Cardinal Health · Incontinence Pads & Protection
Cardinal Health Wings Extra Underpads
Avoid or call Cardinal Health directly. Underpads use waterproof coatings often containing PFAS with zero brand transparency.
Cardinal Health underpads have a moisture-barrier coating meant to stop leaks, a job historically done with fluorinated PFAS chemicals. The brand makes no PFAS-free claims or offers testing results, leaving the risk unknown.
The better-graded swap
Wellness
Wellness Excelerator Booster Pad
70/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Good.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Cellulose/wood pulp with moisture barrier coating (unspecified)
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Cardinal Health Wings Extra Underpads is made of, ingredients and materials
Cardinal Health Wings Extra Underpads use cellulose and wood pulp as the absorbent core, which is biodegradable and not a material linked to PFAS. The critical component is the moisture barrier coating on the backing, which the manufacturer does not publicly disclose. Waterproof coatings in incontinence pads are commonly formulated with PFAS (PFAS "forever chemicals") to achieve water repellency; without transparency, you cannot confirm this product avoids them. The unspecified coating is the primary chemical concern.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
PFAS
Unspecified waterproof backing coating in incontinence pads commonly contains PFAS. Cardinal Health's complete silence on composition, combined with the product's 'Poor' PFAS safety grade, suggests PFAS presence is probable but unconfirmed. Prolonged skin contact with PFAS-containing materials is associated with bioaccumulation and toxicity concerns.
Source, ATSDR ↗Coating degradation and leaching
Without known coating chemistry, long-term degradation behavior cannot be assessed. Cellulose cores can absorb moisture and potentially compromise barrier integrity over time, but this is mechanical rather than chemical. Any leaching risk depends on the specific coating formulation.
What’s reassuring
Formaldehyde / VOCs
No public reports of formaldehyde contamination in Cardinal Health Wings underpads. Wood pulp and cellulose can be treated with formaldehyde resins in manufacturing, but incontinence pad producers typically avoid this to prevent skin irritation. No established concern for this specific product.
Source, ATSDR ↗Skin irritation from coating or additives
No recalls or consumer complaints of allergic contact dermatitis linked to Wings underpads are on record. Cellulose itself is inert. Risk would arise only if the coating contains irritant chemicals, which remains undisclosed.
Microplastic shedding from synthetic components
Wings underpads are primarily cellulose and do not rely on synthetic polymers as the core absorbent. The barrier coating material is unknown; if it is polyethylene or polypropylene, minimal microplastic shedding is expected under normal use, as underpads are not washed or agitated.
The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Cardinal Health (the distributor; product manufactured by Cantel Medical) has provided zero public disclosure about PFAS use in Wings underpads or any commitment to PFAS-free formulations. No independent third-party certifications (e.g., OEKO-TEX, cradle-to-cradle) are advertised for this product. The brand's silence on coating composition is standard in the incontinence-pad industry but represents a significant transparency gap for consumers concerned about chemical exposure through prolonged skin contact.
How it compares in its category
Most disposable incontinence pads (Tena, Depend, Northshore) use similar cellulose-plus-barrier designs with proprietary, undisclosed coatings. Few brands in this category voluntarily test for or certify PFAS absence. Cloth reusable underpads (e.g., Kylie Brand) and some specialty brands (Conscious Products) explicitly market PFAS-free barriers, making them alternatives if PFAS avoidance is a priority. Cardinal Health Wings sits in the mainstream, cost-conscious segment with no differentiation on chemical safety.
If you buy it
Before purchase, contact Cardinal Health customer service (1-800-423-3537) and request documentation of the moisture barrier coating composition, specifically whether PFAS is present. Use underpads as directed; do not heat, wash, or microwave them, as this could degrade the coating and increase any leachable risk. Replace underpads when visibly soiled or saturated; do not reuse. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to minimize any potential coating degradation.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Cardinal Health has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
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More incontinence pads & protection grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.