LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

FORMALDEHYDE

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Health concerns of ingredient
About the ratings
Cancer
Developmental & reproductive toxicity
Allergies & immunotoxicity
Other HIGH concerns: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Occupational hazards, Use restrictions
Other MODERATE concerns: Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Biochemical or cellular level changes
Other LOW concerns: Ecotoxicology

About the ratings

EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer

About FORMALDEHYDE: Formaldehyde is a carcinogenic impurity released by a number of cosmetic preservatives, including diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, quaternium-15, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, and sodium hydroxylmethylglycinate. According to reviews by the industry-funded Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel, these cosmetic ingredients can release formaldehyde at levels as high as one-tenth that of the original ingredient (CIR 2006). Successful treatment of formaldehyde-triggered contact allergic dermatitis through substitution of body care products free of these preservatives (Flyvholm 1992) is implicit confirmation of the presence of low levels of formaldehyde in these products.

The International Agency for Research on Carcinogens (IARC) has classified formaldehyde as 'carcinogenic to humans,' and the U.S. National Toxicology Program has classified it as 'reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen,' based on emerging evidence in humans and robust evidence in animals (IARC 2004; NTP 2005). Occupational exposures to formaldehyde gas are linked to nasal and nasopharyngeal cancers (IARC 2004; NTP 2005). Animal studies confirm this link, and also suggest an association between formaldehyde in drinking water and stomach and gastrointestinal cancer and leukemia (NTP 2005).

Despite the considerable health concerns associated with this carcinogen, until recently formaldehyde itself was a common ingredient of nail polish. Consumer pressure has now forced many major cosmetics manufacturers to voluntarily remove this ingredient from their nail products. European health protections now limit the concentration of formaldehyde in cosmetics to 0.2%, and require that body care products containing formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing ingredients be labeled with the warning 'contains formaldehyde' if the concentration of formaldehyde in the product exceeds 0.05% (SCCPNP 2002).

Even the industry-funded Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel recommends that cosmetic products not contain more than 0.2% formaldehyde, and does not consider formaldehyde to be safe in aerosol products (CIR 2006). However, as it stands in the U.S. there are no restrictions on the levels of formaldehyde allowed in any body care products, no requirement to test products made with formaldehyde-releasing preservatives for levels of formaldehyde, and certainly no obligation to inform consumers that the products they use each day are likely to contain a cancer-causing chemical that does not appear on the list of ingredients.

References

CIR (Cosmetics Ingredient Review). 2006. 2006 CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.

Flyvholm MA, MennÃ© T. 1992. Allergic contact dermatitis from formaldehyde. A case study focussing on sources of formaldehyde exposure. Contact Dermatitis. 1992 Jul;27(1):27-36.

IARC (International Agency for Research on Carcinogens). 2004. Formaldehyde. IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans / World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer 88.

NTP (National Toxicology Program). 2005. National Toxicology Panel 11th Report on Carcinogens: Formaldehyde (Gas). Available: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/eleventh/profiles/s089form.pdf [Accessed August 14, 2008].

SCCPNP (Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products and Non-food Products). 2002. Opinion concerning a clarification on the formaldehyde and para-formaldehyde entry in Directive 76/768/EEC on cosmetic products. Opinion: European Comission.

Synonym(s): FORMALIN; FORMIC ALDEHYDE; MERTHALDEHYDE; METHANAL; METHYL ALDEHYDE; OXOMETHANE; OXYMETHYLENE; ALDEHYDE FORMIQUE (FRENCH) ; ALDEHYD MRAVENCI (CZECH) ; ALDEIDE FORMICA (ITALIAN) ; FANNOFORM

