much more clearly. The new study notes that Prop 65 is sometimes criticized for leaving Californians 'over-warned' and 'under-informed.' But the research so far suggests that regardless of consumer effects, the policy has guided at least some businesses' choices—raising the bar for everyone.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alarming number of women's shampoos, lotions and body soap found to have this cancer-causing chemical
A new study has found that an alarming number of personal care products contain a known carcinogen. Formaldehyde has been linked to cancer — but the chemical, and preservatives that release it, are often added to personal care products to extend their shelf life. And new research found this chemical lurking in items like shampoo, lotions, body soap and eyelash glue. In recent years, the conversation about formaldehyde exposure has largely focused on hair relaxers. Boston University researchers found that postmenopausal black women who used relaxers most often had a greater than 50% increased risk of uterine cancer compared to those who never or seldom used them. This new study shows that the problem extends even further. 'We found that this isn't just about hair straighteners,' says lead author Dr. Robin Dodson, an exposure scientist at Silent Spring Institute. 'These chemicals are in products we use all the time, all over our bodies. Repeated exposures like these can add up and cause serious harm.' The study, published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, had black and Latina women log their product use for about a week, sharing photos of the ingredient labels. The team team analyzed over 1,100 product ingredient lists looking for formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. Fifty-three percent of participants reported using at least one personal care product that listed formaldehyde releasers on its label. What's more troubling is that study participants applied many of these products daily or multiple times per week. Researchers found DMDM hydantoin to be the most common formaldehyde-releasing preservative, with roughly 47% of skincare products and 58% of hair products with formaldehyde-releasing preservatives containing DMDM hydantoin. However, as Dodson notes, this list is not definitive. 'Those are just the ones we knew to look for. There could be more that we're not aware of,' she said. This research was part of the larger Taking Stock Study, a collaboration between Occidental College, Black Women for Wellness, Silent Spring and Columbia University that investigates how exposures to chemicals in beauty products contribute to health inequities for black women and Latinas in California. While many women have learned to avoid beauty products with formaldehyde on the label, many are uninformed about formaldehyde releasers. 'We're trying to do the right thing. But there needs to be more government oversight. We shouldn't have to be chemists to figure out what kinds of products will make us sick,' said Janette Robinson Flint, executive director of Black Women for Wellness. Dodson agrees that it is challenging for consumers to identify formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, as 'They have long, weird, funny names, and they typically don't have the word formaldehyde in them.' Silent Spring's website contains tips on how to avoid formaldehyde releasers and an app called Detox Me that is designed to help consumers choose safer alternatives. To reduce exposure, Dodson believes companies should be required, as they are in Europe, to add warning labels to products that contain formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. Better than a warning, says Dodson, would be an outright ban. 'Ideally, companies shouldn't be putting these chemicals in products in the first place.' Dodson and her research team encourage consumers to advocate for better, safer legislation. In kind, the European Union and at least 10 US states have banned or proposed to ban formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in personal care products. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration proposed a national ban on formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in hair straighteners, but it has yet to be enacted.
New York Post
09-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Alarming number of women's shampoos, lotions and body soap found to have this cancer-causing chemical
A new study has found that an alarming number of personal care products contain a known carcinogen. Formaldehyde has been linked to cancer — but the chemical, and preservatives that release it, are often added to personal care products to extend their shelf life. And new research found this chemical lurking in items like shampoo, lotions, body soap, and eyelash glue. 3 In recent years, the conversation about formaldehyde exposure has largely focused on hair relaxers. Prostock-studio – In recent years, the conversation about formaldehyde exposure has largely focused on hair relaxers. Boston University researchers found that postmenopausal Black women who used relaxers most often had a greater than 50% increased risk of uterine cancer compared to those who never or seldom used them. This new study shows that the problem extends even further. 'We found that this isn't just about hair straighteners,' says lead author Dr. Robin Dodson, an exposure scientist at Silent Spring Institute. 'These chemicals are in products we use all the time, all over our bodies. Repeated exposures like these can add up and cause serious harm.' The study, published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, had Black and Latina women log their product use for about a week, sharing photos of the ingredient labels. The team team analyzed over 1,100 product ingredient lists looking for formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. Fifty-three percent of participants reported using at least one personal care product that listed formaldehyde releasers on its label. What's more troubling is that study participants applied many of these products daily or multiple times per week. 3 While many women have learned to avoid beauty products with formaldehyde on the label, many are uninformed about formaldehyde releasers. – Researchers found DMDM hydantoin to be the most common formaldehyde-releasing preservative, with roughly 47% of skincare products and 58% of hair products with formaldehyde-releasing preservatives containing DMDM hydantoin. However, as Dodson notes, this list is not definitive. 