Asbestos and Talc: Should You Still Use Talcum Powder?

Between mounting evidence that traditional talc is a potentially-dangerous asbestos product, and the recent $10.55 million mesothelioma settlement in favor of the family of a man who developed “meso” after working at the R.T. Vanderbuilt talc mine in Schenectady, New York, the Manhattan-based asbestos lawyers at The Williams Law Firm, P.C. want to provide this information to consumers about using talc.

Here are four reported facts to consider about talc and old-fashioned talcum powder.

• TALC FACT NO. ONE: A 2013 STUDY AUTHORED BY CANCER DOCTORS AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN’S HOSPITAL AND BASED ON RESEARCH INVOLVING NEARLY 2,000 WOMEN WITH OVARIAN CANCER DETERMINED THAT 20 TO 30 PERCENT OF THEM HAD USED OLD-FASHIONED TALCUM POWDER.
• TALC FACT NO. TWO: STUDIES FOCUSING ON TALC MINERS FOUND THAT THEY EXPERIENCE AN INCREASED INCIDENCE OF LUNG CANCER AND OTHER RESPIRATORY DISEASES.
• TALC FACT NO. THREE: ALTHOUGH NEWER TALCUM POWDERS ARE REPORTEDLY MANUFACTURED WITHOUT ASBESTOS-CONTAINING TALC, WHICH IS A MINED AND CRUSHED MINERAL ROCK, TALC FIBERS STILL TAKE YEARS TO DISSOLVE.
• TALC FACT NO. FOUR: SO-CALLED ASBESTOS-FREE TALC HAS NOT UNDERGONE THE SAME DEPTH OF RESEARCH LOOKING AT ITS TOXICITY AS TRADITIONAL TALC.

The bottom line, according to the American Cancer Society, is that there is all-around insufficient research indicating what levels of talc are safe or carcinogenic to humans.

That said, people with known respiratory ailments, and anyone concerned with their long-term lung health, are well-advised to find non-toxic alternatives to talcum powder. They include:

• BAKING SODA
• CORNSTARCH
• RICE FLOUR
• POWDERED LAVENDER BUDS

If you live in Manhattan or anywhere nationwide and have questions about asbestos exposure, feel free to contact the mesothelioma trial attorneys at The Williams Law Firm, P.C. online or by telephone at 855-575-MESO (6376).

Legally Reviewed by

Joseph P. Williams
Renowned Mesothelioma Attorney

March 14, 2025

As the founding partner of Williams Law Firm, Joseph P. Williams has dedicated over 30 years to representing mesothelioma victims and their families. His firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for those affected by asbestos exposure, offering personalized, aggressive legal advocacy. Based in New York, Williams Law Firm provides free consultations and handles cases nationwide.