Asbestos contamination in talc products is a complex issue. Since the massive lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson over the years have shown that the company’s popular baby powder is responsible for causing cancer in many consumers, many have pushed for better regulation of the ingredient used in eyeshadow, face powder, blush and other everyday products. But the fight for safe talc use took a few steps back when, on November 28, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it would withdraw its proposed rule that would have required asbestos testing in talc-containing products. According to a review by the EWG’s Skin Deep database, more than 3,000 products contain talc as an ingredient, with nearly 60% of those being powder products. Pure, cosmetic-grade talc is safe, and the main problem is contaminated talc. Talc deposits in the ground are often found near asbestos deposits, meaning that contamination can occur if the extraction and refining processes are not strictly controlled. Without mandatory standards, you rely on the honesty of each supplier and manufacturer.
Asbestos is a known human carcinogen and can cause asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung and ovarian cancers, and no level of exposure is safe. When these products are used, microscopic asbestos fibers can become airborne when these products are consumed, inhaled, and lodged in the lungs or other tissues.
Even the smallest amount of asbestos exposure can cause these diseases years later, and studies show that more than 60 percent of mesothelioma cases in women are likely related to non-occupational asbestos exposure, such as from using contaminated talc products.
But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to reassure the public that despite the rollback of the testing rule, it is still working to make talc as safe as possible and remains committed to evaluating the safety and necessity of talc in the U.S. food and drug supply and the issues discussed at an expert panel in May. The FDA will introduce new proposed rulemaking that would take a more comprehensive approach to reducing asbestos exposure and reducing asbestos-related diseases, including identifying safer additives as alternatives, especially when they are less expensive. Experts recommend avoiding products containing talc altogether, especially powders, because these products can be easily inhaled.
