WASHINGTON — More than half the baby shampoo, lotions and other infant-care products analyzed by a health advocacy group were found to contain trace amounts of two chemicals that are believed to cause cancer, the group said Thursday.
Some of the biggest names on the market tested positive for 1,4-dioxane, formaldehyde, or both, the nonprofit Campaign for Safe Cosmetics reported.
The chemicals, both characterized as probable carcinogens by the Environmental Protection Agency, are not added intentionally to the products and do not appear on ingredient labels.
“Our intention is not to alarm parents but to inform parents that products that claim to be gentle and pure are contaminated with carcinogens, which is completely unnecessary,” said Stacy Malkan, a spokeswoman for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which is calling for the federal government to more aggressively regulate personal care products such as shampoos, lotions and makeup.
Companies that manufacture and sell products tested by the group stressed that they comply with government standards.
