I was alarmed when I heard Johnson and Johnson were under fire for selling Talcum Powder for decades, even though they knew there was a chance it could also contain asbestos!
What the hell!
I used it when changing my children’s nappies, I use it at the gym after i’ve showered – and this whole time, I could (or my kids could) have been breathing in harmful Asbestos particles?!
How can this have happened?
Well, I was today-years-old when I learned that Talcum Powder is actually mined! I had never really given any thought to how we ended up with Talc, but I certainly didn’t think that it was something that humans obtained by digging big holes and extracting minerals from the earth!
Talc mining involves two primary methods: open-pit mining and underground mining. The choice of technique depends on factors such as deposit depth, size, and quality. Open-pit mining: This method is commonly employed when talc deposits are located near the surface.
And it turns out that Talc and Asbestos are mined side by side, and based on reports and articles I have read, it appears they cant really rule out cross-contamination when they are harvesting it from the mines, so chances are that every bottle of baby powder you have ever bought contained dangerous asbestos particles that could have caused serious health conditions for you and/or your family.
Scary, huh!
What can you/should you do?
Well firstly, its probably not sensible to buy or continue to use OG Talc, so if you do like to use products like this then go for a brand that uses Corn-starch, not Talc in their products.
You definitely dont need to enlist the services of an asbestos removal company if you have old tubs of Talc lying around – just throw them in the bin.
And perhaps an overarching lesson here for us all, is to ensure we are always aware of what we are putting in and on our bodies. From the food we eat, to the skincare products we use on a daily basis. You never know what hidden nasties lurk on those ingredients lists, so give them a scan and ensure you are are not at risk.
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