Costco Lawsuit Alleges Kirkland Baby Wipes Contain Dangerous Forever Chemicals

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Costco and Nice-Pak Products face a proposed class action lawsuit that alleges fragrance-free Kirkland Signature Baby Wipes are unfit for their intended use since they contain unsafe levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly called forever chemicals.

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The 33-page Costco lawsuit emphasizes that PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals known to be particularly harmful to children and have been linked to thyroid disorders, immunotoxic effects, cancers, liver damage, fertility issues and other adverse health effects. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are known as forever chemicals given that they break down slowly, if at all, in the human body and nature, the filing states.

Although wholesaler Costco and manufacturer Nice-Pak claim the Kirkland baby wipes are “made with Naturally Derived Ingredients,” research conducted by the plaintiffs’ counsel, using a Department of Defense ELAP-certified lab, found that the products contain 3.7 parts per billion (ppb) of PFAS, the false advertising lawsuit says. Nevertheless, the Kirkland baby wipes are specifically touted as free from chlorine, dyes and phthalates and gentle and clean on babies’ skin, the suit notes.

The case alleges Costco and Nice-Pak have deceived consumers into believing the Kirkland wipes are safe to use on babies and infants.

According to the complaint, the presence of PFAS in Kirkland baby wipes is “particularly alarming” given the sensitivity of babies’ skin and that the area around a baby’s genitals is “even thinner and more susceptible to exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.” The health risk to infants and babies using wipes containing PFAS becomes “even more alarming” when considering that parents and caregivers generally use between 10,000 to 12,000 baby wipes each year, the filing adds.

The case contends that no reasonable consumer would expect a product marketed as for babies and infants, and made with naturally derived ingredients, to contain toxic PFAS.

“Plaintiffs and the members of the Classes bargained for a product that is made of naturally derived ingredients and were thus deprived of the basis of their bargain when Defendants sold them a Product—intended to be used on babies—containing high levels of toxic PFAS chemical, thereby exposing their babies to potentially sever [sic] health consequences.”

Per the case, PFAS are often used to make nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothes, stain-resistant fabrics, firefighting foams, and other products resistant to grease, water and oil.

The Kirkland baby wipes lawsuit looks to cover all persons in the United States who bought fragrance-free Kirkland Signature Baby Wipes within the applicable statute of limitations period.

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