In a historic move for consumer transparency, New York has become the first state in the nation to require manufacturers to disclose all intentionally added ingredients on baby diaper packaging.
Senate Bill S2279C, which the state will start enforcing no later than December 2025 is a first-of-its-kind mandate that applies to both disposable and reusable diapers. It aims to give parents critical information they currently lack about the ingredients and materials that go into diapers.
Many people assume that if a product is sold in stores, it has been thoroughly vetted for safety. But that’s not always true – especially when it comes to baby diapers.
Since many diaper companies do not disclose all their ingredients, caregivers are left to wonder what’s in these products. They’re unable to make informed decisions about what’s coming into contact with a baby’s skin.
Historic lack of oversight
Babies and toddlers are especially vulnerable to harmful chemicals because their bodies and skin are still developing, making exposure risks more concerning. What’s more, the skin around their genitals is very thin, exacerbating the risks.
Despite a baby’s increased vulnerability, diapers are largely underregulated, and companies are not required to disclose ingredients to consumers.
The Food and Drug Administration doesn’t regulate diapers as medical devices, although it regulates adult incontinence products as such. Instead, they fall under the purview of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The commission requires baby diapers be tested for lead, but does not require manufacturers to test for a variety of other harmful chemicals or disclose their ingredients, even though research shows they can contain a range of concerning substances.
With so many brands’ lack of transparency, parents and caregivers are left without knowing what the safest diaper is for their infants and toddlers.
What’s in a diaper?
The lack of federal oversight over baby diapers is especially concerning since research and product tests have found some products contain chemicals linked to health and environmental risks.
These ingredients include:
- Phthalates. These chemicals are used in many applications to make plastics flexible, even though they’ve been linked to hormone disruption.
- Volatile organic compounds. This can include hazardous air pollutants, like toluene and xylene, associated with respiratory and other health harms.
- Bleaching agents. Elemental chlorine free bleaching relies on chlorine derivatives like chlorine dioxide to whiten diaper materials, which may cause skin and respiratory irritation.
- Wetness indicator chemicals. Certain wetness indicators may use concerning chemicals like quaternary ammonium compounds and halogenated organic compounds.
- Undisclosed “fragrance.” An umbrella term used to hide many potentially harmful undisclosed ingredients used in scent mixtures.
- Pesticides. Diapers may be made with raw materials such as cotton that contain pesticides
Undisclosed fragrance is particularly concerning. While companies may intentionally add “fragrances,” the term on the label can hide up to 4,000 different ingredients – some of which, like phthalates, are linked to skin irritation, contact dermatitis and allergic reactions, and more serious health effects.
Bleaching can also be an issue. Most companies no longer whiten the pulp used in diapers with chlorine. However, some use a process called elemental chlorine-free bleaching, using chlorine derivatives such as chlorine dioxide that can irritate the skin and lungs, and harm aquatic life.
Special features on diapers can pose a risk, too. Certain wetness indicators and colorful designs may pose health risks. Some indicators may contain quaternary ammonium compounds and halogenated organic compounds. Colorants and inks may be contaminated with heavy metals, and a study in the journal Pediatrics linked diaper dyes to allergic contact dermatitis in children.
This is why stronger regulation – including a requirement for full transparency in labeling – is so important for protecting children’s health.
What the law requires
Under New York’s new law, signed in December 2024, diaper packaging must clearly list all intentionally added ingredients in order of predominance. The list can either be printed on the packaging or affixed to it.
The law does not mandate disclosure of contaminants. But it closes a major gap in transparency by requiring disclosure of every ingredient, which has until now been considered voluntary information. “Ingredient” is defined as an intentionally added substance.
Companies have 12 months after the effective date of December 11, 2024 to comply with these new labeling requirements.
Companies that fail to comply could face fines or removal of their products from store shelves. While implementation details are being finalized, consumer advocacy groups have called for rigorous enforcement of the new law to ensure compliance.
National implications
Policy experts expect other states to introduce similar legislation. Plus, companies are unlikely to sell a separate formulation or packaging just for the Empire State – what they sell in New York they’re likely to also sell in other states, too.
The new law could also create needed pressure for federal action.
What parents and caregivers can do now
With this new law, New York is putting power back into the hands of parents and caregivers. Until the law takes effect, EWG recommends parents and caregivers take steps to minimize their child’s exposure to harmful chemicals, including:
- Avoiding products with added fragrance
- Looking for diapers with unbleached pulp or those labeled as using totally chlorine-free pulp
- Choosing plain, undyed diapers with minimal or no designs
- Supporting brands that voluntarily disclose all ingredients on their packaging or online.
Unfortunately, labels can be confusing, making it difficult to tell when a brand is fully disclosing its ingredients or using vague, catch-all terms. We suggest avoiding labels that use ambiguous terms like “adhesives” or “topsheet,” as these are often mixtures and the vague terms can conceal many ingredients. Full disclosure means clearly listing the materials that make up every component in a diaper.
Consumers can look for trusted third party certifications to help guide their choices. In 2020, EWG launched EWG Verified®: Baby Diapers.
Diapers bearing the EWG Verified mark meet our rigorous criteria: they are free from chemicals, materials and byproducts linked to health harms; emit low levels of volatile organic compounds; are free from added fragrances and lotions; and disclose all ingredients and materials clearly and publicly.
A 2023 EWG-commissioned survey showed that more than half of adults rely on product labels and packaging to make purchasing decisions. And 91% expressed concern about the safety of baby care product ingredients in particular, making transparency not just a preference, but a priority. When it comes to protecting babies and toddlers, knowledge isn’t just comforting, it’s essential.
