Via Enviroblog, here are seven things found in the home that contain Phthalates, which has been proven to both smack the crap out of men’s sperm counts and feminize little boys. The Environmental Working Group put together a full report that can be read here. It’s kind of scary- 25% of American women are likely to have elevated levels of these hormone disrupters. Do your best to dodge these:
- Nail polish: Dibutyl phthalate is often used to make nail polish chip-resistant. Look for it on the ingredients list, where it may be shortened to DBP.
- Plastics in the kitchen: Take a critical eye to your cupboards. Phthalates may be more likely to leach out of plastic when it’s heated, so avoid cooking or microwaving in plastic.
- Vinyl toys: Phthalates are what make vinyl (PVC) toys soft, so don’t give them to children. Opt instead for wooden and other phthalate-free toys, especially during that age when they put everything in their mouths!
- Paint: Paints and other hobby products may contain phthalates as solvents, so be sure to use them in a well-ventilated space.
- Fragrance: Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is often used as part of the “fragrance” in some products. Since DEP won’t be listed separately, you’re better off choosing personal care products, detergents, and cleansers that don’t have the word “fragrance” on the ingredients list.
- Vinyl: Vinyl shows up in a lot of different products; lawn furniture, garden hoses, building materials, and items of clothing (like some raincoats) are often sources. Aside from carefully choosing materials when you’re making purchases, there is one easy change you can make: switch to a non-vinyl shower curtain. That “new shower curtain” smell (you know the one) is a result of chemical off-gassing, and it means your shower curtain is a source of phthalates in your home.
- *Air Fresheners: New research from the NRDC demonstrates that, just like fragrances in personal care products, most air fresheners contain phthalates. That even goes for the ones labeled “fragrance free.” NRDC suggests that you open your windows and use fans to circulate air and keep it fresh.
2 Comments
Nice piece, Shea. Though I’m a green biz writer, health topics (green living) are a major interest of mine.
Though my preference is to be light, there will be no levity in this comment.
Big biz has for eons sacrificed women’s and children’s health to make a buck. And I should probably add “knowingly” at least lately and at least for some businesses. Your case in point: 25% of US women likely to have elevated phthalate levels.
Yes, they effect hormones, but they’ve also been shown to be carcinogenic. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re one of the major reasons why the US breast cancer rate is so high. Makes sense to me.
They’ve been in women’s fragrances and other “stuff” women put on their skin/body forever. (Sure, some men are affected — but nearly to the same degree as women have been simply because men aren’t generally wearing make-up, applying nail polish, etc.)
KIDS
As for kids, your #3 covers the biggie. All those baby toys made of PVC and other soft plastics (such as cute little rubber duckies) have contained this toxin. And little children have sucked on those for years. It’s so egregious it’s just sick. “Isn’t it ironic” (yes, Alanis, it is — I need to add some comic relief for myself!) that the American public gets in an uproar about lead in toys being imported from China? Big biz in “developed” countries have been poisoning kids for eons. As for the China uproar — people should blame Mattel and the big toy cos that have outsourced to China to save a buck. Mattel should have been testing their toys all along, not leaving it to some mom and pop Chinese biz to essentially police itself. What kind of QC is that? The kind that doesn’t want to know, IMO.
EU BAN
Too bad the US hasn’t followed the European lead in banning this toxin. Though Gov. Arnold S. in CA just recently banned — or “terminated” — phthalates in toys for young children (3 yrs and younger, I believe). Once you hit 4, you are apparently on your own. Anyway, better than what the other states have done.
BOTTLED WATER
One last note — phthalates are contained in some plastic water bottles and/or caps — and have been shown to leach out into the water. The longer the bottles sit, the more the toxin generally leaches out. There ARE regulations pertaining to max phthalate levels in tap water, but — last I heard/read — NOT in bottled water.
I hope this comment helps some people avoid this toxin!
Thanks for the contribution Beth!