Costco sold baby wipes containing high levels of PFAS, lawsuit claims
FILE-A general view of a Costco store in Teterboro, New Jersey. (Photo by Kena Betancur/VIEWpress/Getty Images)
A lawsuit filed against Costco alleges that the retailer sold baby wipes containing unsafe levels of synthetic chemicals that can be harmful.
These baby wipes contain unsafe levels of PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances), the lawsuit alleges, and can result in harmful health outcomes, including cancer, increased cholesterol levels, and immune system effects, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted.
The class action suit was filed on June 20, 2024, in California against Costco Wholesale Corp. for selling Kirkland Signature Baby Wipes, Fragrance Free, and Nice-Pak Products Inc. for creating the baby wipe product.
Costco and Nice-Pak Products face multiple allegations in the lawsuit including fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and fraudulent concealment or omission.
RELATED: PFAS: EPA imposes first-ever limits on 'forever chemicals' in drinking water
Larisa Bullard of San Ramon, California, and Mila Corrigan of New York bought the Kirkland Signature Baby Wipes, Fragrance Free, and attorneys filed a lawsuit on their behalf.
Bullard bought the wipes online from Costco several times between January 2022 and February 2024, believing the products were safe. The suit noted Bullard and Corrigan claim they would not have purchased the items, knowing they were unsafe.
According to the lawsuit, the baby wipes contained 3.7 parts per billion of PFAS after being tested in a Department of Defense laboratory.
What are PFAS, or ‘forever chemicals?'
PFAS chemicals are hazardous because they don’t degrade the environment, and have earned the nickname "forever chemicals."
How harmful PFAS are to humans is not yet fully understood, according to the EPA, but the chemicals have been linked to health issues such as low birth weight and kidney cancer.
They've been used in everyday products, ranging from nonstick pans, firefighting foam and waterproof clothing, to toilet paper and cosmetics. Although some of the most common types are phased out in the U.S., others remain.
A government study released in 2023 revealed that drinking water from nearly half of U.S. faucets likely contains "forever chemicals." With the new rule, water providers will now be forced to remove contamination put in the environment by other industries.
This story was reported from Washington, D.C.