Fuller's Earth Causes...Cancer?!

Falco09 · Post by **Falco09** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 11:20 pm

I just noticed on my bottle of fuller's earth I recieved from Todd's that it says to make sure not to ingest in any way or breath in the fuller's dust because it contains carcinogens. Is this something to be concerned about or is it because it's from California, and everything in California that contains carcinogens must be appropriately labeled?

theinterchange · Post by **theinterchange** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:26 am

My bottle of Todd's FE has no warning on it, or label actually.

Randy

Indiana Strones · Post by **Indiana Strones** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:59 am

Just don't eat it.

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 7:57 am

Oh, I don't know... I sprinkle some on my corn flakes every morning.

WConly · Post by **WConly** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:33 am

binkmeisterRick wrote:Oh, I don't know... I sprinkle some on my corn flakes every morning.

I thought I was the only one who did this

! W>

ps: It also functions well as a marinade for steaks! W>

Indiana Strones · Post by **Indiana Strones** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:25 am

WConly wrote: ps: It also functions well as a marinade for steaks! W>

And don't forget some Pecard on your french fries...

JC1972 · Post by **JC1972** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:57 am

Indiana Strones wrote:
WConly wrote: ps: It also functions well as a marinade for steaks! W>
And don't forget some Pecard on your french fries...

Cassidy · Post by **Cassidy** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:05 am

Now c'mon guys, that's a pretty legitimate question that he's clearly concerned about.

Fuller's Earth has been used for everything from laundering clothes to cat litter and from treating horse's hooves to cosmetics.

I'm no chemist but Fuller's Earth has a high concentration of montmorillonite, a naturally occurring aluminum silicate - maybe that's where the concern is stemming from?

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:53 am

I think if you inhale anything like that in quantities, it may cause problems down the road. I've only ever gotten some in a small plastic bag, so I've never seen the label. However, I just did a quick google and came upon this:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA48890

Q
Can Fuller's Earth be Dangerous?
I have recently found out that I have been breathing in fuller's earth dust for several weeks. I currently have no symptoms. Any suggestions of what I can do in terms of nutrition or supplements to combat any future complications?
A
Answer (Published 4/5/2002)
Fuller's earth is a kind of absorbent clay that got its name back in the days when English textile workers combined it with water, urine, and the cleansing herb soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) to extract grease and oil from newly woven woolen cloth. "Fuller" is an old name for a worker of cloth, hence the name "fuller"s earth" for this clay. Its technical names are attapulgite or montmorillonite.

Today, fuller's earth is most commonly used in the United States in kitty litter, but it is also widely used in industry to absorb oil and grease, as a carrier of pesticides, as a flow control agent in animal feed as well as in adhesives, asphalt emulsions and tiles, paint, paper coating and textiles. You can use it at home to absorb oil spills in the garage or driveway or to remove wine stains from non-washable materials. Fuller's earth is also contained in some facial masks and is considered so safe that you can use it instead of baby powder when diapering an infant.

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You'll also see attapulgite listed among the ingredients in some over-the-counter antidiarrheal treatments. Here, its absorbent qualities are believed to trap the bacteria causing the problem and help remove them from the body.

All told, fuller's earth is a very safe and useful product. However, the dust it can throw up may irritate the eyes. While breathing in the dust can't be entirely healthy, you probably would have to inhale large amounts over a long period of time to develop any medical problems. Prolonged heavy exposure can lead to scarring of the lungs (pneumonoconiosis), but this isn't common even among fuller's earth workers, and the one case I came across in a search of medical literature turned out to be relatively mild . I doubt that you're going to suffer any serious, long-term health consequences from your exposure to fuller's earth. But if you are at risk for further exposure, be sure to wear a protective mask.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

jedidentist · Post by **jedidentist** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:53 am

I don't know for sure, but like a lot of things like asbestos and such, it's an inhalation thing. Anything that gets trapped in your lungs can cause focal irritation and weird cell growth...leading to cancer (which is just abnormal cell growth). In any case, I saw the same warning on my bottle (which is good of Todd to do), but I really wouldn't worry about it unless you're sniffing it or using it every day. And to that extent...when was the last time you heard of a cat dying of lung cancer? Cats use cat littler every day with little issue...just something to think about.

Derek

EDIT-Was writing this post while the above post was written...basically says the same thing.

Puppetboy · Post by **Puppetboy** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:10 pm

It's nothing to be concerned about - the label is just a "cover my you-know-what" requirement by the state (Oh, praise be to our beloved, all-wise protector, guardian, and guide The State!). I have seen this warning on other packages of Fuller's Earth and the mineral company I bought the bulk quantity from sent along the required safety sheet stating that it was a known carcinogen to the State of California, so I figured I'm supposed to put that warning on the package.

I'm sure that normal exposure is harmless. If you're a lab rat with fullers earth pumped up your nose 24-7 for your whole life, there might be a one-in-a-million chance you'll get lung cancer. Or if you work in a Fuller's Earth mine for 40 years, you might need to worry.

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 3:33 pm

Falco09 wrote:I just noticed on my bottle of fuller's earth I recieved from Todd's that it says to make sure not to ingest in any way or breath in the fuller's dust because it contains carcinogens. Is this something to be concerned about or is it because it's from California, and everything in California that contains carcinogens must be appropriately labeled?

Cigarettes have carcinogens in them, and people inhale those every day. Breathing in a little fuller's earth every now and then if you go crazy with it won't kill you or cause cancer. It takes prolonged and constant exposure to those kinds of things to cause any real harm. When I apply Fuller's, I always do it outside, because then I don't breathe any in, which I have in the past, and it makes me wheeze like the dickens.

Bullitt · Post by **Bullitt** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 7:28 am

See, nothing to worry about. Now... "Eat it!"

IndyFalco · Post by **IndyFalco** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 4:10 pm

NICE !!!

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Perfect Pic

nicktheguy · Post by **nicktheguy** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 8:24 pm

In the film industry up here they stopped using it because of the risks with using it in larger quantities.

bigrex · Post by **bigrex** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:41 pm

Yeah, if you were heaving fuller's earth dust, day-in day-out or any particulates in the air at too high levels, you would be in for trouble. I imagine if you put it in your mouthwash and swished with it every night and rolled your own cigarettes and included it as a secret ingredient over time you might develop a problem with your internalizing it.

Some things just aren't meant to be eaten, but I wouldn't say it's deadly toxic since it's just a variety of clay, a powdered silicate, probably once something like sand and before that rocks and boulders in a mountain range, and before that, magma far below the earth. My advice is to not eat it at any stage of it's existence, especially the magma one

If it's an aluminum silicate that may mean you are more at risk for alzheimers than cancer.

Pitfall Harry · Post by **Pitfall Harry** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 6:56 pm

Oh, well....that's a relief. I've covered myself in the stuff from head to toe for pics. I think I'd rather deal with Alzheimers than cancer.....Besides, right now I don't feel any different and my memory is a sharp as a tack!

Urrr.....

Oh, well....that's a relief. I've covered myself in the stuff from head to toe for pics. I think I'd rather deal with Alzheimers than cancer.....Besides, right now I don't feel any different and my memory is a sharp as a tack!

Fuller's Earth Causes...Cancer?!

Fuller's Earth Causes...Cancer?!

Re: Fuller's Earth Causes...Cancer?!