Right now American retailers are taking action and informing customers because there could be asbestos, a known carcinogen, in their baby powder - and Canadian stores aren’t doing anything about it.

Any product marketed to parents and babies should be completely safe and non-toxic, and no parent should have to worry that they may be unknowingly putting asbestos-tainted baby powder on their baby. 

That’s why when asbestos was found in Johnson & Johnson 22-oz baby powder containers, American retailers took action and removed them from their shelves - but potentially asbestos-tainted baby powder is still on the shelves of Canadian retailers.

This is not okay. We’re calling on Walmart Canada and Shoppers Drug Mart to protect our health, and take this product off your shelves until this company can prove they are safe! 

Background 

On October 24th, Walmart, CVS Health and Rite Aid pulled all containers of Johnson & Johnson’s 22-ounce baby powder[1].  

This, after an October 18th recall by Johnson & Johnson of its baby powder, after the FDA tested their products and found asbestos [2]. 

As talc, the main ingredient in their baby powder, is a mineral that is often found in the same sites as asbestos, this type of contamination can happen easily - and, according to investigators, the company has known for decades [3] that this was a risk. Talc also has health risks - according to Health Canada, it's a lung irritant and is linked to ovarian cancer [4]. 

Canada has a ban on asbestos, so if there's any chance that additional batches are also contaminated, we need to be reassured by the company that they have been proven to be safe and 100% asbestos-free. 

Please, stand up for your Canadian customers, and ensure that any risk of asbestos in our baby products is eliminated at the source, and from your shelves. 

[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/24/cvs-pulls-all-jj-22-ounce-baby-powder-from-shelves-after-fda-finds-sub-trace-levels-of-asbestos.html

[2] https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/18/health/johnson-and-johnson-baby-powder-recall-bn-trnd/index.html

[3] https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/johnsonandjohnson-cancer/

[4]  https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2018/68320a-eng.php

Photo credit: Mike Mozart