Background: In 1973, the FDA proposed regulation to assure that cosmetic products were at least 99.9% asbestos-free. Instead, the talc industry established voluntary standards for testing asbestos in talc in 1976 and set a “zero tolerance” standard. Talc mining and manufacturing companies have since claimed that their pharmaceutical and cosmetic grade talc is asbestos-free. Objective: Evaluate the claim that consumer talc is “asbestos-free” by reviewing records produced by talc mining and manufacturing companies. Methods: The authors employed systematic search techniques and a grounded theory approach to review corporate documents. Talc-related documents were initially searched for asbestos-related terms. The authors conducted additional searches, focusing on terms associated with testing protocols, quality control measures, and specific talc mines and mills. The authors also reviewed depositions of individuals connected to talc litigation. Results: Corporate tests indicate that talc used in cosmetics contained asbestos, arsenic and silica. The test methods adopted by the industry had a high limit of detection and therefore could never assure that talc was asbestos-free. Even with insensitive methods, company tests identified asbestos in talc mines and in talc products. Talc that tested positive for asbestos was sometimes re-tested to achieve a negative result before it was sent to market. Discussion: Talc companies cannot assure a “zero tolerance” standard for asbestos in talc. IARC has classified asbestos as an ovarian carcinogen and epidemiologic studies have shown as association between talc use and ovarian cancer. The presence of asbestos in talc provides a possible explanation for this association.