Band-Aid, Walmart and CVS are among the bandage brands that contain toxic PFAS
Many popular American bandage brands contain alarming levels of toxic PFAS ‘forever chemicals’, new research suggestswhich raises questions about the safety of the products.
Testing 40 types of bandages made by companies including Band-Aid, Curad, Walmart and CVS found that 26 products, or 65%, contained alarming levels of a marker of PFAS. The chemicals were found in the adhesive flaps and in absorbent pads that press against wounds.
The findings are a “wake-up call” for companies that use the chemicals in their products, said Linda Birnbaum, a former senior Environmental Protection Agency official who analyzed the findings from bandage tests commissioned by the Mamavation blog.
“This stuff can enter the body right from the bandage and there’s no point in these companies using it,” Birnbaum said. Research has shown that PFAS can be easily absorbed through the skin, which Birnbaum said makes the use of absorbent pads that touch wounds all the more concerning.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of about 15,000 chemicals commonly used to make products resistant to water, stains and heat. They are called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down naturally and are linked to cancer, liver problems, thyroid problems, birth defects, kidney disease, lowered immunity and other serious health problems.
Most companies do not warn consumers about their use of PFAS in products, and industry-friendly regulations allow manufacturers to claim use of the chemicals as a trade secret. However, independent testing has increasingly shown widespread use of PFAS, especially in personal care products such as dental floss and toilet paper.
The Food and Drug Administration has done little to limit its use, and no limits exist for levels in personal care products. Band-Aid did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
PFAS are often used in adhesives because the chemicals help wetting and penetrate the substrate to improve adhesion, which may explain their presence in bandage flaps.
But PFAS was found at the highest concentrations in the absorbent pads, possibly because they prevent blood from seeping through the bandage, Birnbaum said, although she emphasized that it was unclear because companies hide such information. It’s possible that some companies are unintentionally adding PFAS because the chemicals are used as processing aids during production.
About a third of brands tested did not contain PFAS, which Birnbaum said emphasized that the chemicals do not need to be used for bandages to be effective.
“PFAS are everywhere and unless we stop using them unnecessarily, they will continue to build up in the environment and in our bodies,” she said.