Activists Use Attack on Baby Products to Push For Increased Regulation - Council Counters with the Scientific Facts

In an effort to rally support for its push for increased regulation on the cosmetics and personal care products industry, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) held a press conference in Washington March 12 and issued a new "report" titled, "No More Toxic Tub," alleging that there are harmful levels of the "cancer-causing" chemicals 1,4 dioxane and formaldehyde in baby and children's personal care products and calling FDA ineffective in protecting consumers from harm.  

The group's news release quotes Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill) and Ed Markey (D-Mass) calling for increased regulation and a stronger FDA and Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) expressing her intention to introduce legislation soon requiring greater oversight of the industry.

Council science and pubic affairs staff countered the numerous false and misleading statements in the report and issued a news release on March 11.

Council Chief Scientist John Bailey was interviewed by numerous media outlets, including: ABC, NBC, Fox News, Web MD, The New York Times, USA Today and Health Day.  Bailey stressed that the levels of 1, 4 dioxane and formaldehyde found by the group are "trace" or extremely low, are well within recognized safety thresholds, and are not a cause for health concern.

When asked by ABC 7 how he as a scientist would characterize the report, Bailey responded, "If I were in graduate school grading this report, I would give it an "F."