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WASHINGTON — Back in 1980, when the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of lead acetate in hair dyes, little was known about the way skin absorbs toxic chemicals.

The skin — and the scalp in particular — were considered tough barriers to break, and many public health officials believed that even if small amounts of lead got through, or were inhaled, it couldn’t really hurt anyone.

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But in science, 37 years is an eon. So a coalition of environmental groups, academics, and consumer advocates is pushing FDA to take lead acetate off the market. It is now permitted as a color additive.

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