Vintage Talcuum powder - health hazard?

NotTheStig

NotTheStig

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I've read online that prior to around the 1970s talc was potentially sold with traces of asbestos in. The two minerals occur naturally together.
Often the vintage box sets I buy online have a talc container and although I probably wouldn't use them I wonder if I'd be better off just throwing them away?

These types of things often weren't dated but I think the 1970s was around the time product packaging started getting more detailed and potentially more regulation, so I can bet most of the things I have (and specifically the Talcuum powders) pre-date that and run the risk of asbestos contamination.

I just picked up a small lot of aftershaves and there was an Old Spice talc. As well as this probably being old enough to potentially have asbestos, on the back it mentions it has hexachlorophene in, which has been found to be absorbed into the body and caused issues with the nervous system. Obviously the amount used in my product is a big determining factor for safety, but I'm not going to know how much is it and it arguably has a bad press nowadays.

There are plenty of old talcs available on ebay and other sites. Although I doubt many people would be buying vintage talc it strikes me that there are strict rules about selling potentially hazardous products but not these. Unless I'm missing something.
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NotTheStig said:
I've read online that prior to around the 1970s talc was potentially sold with traces of asbestos in. The two minerals occur naturally together.
Often the vintage box sets I buy online have a talc container and although I probably wouldn't use them I wonder if I'd be better off just throwing them away?

These types of things often weren't dated but I think the 1970s was around the time product packaging started getting more detailed and potentially more regulation, so I can bet most of the things I have (and specifically the Talcuum powders) pre-date that and run the risk of asbestos contamination.

I just picked up a small lot of aftershaves and there was an Old Spice talc. As well as this probably being old enough to potentially have asbestos, on the back it mentions it has hexachlorophene in, which has been found to be absorbed into the body and caused issues with the nervous system. Obviously the amount used in my product is a big determining factor for safety, but I'm not going to know how much is it and it arguably has a bad press nowadays.

There are plenty of old talcs available on ebay and other sites. Although I doubt many people would be buying vintage talc it strikes me that there are strict rules about selling potentially hazardous products but not these. Unless I'm missing something.
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Thank you for the info, I had no idea!
The risk is probably only a small one but a risk all the same.


Paul.
 
Blademonkey said:
Thank you for the info, I had no idea!
The risk is probably only a small one but a risk all the same.


Paul.
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You're welcome.
Yes I don't know the extent of it. When you don't know I guess you avoid.
I am just wondering whether I should bin my vintage talcs. I am a collector so will spoil a few box sets. Or maybe seal the lids with tape
 
Lead pipes, asbestos in your talc...makes you wonder what we're doing today that is killing us without us realising it :oops:
 
NotTheStig said:
I've read online that prior to around the 1970s talc was potentially sold with traces of asbestos in. The two minerals occur naturally together.
Often the vintage box sets I buy online have a talc container and although I probably wouldn't use them I wonder if I'd be better off just throwing them away?

These types of things often weren't dated but I think the 1970s was around the time product packaging started getting more detailed and potentially more regulation, so I can bet most of the things I have (and specifically the Talcuum powders) pre-date that and run the risk of asbestos contamination.

I just picked up a small lot of aftershaves and there was an Old Spice talc. As well as this probably being old enough to potentially have asbestos, on the back it mentions it has hexachlorophene in, which has been found to be absorbed into the body and caused issues with the nervous system. Obviously the amount used in my product is a big determining factor for safety, but I'm not going to know how much is it and it arguably has a bad press nowadays.

There are plenty of old talcs available on ebay and other sites. Although I doubt many people would be buying vintage talc it strikes me that there are strict rules about selling potentially hazardous products but not these. Unless I'm missing something.
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It’s still an issue, and Johnson and Johnson have been facing tens of thousands of lawsuits in America over it, having continued to use talc with traces of asbestos in it despite their own tests in the early 1970s showing it to be there and to be potentially hazardous to customers. You still do have to check talc bottles on sale now, as any that contain actual talc also potentially contain traces of asbestos. Whether older talcs are more potentially hazardous than modern day ones, I’m not so sure, though I wouldn’t use them! I doubt there are any risks in having them in the house though, unless rusty or leaking in some way.
 
I would imagine the risk is very low. I bet all of our mums used talc on us when we were babies. At 58 my lungs are in good order, like many here. If it was that much of a problem we would have epidemic size numbers with asbestosis. If you are worried, and I can understand that, either seal the top or like TobyC says bin the contents, wear a mask as you do. Then as well how do you dispose of it ? Asbestos disposal is controlled heavily.

But then where do you stop, the biggest danger with asbestos is disturbing it. Left alone it isn’t that dangerous.
 
iirc - Talc has been associated with ovarian cancer and is now not used in baby talcum. It's the actual talc rather then residual asbestos. Only appears to effect females where childhood exposure is associated with elevated levels of adulthood ovarian cancer. Talc and asbestos are both associated with metamorphic mineral formation so it would seem quite probable that you might get both in a given vein.
 
Northam Saint said:
I would imagine the risk is very low. I bet all of our mums used talc on us when we were babies. At 58 my lungs are in good order, like many here. If it was that much of a problem we would have epidemic size numbers with asbestosis. If you are worried, and I can understand that, either seal the top or like TobyC says bin the contents, wear a mask as you do. Then as well how do you dispose of it ? Asbestos disposal is controlled heavily.

But then where do you stop, the biggest danger with asbestos is disturbing it. Left alone it isn’t that dangerous.
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I would put soapy water in it and shake it up and then flush it, no dust that way, then wash the container inside and out and leave it out to dry for a couple of days. Soapy because talc is hard to get wet.
 
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