No More Tears! And Carcinogens! Johnson & Johnson To Remove Dangerous Chemicals From Products

Johnson & Johnson plans to remove potentially cancer-causing and other dangerous chemicals from nearly all its adult toiletries and cosmetic products worldwide by 2015. As a mom who has used Johnson & Johnson products, I find it terrifying that the baby shampoos and lotions I’ve always used could have the potential to cause cancer and other diseases in my children. Who knew that a brand we have all grown up with and trusted wasn’t being more careful with the chemicals they use in the manufacturing of their products?  Johnson & Johnson have launched a new website, Safety and Commitment.com which discloses their “five level safety assurance process” and ingredient policies. But in the meantime, what we all need to be worried about is the presence of chemicals that could be damaging to our and our children’s health. 

From Fox News:

“The key chemicals in question are 1,4 dioxane and the preservative formaldehyde, which is slowly released by a chemical called quaternium-15 to kill bacteria. Both 1,4 dioxane and formaldehyde are probable human carcinogens; formaldehyde also is a skin, eye and respiratory irritant.

By 2015 Johnson & Johnson will phase out those two chemicals and others of concern, including triclosan, phthalates and parabens, as well as fragrance ingredients, which aren’t disclosed on product labels. However, it will allow chemicals that release formaldehyde when no safe alternative will work and is reducing levels of 1,4 dioxane to below 10 parts per million.”

That’s good. I’m glad they are removing chemicals from their baby shampoo that may give my baby cancer and cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritants. We can do without those things. The website the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics  states that:

“Both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane cause cancer in animals, and formaldehyde was recently classified as a known human carcinogen by the U.S. National Toxicology Program. Phthalates, parabens, triclosan and polycyclic musks are all considered to be likely hormone disruptors and have been linked to a variety of health problems ranging from birth defects to diabetes, obesity and breast cancer.”

How many of us have used Johnson & Johnson products without realizing that there was a chance we could be harming our kids and ourselves? These chemicals can cause obesity? Is that why my ass is fat?  I’ve always used these products on my kids, nothing smells better than the Johnson’s baby bedtime lavender lotion! And I know when I gave birth I was given a Johnson’s baby shampoo sample bottle and I always assumed that if hospitals use it, it can’t contain anything bad.  It’s great news they are removing these chemicals, but now I’m wondering if a product that I’ve used on my kids, that my own mother used on her kids, have caused some awful damage to that we don’t know about.

Have you stopped using Johnson & Johnson baby products until all the harmful ingredients are phased out? Or do you still consider them “America’s Most Trusted Brand?”

(Photo: Lemuana Shutterstock)