Cancer

Type of Concern

Reference

Known human carcinogen

Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens

Possible human carcinogen

Amer Conf of Gov't Industrial Hygienists - Carcinogens

Possible human carcinogen

EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

Possible human carcinogen

NTP Report on Carcinogens, 11th Edition

Possible human carcinogen

California EPA Proposition 65

Limited evidence of carcinogenicity

European Union - Classification & Labelling

Limited evidence of carcinogenicity

NIOSH Occupational Carcinogens

Cancer - moderate evidence - hematologic

CHE Toxicant and Disease Database

Cancer - moderate evidence - respiratory

CHE Toxicant and Disease Database

Allergies/immunotoxicity

Type of Concern

Reference

Known human immune system toxicant

National Library of Medicine HazMap

Human immune and respiratory toxicant - strong evidence

Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics

Human immune toxicant - strong evidence

CHE Toxicant and Disease Database

Human skin toxicant - strong evidence

Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments

Limited evidence of immune system toxicity

European Union - Classification & Labelling

Limited evidence of immune system toxicity

Human immune system toxicant - moderate evidence

CHE Toxicant and Disease Database

Human immune system toxicant - moderate evidence

National Library of Medicine HazMap

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Type of Concern

Reference

Known human respiratory toxicant

EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants

Possible human hematologic toxicant

CHE Toxicant and Disease Database

Possible human cardiovascular toxicant

CHE Toxicant and Disease Database

Developmental/reproductive toxicity

Type of Concern

Reference

Human developmental toxicant - moderate evidence

CHE Toxicant and Disease Database

Human reproductive toxicant - moderate evidence

CHE Toxicant and Disease Database

Occupational hazards
Type of Concern	Reference
Allowed workplace exposures restricted to low doses	European Union - Classification & Labelling

Biochemical or cellular level changes
Type of Concern	Reference
Cancer - moderate evidence - immune system	CHE Toxicant and Disease Database

Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
Type of Concern	Reference
Human skin irritant - moderate evidence	National Library of Medicine HazMap

Ecotoxicology
Type of Concern	Reference
Suspected to be an environmental toxin	Environment Canada Domestic Substance List

Persistence and bioaccumulation

Type of Concern

Reference

Not suspected to be persistent

Environment Canada Domestic Substance List

Miscellaneous
Type of Concern	Reference
Occupational hazards related to handling	European Union - Classification & Labelling

Multiple, additive exposure sources
Type of Concern	Reference
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food	FDA Food Additive Status
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food	FDA Everything Added to Food

Data gaps
Type of Concern	Reference

Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
government/industry list/academic study	appears on list as	classification(s)

references
government/industry list/academic study	reference
European Union - Classification & Labelling	CPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP.
Amer Conf of Gov't Industrial Hygienists - Carcinogens	ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) 2008. ACGIH cancer classification system. www.acgih.org.
FDA Food Additive Status	FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006.
Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics	AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation.
Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients	Health Canada. 2007. List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients. Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. March 2007.
CHE Toxicant and Disease Database	CHE (The Collaborative on Health and the Environment). 2006. Toxicant and Disease Database.
Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments	CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
FDA Everything Added to Food	FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Environment Canada Domestic Substance List	EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)	EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2008. Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Evidence for human carcinogenicity based on 1986-2005 guidelines.
EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants	EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2005. Office of Air. The 112(b)1 Hazardous Air Pollutants List (as modified). Last modified: 12 Dec 2005.
National Library of Medicine HazMap	NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents.
Int'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens	IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). 2008. Overall Evaluations of Carcinogenicity to Humans, as evaluated in IARC Monographs Volumes 1-99 (a total of 935 agents, mixtures and exposures).
EPA Categorized List of Inert Pesticide Ingredients	EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1987 & 2005. Office of Pesticide Programs. Inert (other) Pesticide Ingredients in Pesticide Products - Categorized List of Inert (other) Pesticide Ingredients.
NIOSH Occupational Carcinogens	NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health). 2006. NIOSH Carcinogens List (Potential occupational carcinogens). http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npotocca.html.
NTP Report on Carcinogens, 11th Edition	NTP (National Toxicology Program). 2005. Report on Carcinogens, Eleventh Edition; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Toxicology Program.
EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs	EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule.
California EPA Proposition 65	California EPA (California Environmental Protection Agency). 9/2008. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. Chemicals known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.

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Louisiana Refinery Accident Database

FORMALDEHYDE

About the ratings

Cancer

Allergies/immunotoxicity

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Developmental/reproductive toxicity

Occupational hazards

Biochemical or cellular level changes

Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)

Ecotoxicology

Persistence and bioaccumulation

Miscellaneous

Multiple, additive exposure sources

Data gaps

Government, industry, academic studies and classifications

references