Potentially dangerous chemicals found in many cosmetic products sold in Canada: study
A study involving a University of Montreal (UdeM) researcher has found that many cosmetic and personal care products available in Canada contain high levels of PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) that, in at least one case, far exceed Canadian regulations.
The research team from Carleton University and the UdeM also found that these substances may not be listed in the ingredients of some cosmetics and personal care products, even though they are labelled as containing fluoride components.
A study found that cosmetics sold in the U.S. and Canada still contained PFAS, but it was not known whether these compounds were also found in personal care products such as creams, body washes, shampoos and shaving creams.
"We see traces in just about everything we measure," said UdeM chemistry professor Sébastien Sauvé. "But there were some products that contained a lot of it. That's what really surprised us."
PFAS are a group of chemicals whose properties can make products resistant to water, oil or temperature changes or reduce friction. They are found in a wide range of everyday items, from non-adhesive kitchen utensils and stain-resistant fabrics to flame-retardant foams.
In cosmetics and personal care products, they are used to make products smooth, foamy and water-repellent.
"In the properties of PFAS that are sought, there are often water repellent or water resistant aspects," said Sauvé. "And clearly, that's a problem in some of the products where you have very, very high concentrations."
Carleton University professor Amy Rand and her colleagues purchased about 40 name-brand beauty products sold in Canadian stores and online that contained organofluorine compounds.
When they analyzed them for older types of PFAS, they found that all the products had measurable levels, even though some of the detected compounds were not listed in the ingredients. The levels measured in personal care products were generally lower than in cosmetics.
Two foundations labelled with terms similar to "hydrofuge" had high levels of PFAS. In one of them, these compounds were even in the thousands of parts per million, a level that exceeds the proposed Canadian PFAS regulation.
"The people who are going to use this are going to have a very high exposure to PFAS," said Sauvé. "It's an exposure that is very significant. And we can assume that some people will use these products routinely. And unlike other products, it's the foundation that will cover most of the face. It's a bad combination."
PFAS have been associated with a variety of human health problems. The strongest scientific evidence concerns a possible risk of decreased immune response; high cholesterol levels in children and adults; growth problems in fetuses and toddlers; and kidney cancer in adults.
The manufacture, use and sale of the vast majority of PFAS have been banned in several countries, including Canada, for several years, but exceptions persist. The products used to replace them are also of concern to researchers.
"The alternatives have chemical structures that are very similar," said Sauvé. "The toxicology and impacts are not all documented, but we can assume that since the molecule is very comparable, that the toxicity and health effects will also be comparable, even if we don't have all the information.
The very nature of most PFAS prevents them from degrading over time, which means they can remain in the environment for decades.
And good luck to consumers wondering how they can protect themselves.
"Even I, as an expert, am not convinced how to do this," said Sauvé. "The presence of these molecules is sneaky, and there is no great transparency. It's very difficult to be reassured and to be certain."
The findings of the study were published in the scientific journal Environmental Science & Technology.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 18, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.