US Environmental Protection Agency lab finds PFAS in popular bandage brands including Band-Aid

05 Apr 2024 --- Testing commissioned by the Mamavation blog and non-profit news site, Environmental Health Sciences (EHN) finds PFAS contamination in popular US bandage brands, including Band-Aid and Equate (Walmart).

The tests were conducted by an Environmental Protection Agency-certified lab (EPA), and the findings were published in a Mamavation and EHN report. It revealed that 26 of the 40 bandages examined had high concentrations of organic fluorine, a “strong indicator” of PFAS.

From the 18 brands tested, ten out of 16, or 63% of the bandages marketed for people with darker skin tones had signs of “forever chemicals,” according to the study.

“Because bandages are placed on open wounds, it’s troubling to learn that they may also be exposing children and adults to PFAS. It’s obvious from the data that PFAS are not needed for wound care, so it’s important that the industry remove their presence to protect the public from PFAS and opt instead for PFAS-free materials,” says Linda Birnbaum, scientist emeritus and former director of the National Institute of EHS and National Toxicology Program. She is a scholar in residence at Duke University and adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina and Yale University.

Other bandage brands with PFAS detected include CVS Health, Curad, Care Science, First Honey, Rite Aid, Solimo, UP & UP, Browndages Bandages and Dealmed.

Health risks and alternatives
Mamavation highlights the connection between PFAS exposure and health problems, such as immune system dysfunction, childhood developmental disorders, specific cancers and endocrine disruptors.

Organic fluorine is a “strong indicator” of PFAS.“Fluoropolymers, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), are extremely common forms of PFAS that could be contributing to the organic fluorine found in bandages. Methods used for detecting individual PFAS, such as PFOA [perfluorooctanoic acid] or GenX, cannot directly identify PTFE. However, the analysis of total organic fluorine does account for all PFAS contaminants in bandages, including PTFE. Therefore, this method of testing serves as a good ‘spot-check’ of consumer products,” comments Dr. Scott Belcher, an expert from North Carolina State University.

Despite the high amount of PFAS found in bandages, Mamavation found some bandages without PFAS available from companies like 3M and Tru Colour. In the testing, these products stood out as they provided safer options that were PFAS-free in adhesive flaps and absorbent pads.

While the risk of skin exposure to PFAS is not fully understood, according to EHN, prior laboratory research conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health revealed that skin exposure to PFAS presents comparable health risks to ingesting the chemicals through food or water.

“It is discouraging to find yet another important product space, bandaids containing PFAS compounds where transfers into users are conceivable,” says Terrence Collins, professor of green chemistry and director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University.

PFAS in cosmetics and personal care
Despite PFAS being believed to harm health, the UK-based Cosmetic Toiletry & Perfumery Association previously told Personal Care Insights that PFAS are rarely used in cosmetics. When they are, they do not make products unsafe due to strict regulations that help meet legal safety requirements.

Toilet paper was found to be an “unexpected” source of PFAS. Researchers at the University of Florida detected it in wastewater across several continents.

According to the Wuhan University in China and the National University in Singapore, cosmetics sold on the Chinese market, including those marketed toward pregnant women, were found to contain levels of “forever chemicals.” It has also been detected in period products.

By Venya Patel

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