'Those are just the ones we knew to look for. There could be more that we're not aware of,' she said. This research was part of the larger Taking Stock Study, a collaboration between Occidental College, Black Women for Wellness, Silent Spring, and Columbia University that investigates how exposures to chemicals in beauty products contribute to health inequities for Black women and Latinas in California. While many women have learned to avoid beauty products with formaldehyde on the label, many are uninformed about formaldehyde releasers. 3 Dodson and her research team encourage consumers to advocate for better, safer legislation. F8 \ Suport Ukraine – 'We're trying to do the right thing. But there needs to be more government oversight. We shouldn't have to be chemists to figure out what kinds of products will make us sick,' said Janette Robinson Flint, executive director of Black Women for Wellness told Dodson agrees that it is challenging for consumers to identify formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, as 'They have long, weird, funny names, and they typically don't have the word formaldehyde in them.' Silent Spring's website contains tips on how to avoid formaldehyde releasers and an app called Detox Me that is designed to help consumers choose safer alternatives. To reduce exposure, Dodson believes companies should be required, as they are in Europe, to add warning labels to products that contain formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. Better than a warning, says Dodson, would be an outright ban. 'Ideally, companies shouldn't be putting these chemicals in products in the first place.' Dodson and her research team encourage consumers to advocate for better, safer legislation. In kind, the European Union and at least 10 U.S. states have banned or proposed to ban formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in personal care products. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration proposed a national ban on formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in hair straighteners, but it has yet to be enacted.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Urgent warning as researchers find cancer-causing formaldehyde in dozens of common hygiene products
An urgent warning has been issued to millions of women after the known carcinogen, formaldehyde was found in dozens of popular personal care products. While experts have long been concerned about the presence of the substance in chemical hair-straightening and relaxing treatments, a new study has revealed it is in far more products, including shampoo, lotions, body soap, and even eyelash glue. Formaldehyde, a toxin used as a preservative, can escape from products in gas form over time - especially when coming into contact with heat - and if it is then inhaled, it can cause anything from minor side effects like eye and respiratory irritation, to major health issues like an increased risk of head and neck cancers if exposure occurs repeatedly. These risks are heightened in areas which are poorly ventilated. The American Cancer Society notes that in animal and human studies, formaldehyde has been linked to various forms of cancer including in the nose, the upper throat, the stomach and it has also been shown to increase the risk of leukemia. In the recent study by the Silent Spring Institute - an organization dedicated to uncovering the environmental causes of breast cancer - 70 black and latina women living in the Los Angeles area were asked to track their use of personal care products over a period of five to seven days. Each time participants used a product, they logged the information in a smartphone app developed by Silent Spring. The app also prompted the participants to take a photo of each ingredient label. The team analyzed over 1,100 products, looking for formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasing preservatives - chemicals that gradually release formaldehyde over time - in the products' ingredient lists. Fifty-three per cent of participants reported using at least one personal care product that listed formaldehyde releasers on its label. Worryingly, many of the products with formaldehyde releasers participants reported they were using daily or multiple times per week. The researchers did not divulge which exact products they tested. DMDM hydantoin was the most common formaldehyde releasing preservative. Roughly 47 per cent of skincare products and 58 per cent of hair products with formaldehyde-releasing preservatives contained DMDM hydantoin. The team also identified several others, but exposure scientist Dr Robin Dodson has stressed their list is not definitive. Dodson said: 'Those are just the ones we knew to look for. There could be more that we're not aware of.' Companies add formaldehyde to personal care products in order to extend their shelf-life, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are used as an alternative but serve the same purpose. Given that formaldehyde is known to cause cancer in humans, the study authors say the findings reveal critical safety gaps in how personal care products are regulated in the U.S. and their disproportionate health impacts on women of color, as most of the products found to contain these substances cater to black and latina women. Dodson said: 'We found that this isn't just about hair straighteners. These chemicals are in products we use all the time, all over our bodies. 'Repeated exposures like these can add up and cause serious harm.' The cancer expert says one way to reduce exposure would be to require that companies add warning labels to formaldehyde-releasing products like they do in Europe. She understands it can be hard for the average consumer - and even chemists - to identify a formaldehyde releasing preservative on a label. Dodson added: 'They have long, weird, funny names, and they typically don't have the word formaldehyde in them.' While warning labels might be a good first step, Dodson says banning the use of formaldehyde releasers altogether would be the best-case option. She said: 'Ideally, companies shouldn't be putting these chemicals in products in the first place.' Researchers added that another way consumers can protect themselves and their communities is to advocate for better legislation to be introduced. The European Union and at least 10 U.S. states have banned or proposed to ban formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in personal care products. In 2023, the Food And Drug Administration proposed a national ban on formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in hair straighteners, but it is yet to be enacted. The study was part of a larger effort called the Taking Stock Study, a community-engaged research collaboration between Occidental College, Black Women for Wellness, Silent Spring, and Columbia University. The project investigates how exposures to chemicals in beauty products contribute to health inequities for black women and latinas in California. Janette Robinson Flint, the executive director at Black Women For Wellness, said black consumers live in a society governed by white beauty standards. For this reason, she claims that they use many different personal care products - many of them made with toxic ingredients - to conform to that ideal. Flint said: 'We're trying to do the right thing.