The Laundress recalls more laundry products over carcinogen concern

(NEW YORK) — The Laundress is recalling hundreds of thousands of laundry products four months after issuing a separate recall of millions of laundry detergent and cleaning products.

On Friday, the company announced it was issuing a voluntary recall of about 800,000 of its fabric conditioners, which are billed as products that help “eliminate static and soften fabric,” according to a description on The Laundress website.

According to The Laundress, the products may contain ethylene oxide, a chemical impurity and a known carcinogen that both the company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which posted a recall announcement for the products on March 31, say “can cause adverse health effects if there is significant and direct long-term exposure.”

“All fabric conditioners included in this recall notice were already covered by our previous market actions in December 2022,” the company added in a statement.

Carcinogens are substances that can cause cancer and exposure to ethylene oxide specifically can lead to headaches, diarrhea, vomiting, sleepiness, eye and skin burns and breathing difficulties, among other symptoms. Long-term exposure to ethylene oxide has been associated with cancer, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

According to the National Cancer Institute, “Lymphoma and leukemia are the cancers most frequently reported to be associated with occupational exposure to ethylene oxide,” and “stomach and breast cancers may also be associated with ethylene oxide exposure.”

The Laundress shared the March 31 recall notice across its various social media platforms and on its company website. In its latest announcement, the company expressed regret at the latest recall and said it was working to rectify its processes.

“We again deeply apologize for this situation and look forward to returning soon with a renewed commitment to the highest standards of product safety and quality,” The Laundress said in a statement.

The CPSC and The Laundress recommend that anyone with recalled fabric conditioners stop using the product immediately. Consumers are advised to contact The Laundress for a full refund and then close the container without emptying it and discard it in the trash. There have been no reports of injuries or incidents related to the fabric conditioner recall so far.

Recalled products retailed anywhere between $1 and $20 and were sold over the last decade between 2011 and November 2022, according to the CPSC. They were available both in major stores like Target and through online retailers including Amazon.com and The Laundress website in the U.S. and Canada.

The Laundress notes that consumers who previously requested a refund of Laundress fabric conditioners as part of their December 2022 recall need not file a new refund request. To contact The Laundress, consumers can email customerservice@thelaundress.com or call 800-681-1915 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on weekdays.

A full list of The Laundress’ recalled products can be found at TheLaundressRecall.com.

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