A nationwide recall has been issued for hundreds of bottles of Dynacare baby powder due to potential asbestos contamination.
The recall, which was announced Thursday, includes 62 cases of the baby powder produced by Dynarex Corporation. The affected items were produced under batch number B051 and were sent to distributors on or after March 11 in 12 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin. The baby powder was also sold online at Amazon.com.
Asbestos, according to a news release about the recall that was published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is a naturally occurring mineral often found near talc, which is used in several cosmetic products. When mining talc, if the sites are “not selected carefully or steps [are] taken to purify the talc ore sufficiently,” Dynarex said, the talc could become contaminated with asbestos.
“The recall was the result of a routine sampling program by the FDA which revealed that the finished products contained asbestos,” read the news release. “The company has ceased the distribution of the product as an investigation is proceeding to determine what caused the contamination of the talc.”
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According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), long-term exposure to asbestos minerals can lead to diseases, including asbestosis, pleural disease, lung cancer and mesothelioma—a type of lung cancer that can emerge decades after asbestos exposure.
In addition to occasionally being found in minerals like talc, asbestos is still present in some old homes and buildings, according to the ATSDR. People are exposed to asbestos by breathing in tiny asbestos fibers in the air, which are too small to see with the naked eye.
The recalled baby powder was sold in 14-ounce plastic bottles and have an expiration date of December 28, 2026, which will be listed on the bottom of the bottle. There have been no illnesses or adverse events related to the recalled items.
Any consumers who have purchased the recalled items should discontinue use immediately and return them for a full refund, per the company’s release. Questions about the recall can be directed to Dynarex Corporation at 888-396-2739 or 845-365-8200 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. Questions can also be sent to recall@dynarex.com.
The company added in its release that “health care professionals and consumers are encouraged to report any adverse events to FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.” Forms can be submitted to the program online through this link.
Newsweek reached out to Dynarex for additional comment on Thursday.