Too little, too late on formaldehyde in baby shampoo
It's one of those crazy headlines you don't even know how to react to: Johnson & Johnson has agreed to remove formaldehyde-releasing chemicals and other potentially dangerous ingredients from its famous baby soaps and shampoos by the end of next year.
I mean, what the heck are those chemicals doing in baby products in the first place? And now that they've agreed to remove them -- eventually -- are we supposed to pat them on the back for it?
Heck, no! If you're caring for a child or grandchild, you want safe products in your home NOW -- not next year sometime.
The company, of course, says tiny amounts of poison are safe, they're committed to safety, yada yada yada.
In my opinion, there are NO safe levels of exposure to dangerous chemicals like the known carcinogen formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane -- another ingredient found in the company's baby products that has been linked to cancer -- and it's mystifying why J&J feels the need to use them in the first place since other companies get by without them.
Then again, maybe it's not so mystifying when you look at the company's track record for children's products. Children's Tylenol anyone?
The drug was part of a massive recall of some 43 popular children's meds made by McNeil Pharmaceuticals, a division of -- you guessed it! -- Johnson & Johnson. The drugs were found to be contaminated with metal bits and...according to some of the unfortunate people who bought the packages...a strange moldy smell. One of the plants where they were made was so filthy that it had to be temporarily shut down.
So you'll have to forgive me for not buying it when J&J talks about its commitment to children's safety.