KATHMANDU, Jan 16: Center for Public Health and Environmental Development (CEPHED), a national-level NGO, has raised concern about Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) found in Personal Care Products (PCP) used in Nepal. What is concerning is that those harmful chemicals are found in high quantities even in products made for children.
A press statement issued by CEPHED says that a high level (43.85 µg/g) of Butyl Paraben (BP) has been found in Kodomo baby toothpaste and 1039.3 µg/g of Methyl Paraben found in Kodomo kids mouthwash which are imported, sold, and used in Nepal.
Likewise, another harmful chemical Triclosan has been found in hand wash products (660.1 µg/g) and deodorants (1.11 µg/g). The other EDCs like Triclocarban have been found in feminine wash (0.03 µg/g ) and handwash (0.04 µg/g).
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“As kids’ products contain Paraben, children in Nepal are under risk of EDCs found in their personal care products in addition to lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, phthalates, and BPA found in their toys. There is also a high level of lead in paints used in their houses and schools,” the statement quoted Ram Charitra Sah, executive director and environment scientist at CEPHED.
CEPHED analyzed a sample of 362 Personal Care Products (PCPs) including 116 children’s products imported from eight different countries including Nepal. These samples include eight major types of products such as anti-virus wipes, baby wipes, deodorants, toothpaste, body wash, feminine wash, hand wash and mouthwash.
Thirty out of the 362 samples or 8.29% of PCPs analyzed in the study were from Nepal. The samples from Nepal included 9 children’s products which accounts for 7.76% of the total 116 children's products analyzed. Samples produced in Nepal were collected from supermarkets, departmental stores, and medical shops.
Altogether 11 chemicals including nine types of Parabens and two Triclosan (TCS) and Triclocarban (TCC) and most frequently used EDCs were analyzed by using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) in these PCP samples, the statement says.
“Among the nine children's products included in the study from Nepal, Butyl Paraben (BP) was detected in one product. BP was detected at 43.9Mg/g which is very high and banned in many countries,” the statement reads.
According to Sah, Nepal has no regulations on the use of Parabens, Triclosan and Triclocarban, and therefore drew the attention of all stakeholders to enact regulation of EDCs (Paraben and Triclosan/Triclocarban) in personal care products in Nepal.
