national
Study Finds Unlabeled Toxic Chemicals Across Majority of Personal Care Products
Just the facts
Researchers analyzed 113 personal care items, including shampoos, soaps, baby lotions, and toothpastes purchased from major retailers such as Target and Amazon. The testing detected undisclosed hazardous substances—including phthalates, parabens, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and formaldehyde—in roughly 85 percent of the evaluated products. Additionally, 26 percent of products explicitly marketed with terms such as eco, green, or natural were found to contain at least one dangerous chemical compound. Study authors from San Francisco-based testing firm Million Marker called for mandatory chemical testing and stricter federal oversight of consumer ingredient labeling.
Why this is news
A peer-reviewed study published by researchers including Million Marker found that approximately 85 percent of tested personal care products contained unlabeled toxic chemicals. The research evaluated items purchased from major retailers to analyze discrepancies between product labeling and chemical composition.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.