Product Stewardship and Safety

Gradient evaluated the potential exposure to and risks associated with lead-based paint found on imported consumer products facing a national recall. We advised our client on appropriate laboratory analyses for evaluating exposure, estimated a child's potential exposures to lead via hand-to-mouth contact, and performed blood lead modeling to determine the impact of exposure.

Gradient developed a screening protocol to evaluate ecological risks from ingredients in personal care products such as skin lotions and cleansers. The protocol involved using QSAR models and toxicity databases to enable rapid screening of large numbers of organic and inorganic chemicals without generating new data. Our screening procedure was used to identify ingredients that might pose environmental risks and to determine if the use of one substitute ingredient was warranted.

For a California Proposition 65 labeling lawsuit, Gradient analyzed human skin cancer risks from dermal exposure to coal tar in shampoos. Our evaluation included a dose-response analysis of a mouse skin-painting bioassay, extrapolation of the observed results from mice to humans, and a reconciliation of the extrapolated results with data from epidemiology studies.

Gradient developed a guidance document for proper disposal of cleaning and floor care products. We evaluated disposal to large centralized treatment plants (POTWs) and smaller decentralized systems (i.e., septic systems) and described how the cleaning products could interfere with wastewater treatment processes if disposed of improperly.

For an importer of novelty products found to contain a carcinogenic chemical, Gradient assessed the potential exposure of consumers using the products, evaluated the soundness of the analytical testing, and advised the client on the scientific merits of a product recall.