The Environmental Working Group is criticizing the Food and Drug Administration after the agency abruptly withdrew a proposed rule meant to prevent asbestos contamination in talc-based cosmetic products. The Biden-era regulation would have required standardized screening methods to ensure talc used in cosmetics is asbestos-free. The FDA withdrew the proposal just days into the holiday season, sparking immediate concern among consumer safety advocates. “It’s just crazy,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group. Defending its notice of withdrawal, the FDA said it was acting “on the basis of the Make America Healthy Again priorities to ensure safe additives in the American food and drug supply,” adding that it intends to reconsider the best way to address the safety issues raised in the now-abandoned proposal. The agency also said it plans to develop a “less costly” rule aimed at reducing the risk of asbestos contamination. Faber dismissed that pledge. “I think there’s a better chance Santa is going to come down my chimney than for FDA to propose a new rule,” he said. 2022-2021 FDA testing found no asbestos in a sample of 50 talc-based cosmetic products. But Faber argues the testing was not broad enough, pointing to his organization’s analysis of 2,000 products that found a 15% contamination rate. “Nothing says happy holidays like more cancer,” he said. “We’re going back to the honor system, where we simply trust companies to test these products and cross our fingers and hope they’re free of asbestos.” Lawmakers who helped craft the 2022 Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act mandating the FDA to expand safety oversight, including testing for asbestos, are also raising alarms. Earlier this year, Democrats sent a letter to the FDA commissioner demanding answers about delays in implementing the law. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., who signed the letter, called the agency’s decision to withdraw the rule both “reckless and dangerous.” The push for stronger oversight dates back years and drew support from high-profile advocates, including Kourtney Kardashian, who testified before Congress in 2018 about the dangers of contaminated makeup. The Environmental Working Group says it expects legal challenges in response to the FDA’s latest move.