Myth Watch

The myth: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser pads are being banned because they contain formaldehyde.

The reality: For once, some bad news about a product turns out to be untrue. But the rumor has become so widespread that the pads’ producer, Procter & Gamble Co., posted a denial on its website: “Formaldehyde is not and has never been an ingredient.”

The background: Snopes.com, which investigates online rumors, started getting inquiries about the cleaning pads in 2004. The questions arose from the pads’ ingredient list that included formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite copolymer. P&G; said the compound was not true formaldehyde any more than sodium chloride (table salt) is sodium. Trace amounts of actual formaldehyde could be present in the product, P&G; acknowledged, but less than in indoor air. Magic Erasers are not being discontinued.

Info: www.homemadesimple .com/sites/en_CA/mrclean/ME_ Truth/index.shtml and www.snopes.com/medical /toxins/eraser.asp