Toxic tampons? Watchdog sues Kimberly-Clark for false marketing after detecting lead

Toxin Free USA has discovered lead in U by Kotex’s tampons. The metal has no safe level in the body and can cause “serious health problems.”

The lab test is resulting in a lawsuit against the brand owner, Kimberly-Clark, for alleged deceptive marketing of its period products. 

Luan Van Le, communications director at Toxin Free USA, tells Personal Care Insights: “We want Kimberly-Clark to solve the problem of lead contamination of its products. There is no safe level of lead in the body.”

“Kimberly-Clark is putting profits ahead of their customers’ safety… The company needs to remove lead from its feminine products.”

The nonprofit says the presence of lead in U by Kotex’s Click Compact Regular Tampons is “especially concerning considering that the product is intended for use inside of the human body.”

Diana Reeves, executive director at Toxin Free USA, adds: “Lead in U by Kotex tampons, a product regularly used internally, inside the female reproductive system, is shocking. The FDA should immediately ban lead and heavy metals in feminine hygiene products.”

However, Kotex asserts that it is committed to “safety” and tells consumers that it “prohibits the inclusion of certain substances, including heavy metals such as lead.” We reached out to Kimberly-Clark for comment but have not received a response.

Urge to remove metals

Toxin Free USA’s lawsuit is not seeking monetary damages but aims to end Kimberly-Clark’s “false and deceptive marketing.”

Lead, a known toxic metal, was found in  U by Kotex’s Click Compact Regular Tampons.The U by Kotex website states, “We put your comfort and well-being first. That’s why every pad, tampon and liner contains safe materials that you can trust and feel good about.” Kimberly-Clark says its products do not contain lead.

However, Van Le says: “The lab test we facilitated proved that its tampon product does contain lead. Consumers of the U by Kotex tampon would not consider Kimberly-Clark to be putting their ‘well-being first’ if they are selling products contaminated with toxic lead.”

“The company cannot say its tampons are safe or do not contain heavy metals when, in fact, the tampons contain lead.”

According to the WHO, lead exposure is estimated to account for 21.7 million years lost to disability and death worldwide “due to long-term effects on health.”

Lead exposure is the cause of 4.6% of cardiovascular disease and 3% of chronic kidney diseases globally. Low blood lead concentrations may also be associated with decreased intelligence, behavioral difficulties and learning problems in children.

“Kimberly-Clark needs to determine why and how its products are being contaminated with lead and remove it, and any other dangerous heavy metals, before marketing its products to consumers,” continues Van Le.

The lawsuit was filed under the DC Consumer Protection Procedures Act, and Richman Law & Policy represents the plaintiffs.

Study sparking suit

A peer-reviewed study published iA watchdog sues Kimberly-Clark and asks the company to remove lead from its tampons.n Environment International identified several toxic metals in period products, prompting the nonprofits’ research. However, the study did not name which brands were tested.

“The study published in the scientific journal does not list any tampon products tested by a company or brand name. That is why our nonprofit felt compelled to do our own tests,” says Van Le.

“We first chose Kimberly-Clark’s U by Kotex brand because it’s considered America’s most popular tampon product.”

The UC Berkeley, US, study marked the first time metals were evaluated in tampons.

Personal Care Insights spoke to the author of the previous study and was told that it “clearly shows that metals are present in menstrual products and that women might be at higher risk for exposure using these products.” However, the author called for more research as it is not yet clear how the metal’s presence affects human health.