Band-Aid PFAS Lawsuit Investigation: Do Your Bandages Contain Forever Chemicals?

Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are investigating whether a class action lawsuit can be filed on behalf of people who purchased certain Band-Aid products that may contain toxic PFAS.

On April 2, 2024, consumer watchdog group Mamavation reported the results of testing performed on 40 bandage varieties to determine whether they contained PFAS, a group of synthetic substances known as “forever chemicals” that have been linked to various health problems. According to the report, the testing indicated that five Band-Aid products contained organic fluorine, an indicator that PFAS are likely present.

PFAS and Their Health Risks

PFAS are a group of thousands of synthetic chemicals that have been in use since the 1940s to make nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, food packaging, cosmetics and more. Though the substances were once widely used because of their ability to resist grease, water and stains, PFAS have more recently come under scrutiny due to their propensity to remain in the environment without breaking down, earning them the nickname “forever chemicals.”

In fact, studies have shown that PFAS can be found in the blood of nearly all Americans, and concerns about the possible health effects of the substances have fueled efforts to limit consumers’ exposure to them. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established new restrictions on PFAS in drinking water, limiting levels of two of the most common forever chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, to just 4 parts per trillion—the “lowest levels that are feasible for effective implementation.”

The EPA has warned that some groups—including industrial workers, pregnant and lactating women, and children—may be at an increased risk of exposure to PFAS compared to others.

Report Indicates Band-Aids Contain Forever Chemicals

Mamavation, a group that commissions PFAS studies on personal care items, food, menstrual products, clothing, and other consumer products, wrote in an April 2 blog post that it sent 40 bandage products across 18 brands to an EPA-certified laboratory to test for indications of forever chemicals.

According to the post, the lab used by Mamavation detects the presence of PFAS by measuring organic fluorine, a component found in all PFAS chemicals. The results of the testing indicated that organic fluorine was detected in five Band-Aid products, with the Band-Aid OURTONE bandages containing the highest amounts—ranging from 250 parts per million (ppm) to 374 ppm.

Mamavation listed four Band-Aid products—Band-Aid Flexible Fabric Comfortable Protection Bandages, Band-Aid OURTONE Flexible Fabric BR45 Bandages, Band-Aid OURTONE Flexible Fabric BR55 Bandages, and Band-Aid OURTONE Flexible Fabric BR65 Bandages—in its “Not Our Favorite Bandages” category given their high levels of organic fluorine. One Band-Aid product, Band-Aid Water Block Tough-Strips Waterproof Adhesive Bandages, was listed under the “Better Bandages” category—reserved for products in which organic fluorine was detected in amounts of less than 100 ppm.

An expert who worked with Mamavation on the study called the results “troubling,” noting that bandages are placed on open wounds and could be exposing adults and children to harmful PFAS.

How Could a Class Action Lawsuit Help?

A class action lawsuit, if filed and successful, may be able to help consumers get back some of the money they spent on the Band-Aid products. It could also potentially force Johnson & Johnson to remove any PFAS found to be in the bandages or change how they’re advertised and labeled.

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