(Memphis) Shocking details from an On Your Side investigation into common, household products.
We use them every day to shower, shampoo or clean clothes.
However, there’s new evidence that points to what some call the dirty secret of cosmetics and cleaning products.
Concern is just one of the reactions we got after telling shoppers that some of the household and personal care products they use may contain cancer causing chemicals.
Studies show products like Tide and Tide Free and Gentle contain what’s called 1,4 dioxane.
“EPA has classified 1,4 dioxane as a possible human carcinogen,” explains Dr. Jeffery Foran, an associate professor in environmental health at the University of Memphis.
Foran says 1,4 dioxane is a solvent and companies aren’t putting it in their products on purpose.
“What I suspect is happening is it’s coming in as a contaminant from one of the substances actually used to make the product,” says Foran.
Dr. Foran says while there’s no evidence 1,4 dioxane actually causes cancer in humans, “But the suspicion is that they do, or they may and in that case, my opinion is yes, that is cause for concern.”
“Oh my and I use Tide,” exclaims shopper Cathy Mullis.
Switching detergents may not be the answer. S
tudies have shown 1,4 dioxane in all sorts of cleaning and cosmetic products. ‘
The Organic Consumers Association put together a list they categorize by caution and avoid.
So, how do you know if 1,4 dioxane is in something you’re using?
Because it’s an unintentional by-product, it’s not listed on any labels.
A spokesperson with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics told us it’s often in anything that’s “sudsy.”
She sent a list of common ingredients often contaminated with 1,4 dioxane, like sodium laureth sulfate.
WREG On Your Side Investigators found it listed on dozens of products sold at area stores.
So if they do contain 1,4 dioxane, what’s the risk?
“It can be absorbed through your skin directly from the chemical,” Foran says.
Proctor and Gamble re-formulated its Herbal Essences shampoos and Johnson and Johnson did the same with baby shampoo to eliminate 1,4 dioxane.
Consumers want the same with Tide.
“I think it should be off the market, or at least well labeled so that we’ll know what we’re choosing,” said shopper Melissa Petermann.
A P&G spokesperson told me the levels of 1,4 dioxane in Tide are incredibly small and in a statement said, “For perspective, drinking 2 liters of water that meets world health (WHO) standards would result in 4500 times the amount of 1,4 dioxane from using detergent. A person would have to wash and wear well over 1000 loads of laundry every day to exceed a safe range.”
Dr. Foran says this problem illustrates the need for more testing, “There are something like 60 to 80,000 chemicals in commerce, we probably know something about the toxicology of 1% of those chemicals. I suspect most of those chemicals don’t cause harm to human health.”
Some consumers aren’t taking any chances.
“That might make me rethink the amount of Tide I put in my clothes, especially for the baby,” says Mullis.
Petermann makes her own detergent. “I mean, if I can do something to help him (son), why wouldn’t I do that.”
Many of the consumers we talked to asked about labeling, if you’ve ever noticed, there’s not an ingredient list on the back of detergents.
P&G says there’s a list for Tide on its website.
Click here to read it.
You can also read more about DIY detergents.