6
The FDA Found Asbestos In A Popular Brand Of Kids' Makeup
Asbestos is the antagonist in every HGTV show about home remodeling. The U.S. began banning it due to major safety concerns in the 1970s and '80s, but it's still present in older homes in a variety of forms, from duct work and floor tiles to shingles and siding. But as long as you're not huffing dust from the walls of your fixer-upper, you should be good to go, right?
So you'd think, but it can still show up in the weirdest places. In March 2019, FDA testing found asbestos in makeup sold at popular retailers Claire's and Justice, both of which market their products toward children and teens. What's it doing there? We can't be positive, but we're sure it helped many children look their asbestos, and be their asbestos selves.
U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationShowing a girl made up like a skeleton on the packaging is a little on the nose.
As for how the asbestos got into makeup, that's a point worth talc-ing about. Talc is another naturally-occurring substance that is frequently used in cosmetics and other household products. And while the jury is still out on whether talc itself is dangerous, it sometimes contains trace amounts of asbestos fibers, which we know cause a variety of cancers, lung issues, and those mesothelioma ads you always see on TV.
Claire's insists they removed talc from their cosmetics in 2018, but it appears they may have missed some here and there. Hey, anyone who has changed a diaper can sympathize. (We're still staying the hell away from their teen girl makeup, though.)
5
There's BPA In Your Paper Receipts
Bisphenol A (BPA if you're in a hurry) is a chemical that's absolutely terrible for the human body, which is why it's been unceremoniously kicked out of stuff like children's products, plastic food containers, water bottles, aluminum cans, and more. Unfortunately, it's still all over an item those of you who leave the house have probably handled multiple times this week: receipts from stores. It turns out this is hazardous, especially if you touch the receipts right before putting something in your mouth. Like, say, a burger. Mmmm. Be right back. (Wait, shit.)
BPA and its equally-assholish cousin BPS are involved in the printing process for thermal paper, which is used for everything from movie tickets to deli labels. Because this BPA is "loose" and not bonded to the paper, it ends up inside you within minutes, the big floozy. And unlike a lot of chemicals, both BPA and BPS start causing problems at extremely low levels, so a little in your system goes a long -- and very bad -- way.
Hormann, Et. Al./PLOS ONESOLUTION: Always carry a machete so that if you touch a receipt, you can cut off your hand like in a zombie movie.