Testing Finds Traces of Carcinogen in Bath Products by Marla Cone, Los Angeles Times February 9, 2007 http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-bath9feb09,1,2514820.story Some shampoos and other bath products still contain traces of a cancer-causing petrochemical that federal health officials have expressed concerns about for more than 20 years, according to test results announced Thursday by environmental activists. All 18 children's and adult products tested in a laboratory contained 1,4-dioxane, and three had concentrations that exceeded the Food and Drug Administration's recommended limit, says the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a San Francisco-based coalition of eight national environmental and health advocacy organizations. The chemical is not an additive, but an unintended byproduct during manufacture of some formulations. Article Summary: In 1985, the FDA asked the cosmetics industry to voluntarily limit the chemical to 10 ppm. But there are no standards governing it and no testing requirements. Fifteen of the 18 were at or under the 10 ppm recommendation. A probable human carcinogen, 1,4-dioxane penetrates skin, although much of it evaporates when used, according to FDA documents. Cosmetics industry representatives say the amounts of the chemical detected in the products are safe, especially since they are mainly in shampoos and other products that are quickly washed off. The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, advises consumers to avoid products listing the surfactants PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, polyethoxyethylene or polyoxynolethylene as ingredients unless the company has shown that they are not tainted with 1,4-dioxane. table of contents