Baby powder recall over possible asbestos contamination

A type of baby powder distributed in 35 states and sold online through Amazon is being recalled due to potential contamination with asbestos.

The Dynarex Corporation said Monday that its earlier recall of Dynacare Baby Powder, initiated in September, had expanded from 12 states to 35, according to a company announcement on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.

The company said the recalled Dynacare Baby Powder products were sold on or after Jan. 18, 2024, in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin and online through Amazon.com.

The recalled products include both 4-ounce and 14-ounce sizes, according to Monday's announcement.

Dynarex has instructed customers to immediately discontinue use of recalled Dynacare Baby Powder products and return them for a full refund. There have been no illnesses or adverse events reported to date in connection with the recall, according to Dynarex.

Questions about refunds and returns can be directed to Dynarex Corporation at 888-396-2739 or 845-365-8200 during business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, or by email at recall@dynarex.com.

The company first announced the recall on Sept. 19 following "routine sampling" by the FDA, "which revealed that the finished products contained asbestos," a known carcinogen, the company stated at that time.

"Upon further investigation, we have identified additional lots of products that may contain asbestos due to using the same bulk talc material," Dynarex stated on Monday. "The company has ceased the distribution of the product as an investigation is proceeding to determine what caused the contamination of the talc."

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, asbestos "is a mineral fiber that occurs in rock and soil" that "has been used in a variety of building construction materials for insulation and as a fire retardant" and "in a wide range of manufactured goods."

"Exposure to asbestos increases your risk of developing lung disease," the EPA states. "That risk is made worse by smoking. In general, the greater the exposure to asbestos, the greater the chance of developing harmful health effects. Disease symptoms may take many years to develop following exposure."

As Dynarex noted Monday, asbestos "is often found near talc, an ingredient in many cosmetic products."

"If talc mining sites are not carefully chosen or if proper steps are not taken to adequately purify the talc ore, it may contain asbestos," the company said.