DEG Toothpaste Banned from China
China’s food and drug safety watchdog announced Wednesday that a chemical called diethylene glycol was banned from being used in toothpaste in China. This chemical has been found in tubes of toothpaste around the world. Diethylene glycol is a solvent often used in antifreeze. It is similar, but much cheaper than glycerine, which is found in a number of medications and toothpastes.
The decision was made to prove to consumers that China’s products are safe to use. China’s food and drug administration states that even though there is no proof that long-term use of DEG toothpaste causes harm to users, it will still ban the chemical from being used. Chinese officials state that the ban takes effect immediately.
This week Spain has removed Chinese toothpaste containing DEG out of stores. Other countries that have taken similar action include The United States, New Zealand, Singapore, Panama, and several Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The chemical has been linked to almost 100 deaths in Panama after people used cough syrup that contained DEG instead of glycerine.
For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Defective and Dangerous Products.