Posted on 03/25/2008 6:27:04 PM PDT by xcamel
A new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reveals that 97% of Americans are contaminated with a widely-used sunscreen ingredient called oxybenzone that has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage. A companion study published just one day earlier revealed that this chemical is linked to low birth weight in baby girls whose mothers are exposed during pregnancy. Oxybenzone is also a penetration enhancer, a chemical that helps other chemicals penetrate the skin.
Environmental Working Group identified nearly 600 sunscreens sold in the U.S. that contain oxybenzone, including products by Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone, and Banana Boat (see the full list of 588 sunscreens here) as well as 172 facial moisturizers, 111 lip balms, and 81 different types of lipstick.
The Food and Drug Administration has failed miserably in its duty to protect the public from toxic chemicals like oxybenzone in personal care products. At the request of industry lobbyists, including Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who represented the Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association, the agency has delayed final sunscreen safety standards for nearly 30 years. FDA issued a new draft of the standards last October under pressure from EWG, but continues to delay finalizing them at the behest of the regulated industry.
EWG research shows that 84% of 910 name-brand sunscreen products offer inadequate protection from the sun, or contain ingredients, like oxybenzone, with significant safety concerns.
The last safety review for oxybenzone was done in the 1970s, and does not reflect a wealth of information developed since that time indicating increased toxicity concerns and widespread human exposure. A recent review in the European Union found that sufficient data were not available to assess if oxybenzone in sunscreen was safe for consumers.
Environmental Working Group again calls on FDA to review the safety of oxybenzone, given this new data on widespread contamination of the U.S. population, and to finalize its sunscreen safety standards so that consumers can be certain that sunscreen products they purchase are safe and effective.
What does that mean? One molecule? Two molecules? Three molecules? Four billion billion billion billion molecules?
Who do I sue?
/s
Why worry about beef and mad cow when the sunscreen is worse than the sun?
This article is starting to read more like the subject line of those spam emails I get every day(!)
For some reason I just can’t believe 97% of Americans use sunscreen.
So now I have to choose between burning or poisoning when I go biking? Wonderful.
From ActivistCash.com
http://www.activistcash.com/organization_overview.cfm/oid/113
I have always been more sceptical of sunscreens than the sun, when it comes to damages to the skin.
I agree. I went to the Symphony recently, and at intermission I was *SHOCKED* to see all the older people milling about who had spotted, blotched, awful-looking skin. It freaked me out. I have never seen so much bad skin in my life. I figured it was all due to sun damage. The very next day I went to the store and bought some sunscreen, and I've been wearing it every day since then. Unfortunately, I just checked the ingredients, and my sunscreen contains oxybenzone. So I guess I'll look for another brand tomorrow.
People, wear your sunscreen. Your future will be scary without it.
That's right folks...smear chemicals all over your body. Between the ozone and the ooze-on we're all gonna die.
At least we’ll look good doing it!
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