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Urgent warning as cancer-causing formaldehyde found in dozens of common personal care products
An urgent warning has been issued to millions of women after the carcinogen formaldehyde was detected in dozens of popular personal care products. While experts have long been concerned about the presence of the substance in chemical hair-straightening and relaxing treatments, a new study has revealed it is in far more products than previously thought, including shampoo, lotions, body soap, and even eyelash glue. Formaldehyde, a toxin used as a preservative, can escape from products in gas form over time - especially when they come into contact with heat - and it is then inhaled, causing anything from minor side effects like eye and respiratory irritation, to major health issues like an increased risk of head and neck cancers if repeatedly exposed. These risks are heightened if an area like a bathroom or bedroom is poorly ventilated. The American Cancer Society notes that in animal and human studies, formaldehyde has been linked to various forms of cancer including in the nose, the upper throat, the stomach and it has also been shown to increase the risk of leukemia. In the recent study by the Silent Spring Institute - an organization dedicated to uncovering the environmental causes of breast cancer - 70 Black women and Latinas living in the Los Angeles area were asked to track their use of personal care products over a period of five to seven days. Each time participants used a product, they logged the information using a smartphone app developed by Silent Spring. The app also prompted the participants to take a photo of each ingredient label. The team analyzed over 1,100 products, looking for formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasing preservatives - chemicals that gradually release formaldehyde over time - in the products' ingredient lists. Fifty-three percent of participants reported using at least one personal care product that listed formaldehyde releasers on its label. And many of the products with formaldehyde releasers that participants reported using were applied daily or multiple times per week. The researchers did not divulge which products they tested. DMDM hydantoin was the most common formaldehyde releasing preservative. Roughly 47 percent of skincare products and 58 percent of hair products with formaldehyde-releasing preservatives contained DMDM hydantoin. The team also identified several others, but exposure scientists Dr Robin Dodson stresses their list is not definitive. 'Those are just the ones we knew to look for. There could be more that we're not aware of,' she says. Companies add formaldehyde to personal care products to extend their shelf-life. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are often used as an alternative but serve the same purpose. Given that formaldehyde is known to cause cancer in humans, the study authors say the findings reveal both critical safety gaps in how personal care products are regulated in the US and their disproportionate health impacts on women of color, as most of the products found to contain these substances cater to Black and Latina women. Dr Dodson explained: 'We found that this isn't just about hair straighteners. These chemicals are in products we use all the time, all over our bodies. 'Repeated exposures like these can add up and cause serious harm.' The cancer expert says one way to reduce exposure would be to require that companies add warning labels to formaldehyde-releasing products like they do in Europe. She agrees it can be hard for the average consumer - and even chemists - to identify a formaldehyde releasing preservative on a label. 'They have long, weird, funny names, and they typically don't have the word formaldehyde in them,' she says. While warning labels might be a good first step, Dodson says banning the use of formaldehyde releasers altogether would be the best-case scenario. 'Ideally, companies shouldn't be putting these chemicals in products in the first place.' Another way consumers can protect themselves and their communities is to advocate for better legislation, the researchers say. The European Union and at least 10 US states have banned or proposed to ban formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in personal care products. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration proposed a national ban on formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in hair straighteners, but it has yet to be enacted. The study was part of a larger effort called the Taking Stock Study, a community-engaged research collaboration between Occidental College, Black Women for Wellness, Silent Spring, and Columbia University. The project investigates how exposures to chemicals in beauty products contribute to health inequities for Black women and Latinas in California. Janette Robinson Flint, the executive director at Black Women for Wellness, says Black consumers live in a society governed by White beauty standards. For this reason, she claims they use many different personal care products - many of them made with toxic ingredients - to conform to that ideal. While they might have learned to avoid beauty products with formaldehyde on the label, many Black women are not familiar with formaldehyde releasers, the experts say. 'We're trying to do the right thing,' Flint concludes. 'But there needs to be more government oversight. We shouldn't have to be chemists to figure out what kinds of products will make us sick.'
