FDA Called Out For Not Banning Toxic Chemicals In Hair Relaxers |

January 14, 2026

A well being justice group has known as out the FDA for its stalled regulation.

A well being justice group is looking out the Food and Drug Administration for dragging its ft on banning dangerous chemical substances in hair straightening merchandise.

Weaving Voices for Health and Justice shared a press launch condemning the FDA for refusing to ban formaldehyde and different formaldehyde-inducing chemical substances in hair merchandise. WEAVE known as the matter a gross negligence that may severely affect the well being of Black girls and salon employees, who primarily use these merchandise as hair relaxers.

Given the confirmed dangers of utilizing these merchandise, well being justice advocates and salon employees have urged the federal government to ban these chemical substances for years. However, after 5 consecutive missed deadlines to enact rules initially promised in 2023, WEAVE has made a public outcry, criticizing the FDA’s stalled motion.

Leaders at WEAVE have emphasised their considerations that the delayed banning isn’t solely jeopardizing Black girls’s well being however signaling that their well-being isn’t a precedence for the FDA.

“The FDA has identified concerning the risks of formaldehyde in hair straightening merchandise for over a decade,” mentioned Debra Erenberg, co-executive director of Weaving Voices for Health & Justice, in a information launch shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Failing to launch this rule but once more raises critical questions on whose well being is being prioritized and whose is being sacrificed.”

Despite open letters to the FDA, in addition to initiatives and social motion devoted to consciousness and prevention, no new laws has been made to safeguard girls from these dangerous chemical substances. As these merchandise stay available for public use, along with these dangerous corporations particularly advertising to girls of shade, the danger of most cancers and different diseases will persist.

“Every delay in releasing this rule permits continued publicity to a identified carcinogen, notably for Black girls and salon employees who bear the best danger,” added Jayla Burton, director of Programs at Weaving Voices for Health & Justice. “The science is obvious and well-documented. The continued inaction solely results in extra critical injury.”

WEAVE, alongside salon employees, continues to make grassroots efforts to forestall future victims of those chemical substances; they’ll proceed to use strain on the FDA and authorities for federal help. Although the present administration has scaled again on science-based advocacy, WEAVE continues to combat for this laws amid the misinformation disaster.

“At a time when public belief in well being protections is already fragile, continued delay solely reinforces the notion that the FDA doesn’t care concerning the lives of salon employees and customers,” Erenberg continued. “Federal management requires motion, not excuses and continued delays on essential rules.

In the meantime, to fight this systemic well being disparity, WEAVE will proceed its Beautiful Hair with the Scare marketing campaign, expanding its outreach to succeed in extra girls to straighten the details about these chemical substances.

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