South Africa probes sanitary products suppliers after study flags health risks
JOHANNESBURG — JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa’s consumer regulator is investigating nine sanitary napkin suppliers after a local university study detected potentially harmful chemicals in some menstrual products they sell to the country’s women.
On Monday, the National Consumer Commission (NCC) said its investigation could take six months or more. In the meantime, providers are asked to submit their most recent test results, with results expected within a month.
“The NCC is prioritizing this investigation,” spokesperson Phetho Ntaba told The Associated Press.
The investigation follows a study published last month by the University of the Free State (UFS) which found the presence of at least two endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as phthalates, bisphenols and parabens, in 16 brands of sanitary napkins and eight types of panty liners popular in South African retail stores.
Ntaba said the investigation is only focusing on nine suppliers who distributed more than one product, including Johnson. & Johnson and Procter & Gamble, which sells menstrual products in North America, parts of Europe, Kenya, Nigeria and Pakistan.
Officials said the investigation could lead to a major recall of the identified product lots.
Among the brands under investigation are JSE-listed Premier Group, which makes Lil-lets products, and Kimberly-Clark South Africa, the local division of US company Kimberly-Clark Corp, which has Kotex pads distributed in dozens of countries around the world.
Authorities will also examine Swedish multinational Essity Hygiene and Health AB, which sells Libresse feminine hygiene products; the Chinese manufacturer My Time; Here We Flo, as well as local manufacturers Anna Organics and The Lion Match Company, owner of the Comfitex sanitary napkin brand.
The companies did not comment on the study’s findings.
The academic study, published last week in the peer-reviewed journal Science of the Total Environment, found that in liners, EDC detection frequencies ranged between 75% and 100%, while in pads they ranged between 50% and 100%. The chemicals were detected even in products marketed as “free of harmful chemicals,” raising questions about long-term exposure, consumer safety and transparency.
The World Health Organization states that endocrine disruptors can interfere with the hormonal system, which can lead to metabolic abnormalities, developmental disorders, fertility disorders, reproductive problems and an increased risk of several malignancies.
While the research does not establish immediate or short-term harmful health effects, scientists said it raises concerns about cumulative exposure over time, particularly given prolonged and repeated use of menstrual products throughout a woman’s reproductive life.
Political parties and women’s rights groups have called for manufacturers to be held accountable.
Noting public concerns, UFS said that rather than implying causation, recommending product withdrawal or suggesting negligence on the part of manufacturers, its research explores potential associations between menstrual products and health conditions, thereby promoting further clinical research.
The researchers noted that these substances were not always added intentionally and could migrate into products from plastics, adhesives and manufacturing processes.
“The goal of scientific research conducted at the university is not to create fear, anxiety and panic, but to inform and empower consumers, policymakers and healthcare professionals through robust data and scientific evidence,” UFS said in a statement Friday.
Parliament welcomed the inquiry aimed at prioritizing the health and safety of South Africans.
The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities said it would work with the Department of Health and other relevant regulatory bodies, such as the South African Bureau of Standards, to evaluate and improve the current regulatory frameworks governing menstrual health products.
