CPSC To Prepare Ban On Three Potentially Carcinogenic Types Of Dye Ingredients Found In Consumer Fabric Dye Products

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has directed its staff to develop a proposal to ban three potentially carcinogenic types of dyes commonly found in fabric dye products available to consumers.

In a 4-to-1 vote the Commissioners granted a petition requesting it to prepare a ban of benzidine dyes and two chemically similar types of dye components found in an estimated 60 per cent of all home dye products.

These dye products, available both in powder and liquid form, are used by consumers to impart new color to clothing or fabrics. Approximately 30 million packages are sold to consumers in retail stores each year at an average cost of about 80 cents per two-ounce package.

The CPSC action covers three types of dyes -- benzidine dyes and two of its "congeners" (dyes from the same chemical family), known as o-tolidine dyes and O-dianisidine dyes.

Scientific evidence suggests that once dye products containing these three types of dyes have entered the human system they are metabolized (or "broken down") into benzidine, o-tolidine and and O-dianisidine -- chemicals which are potential carcinogens. Benzidine, in fact, presently is regulated as a carcinogen in the workplace by OSHA. Human epidemiological studies conducted outside the United States suggest a direct link between occupational exposure to benzidine dyes and bladder cancer.

CPSC staff believes that the dyes may enter the human system either by inhalation of the dye powders; by skin absorption, such as when hands are dipped into a dye liquid; or by accidental ingestion of the dye.

CPSC staff is informed that Benzidine dyes currently are not used as components of consumer dye products; however, products containing benzidine dyes still may be available on retail store shelves and in consumers' homes.

The Commission acted in response to a petition filed by various artist groups including the Center for Occupational Hazards (based in New York City). The petition had urged CPSC to ban all consumer products used to impart color which contain benzidine dyes, o-tolidine dyes or O-dianisidine dyes; the Commission granted the petition in part by directing the staff to limit its development of a proposed ban only to consumer fabric dye products, including dyes used by amateur artists. The petition also had requested a ban of other consumer products which impart color (such as shoe polish, fingerpaints and crayons), but CPSC staff does not now believe that these products contain these three types of dyes.

Preliminary indications are that these three types of dyes have been used predominantly in the darker shades of consumer dye products, such as the browns, blues and blacks.

Before the Commission decides whether to issue a proposed ban on consumer fabric dye products containing these three dyes, CPSC staff will be gathering additional data on the health effects of these dyes and further marketing information on dye products containing these ingredients. CPSC staff also will carefully consider the probable economic impacts of any proposed ban, and will solicit comments from the public on any proposal.

All consumer fabric dye products currently available in the marketplace are within the scope of CPSC's investigation of these potentially carcinogenic ingredients. CPSC staff plans to gather information so that consumers will be able to identify which dye products actually contain one of the three types of dye ingredients. (O-Dianisidine dye components manufactured through the "copperization" process are not included currently in efforts to develop a proposed ban.)

In addition, CPSC is conducting scientific testing to determine whether fabrics which have been home-dyed pose any health risk for consumers. CPSC staff also plans to investigate potential dye release from commercially dyed clothing.

Consumers wishing further details on fabric dye products should call CPSC's toll-free Hotline at 800-638-2772.