Risk management approach for talc, RN 14807-96-6

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and partner organizations advocate for the listing of talc under Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and a comprehensive ban on its use in personal care products. They argue that current industry-led changes are inadequate and that risk management must account for the racialized and gendered contexts of talc exposure, particularly the targeting of Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, and Filipino communities by companies like Johnson & Johnson. The authors emphasize that a precautionary approach is necessary to protect vulnerable populations, including athletes and gendered occupations such as makeup artists and estheticians, from inhalation and perineal risks.

• The authors support listing talc under Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) because it is considered toxic under Section 64 of the act due to its harm to human health.
• To effectively decrease inhalation and perineal exposures, the authors argue that talc must be prohibited across a broad range of personal care products, including baby powder, body powder, chafing creams, lubricants, shaving creams, antiperspirants, sprays, wipes, and bath bombs.
• The document asserts that talc-based products have disproportionately targeted BIPOC women, specifically noting that Johnson & Johnson targeted Black women in its marketing of talc-based baby powder while white women shifted away from such products.
• The authors claim that current risk management is insufficient because it relies on industry-led proactive change and lacks clear labelling regarding the hazards of perineal application.
• Beyond feminine hygiene, the document identifies other high-risk exposure scenarios, including the use of talc among ballet dancers, intravenous drug users injecting oral medications, and professionals in gendered occupations like makeup artists, hair stylists, and estheticians.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2021). Risk management approach for talc, RN 14807-96-6. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Talc-Risk-Management-Response-1.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Risk management approach for talc, RN 14807-96-6. 2021. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Talc-Risk-Management-Response-1.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Risk management approach for talc, RN 14807-96-6 |date=23 June 2021 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Talc-Risk-Management-Response-1.pdf#new_tab |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2021risk, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Risk management approach for talc, RN 14807-96-6}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Talc-Risk-Management-Response-1.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }