06/06/2022
You probably thought that the worst thing your shampoo could do to you is to burn your eyes, but it turns out that your shampoo could be deadly. The Center for Environmental Health based in Oakland, California, revealed independent testing on shampoos and soaps and found that at least 98 included a carcinogen known as cocamide diethanolamine (shows up on the label as: cocamide DEA, cocamide betaine, CAPB, or cocamidopropyl betaine) in 2013.
Cocamide Diethanolamine (cocamide DEA), a controversial ingredient found in body care items, has landed four personal care manufacturers with a lawsuit in California.
The Center for Environmental Health filed the suit after discovering the presence of cocamide DEA, the foam stabilizer, and volumizer, in shampoos and soaps. In the state of California, Proposition 65 requires manufacturers to warn consumers about the risks of certain substances.
Cocamide DEA is on that list because it is a suspected carcinogen. It was banned in the state last year after a study found it caused cancer in laboratory animals.
Some of the products that contain high levels of the illegal chemical are sold under well-known companies such as Colgate-Palmolive, Paul Mitchell, and Prell. Lab tests also found the carcinogen in children’s products, such as a store brand bubble bath from KMart, and a shampoo/conditioner from Babies R Us. Other store brand products that contain the carcinogen came from Trader Joe’s, Walmart, and Kohl’s.
Unfortunately, manufacturers can put any toxic chemical they want into shampoos because the FDA allows all sorts of chemicals to be used in these products, including chemicals that are known carcinogens and that contribute to liver failure and nervous system disorders. There has not been a major federal regulation on cosmetics since the federal cosmetics law was put in place in 1938. While the European Union bans more than 1,400 chemicals in personal care products, the United States prohibits around 30. How’s that for protecting public health?
