Thousands of baby powder bottles have been recalled in 35 states due to potential asbestos contamination.

Dynarex Corporation initiated the recall on September 19, which has now been expanded to more than 40,000 bottles of its products, the United States Food and Drug Administration said (FDA) reports.

Baby powder is traditionally made from a mineral called talc, although some modern formulas are made from cornstarch or potato starch. Talc, which is very effective at absorbing moisture and reducing skin rashes through friction, is composed primarily of magnesium, silicon and oxygen and is found in many cosmetic products for adults and babies.

Talc is often mined from areas where other minerals are present, including asbestos. Asbestos is a known carcinogen.

“If talc mining sites are not carefully chosen or appropriate steps are not taken to properly purify the talc ore, it may contain asbestos,” the FDA said in a statement.

Asbestos is also often present in construction materials, especially in old buildings. As a result, construction and demolition workers are often exposed to dangerous levels of this compound. According to the World Health Organization, exposure to asbestos is linked to more than 200,000 deaths each year worldwide.

Routine sampling of Dynacare baby powder by the FDA found low levels of asbestos in these products. The first recall in September involved 62 cases of 14-ounce bottles of baby powder. There are 24 bottles per case. Upon further investigation by the FDA, an additional 1,020 cases (of 14- and 4-ounce baby bottles), or nearly 42,800 bottles of baby powder, were included in the recall because all of the products were manufactured at from the same bulk material.

“The company has ceased distribution of the product while an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the talc contamination,” the FDA said. “Consumers who have purchased Dynacare Baby Powder should immediately stop using it and return it for a full refund.”

News week contacted Dynarex Corporation and Amazonwhere the product was sold online, email for feedback. To date, no adverse events have been reported in connection with this event.

Affected products, lot numbers and expiration dates have been included in the table below:

The product was sent to distributors on or after January 18. The map below shows where the boxes were distributed:

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