Toxic Shampoo Scare in Middle East

According to Cosmetics Design Europe  Saudi and Dubai health authorities have issued warnings after incidences of toxicity in a variety of shampoos sold to consumers. The Dubai Municipality has banned 17 imported shampoos contaminated with the carcinogen 1,4-dioxane and The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has issued a warning over Rolana Baby Shampoo, which was found to be contaminated with the bacteria serratia maracescens. This has allegedly made 13 babies sick and resulted in the death of one child. The bacteria can cause urinary infections, meninjitus, toxemia and other health problems, particulary in infants.  

This actually doesn’t surprise me, 1,4-dioxane can often be found as an impurity in cosmetic products containing ethoxylated ingredients. Ethoxylation is a chemical process whereby ethylene oxide is added to fatty acids to make them more water soluble. 

In January 2007, the Campaign for Safe  Cosmetics released tests that found 1,4 dioxane in baby soaps, bubble baths and shampoo, including Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo. 

In 2008, the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) found 1,4-dioxane in 46 out of 100 “natural brands” including JASONs and Juice Beauty. Subsequently the California Attorney General’s office filed a lawsuit against companies found to be making products with hazardous levels of the synthetic chemical.

 Companies often argue that the impurity is present at a very low level but we are exposed to more than one source of 1,4-dioxane.  According to Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) maintained by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control, 1-4 dioxane exposure occurs from breathing contaminated air, ingesting contaminated food and drinking water, and skin contact with products that contain small amounts of 1,4 dioxane. Laboratory rats and mice that drank water containing 1,4-dioxane for most of their lives developed liver cancer and cancer of the nasal cavity. It is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen by the US Department of Health and Human Services. 

Cosmetic manufacturers can cheaply and easily vaccum strip 1,4 dioxane, but this process is not legally enforced, leaving it firmly in the hands of the manufacturers to decide whether or not to remove this contaminant.

Cosmetic impurities do not legally have to be featured on cosmetic packaging, but you can identify products that might contain the contaminant by the prefix or descriptors, ‘PEG,’ ‘polyethylene,’ polyethylene glycol,’ ‘polyoxyethylene,’ ‘-eth’ or ‘-oxynol.’