Here’s what you need to know about the Johnson & Johnson baby powder recall over asbestos
Baby product giant Johnson & Johnson announced a recall of Johnson’s baby powder Friday after FDA testing found asbestos.
Before you go tossing out all of your baby powder or worrying that you’ve been powdering yourself or your child with asbestos, read below:
What’s being recalled? One lot of Johnson’s Baby Powder, lot No. 22318RB.
Why is it being recalled? “A sample from this lot was found to contain chrysotile fibers, a type of asbestos,” the FDA said.
How much asbestos was found? Johnson & Johnson says “sub-trace levels...(no greater than 0.00002%).”
Is that bad? Opinions on the degree of danger from asbestos. The Minnesota Department of Health says, “No amount of asbestos is considered safe. Products that contain greater than one percent of asbestos minerals are considered to be asbestos-containing.”
Oregon State University’s Environmental Health and Safety Department says, While there is no “safe level” of asbestos exposure, people who are exposed more frequently over a long period of time are more at risk...The younger people are when they inhale asbestos, the more likely they are to develop mesothelioma.”
How did this happen? The company says it would like to know, too. For now, Johnson & Johnson say their investigation hasn’t determined if there was a problem with the FDA’s handling of the tested powder or whether the tested powder was counterfeit.
Though Johnson & Johnson claims their products have passed thousands of tests over the last 40 years, the FDA says there was a positive from lot No. 00918RA back in 2018.
Is that positive test the reason the FDA was testing Johnson’s baby powder? No. The FDA began routinely testing products used in cosmetics in 2018, after the flap involving Claire’s cosmetics and asbestos.
What should consumers do? Stop using the powder. Then, contact Johnson & Johnson via the johnsonsbaby.com website or calling 866-565-2229.
This story was originally published October 18, 2019 at 2:45 PM.
