Congresswoman Introduces Legislation to Protect Children from Asbestos in Makeup

Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell recently introduced legislation to protect children from the hidden dangers in makeup products recently pulled from store shelves after news investigations revealed the contaminated merchandise was circulating in popular stores. The legislation, dubbed the Children’s Product Warning Label Act of 2018, would impose new labeling requirements on all cosmetic products marketing to children and inform consumers whether or not the items have been properly vetted.

If passed, the Children’s Product Warning Label Act of 2018 would require cosmetics companies to include a warning label that the product has not been evaluated for asbestos contamination unless certain testing is performed. This includes the manufacturer attesting in writing to the Secretary of the FDA that the source of the cosmetic products comes from an asbestos free-mine, and that they demonstrated to FDA that the product is asbestos-free using the transmission electron microscopy method.

“Parents across the country should have the peace of mind in knowing that the cosmetics they buy for their children are safe. Yet we were all stunned when the retailer Claire’s pulled 17 products from their shelves after asbestos was found in cosmetics marketed to children, including glitter and eye shadow,” said Dingell. “No child should be exposed to asbestos through the use of common, everyday products.”

Asbestos Cosmetic Products Recalls

In July of 2017, Justice pulled its Just Shine Shimmer Powder from retail stores after an ABC media outlet in Durham, North Carolina conducted an investigation where an independent analysis determined that the product contained asbestos. Analysis also determined the Just Shine Shimmer Powder contained Barium, Chromium, Lead, and Selenium, all compounds with the potential for serious health consequences.

In December of 2017, Claire’s Makeup pulled several products containing asbestos-contaminated talcum powder after a Rhode Island mother sent her daughter’s makeup out for testing to an independent expert. The testing showed that eyeshadows, blushes, and compact powders in nine other states all tested positive for asbestos, a carcinogenic mineral known to the Centers for Disease Control to cause Mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of lung cancer.

While asbestos has been heavily regulated in the U.S. for several decades, the revelations that talcum powder based products may contain asbestos have caused serious concerns among consumer advocates about the potential for exposure to carcinogens. Both talc and asbestos are naturally occuring minerals and deposits of each are often found side by side. Unless companies sourcing talc take special precautions to ensure their products do not contain asbestos, consumers may ultimately pay the price by suffering from mesothelioma and other serious health conditions.

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