Articles

Mary writes "Most of us have just assumed over the years that whatever is sold in the supermarkets and other stores will not harm us. We are now realizing that some chemicals we have been routinely using are anything but benign."

“EPA's Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) studies found levels of about a dozen common organic pollutants to be 2 to 5 times higher inside homes than outside, regardless of whether the homes were located in rural or highly industrial areas Sources of these pollutants are household products including: paints, paint strippers, and other solvents; wood preservatives; aerosol sprays; cleansers and disinfectants; moth repellents and air fresheners; stored fuels and automotive products; hobby supplies; dry-cleaned clothing.

Associated health effects are: eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system. Some organics can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.  Key signs or symptoms associated with exposure to VOCs include conjunctival irritation, nose and throat discomfort, headache, allergic skin reaction, dyspnea, declines in serum cholinesterase levels, nausea, emesis, epistaxis, fatigue, dizziness.

The ability of organic chemicals to cause health effects varies greatly from those that are highly toxic, to those with no known health effect. As with other pollutants, the extent and nature of the health effect will depend on many factors including level of exposure and length of time exposed. Eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment are among the immediate symptoms that some people have experienced soon after exposure to some organics. At present, not much is known about what health effects occur from the levels of organics usually found in homes. Many organic compounds are known to cause cancer in animals; some are suspected of causing, or are known to cause, cancer in humans.”http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html).

 There are simple, easy, and inexpensive ways to reduce and eliminate many chemicals from your home that are at best unhealthy, and at worst, quite toxic with too much exposure. I did and can help you do the same! 

Exposure to household toxins is linked to just about every disease that we know of, most notably cancer. Numerous animal studies have linked many of the more than 24,000 toxins that exist in our environment to negative health effects on the following systems:

    * Cardiovascular

    * Nervous

    * Endocrine

    * Respiratory

    * Reproductive

    * Immune

Because we are unable to feel, see, smell, or taste many household toxins at first contact, it is important to be aware of them and to proactively take measures to prevent or reduce our exposure to them. This is especially important for pregnant women. A study conducted in 2004 by the Environmental Working Group found that umbilical cord blood from 10 newborns contained chemicals used in consumer products, pesticides, and by-products from gasoline, garbage, and the burning of coal. Of the 287 toxins that were found in the newborns' blood, 180 are known to cause cancer in humans or animals, 217 are known to be toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 are known to cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests.

You may not be able to control everything that goes on in the world, but you can choose which products you use in your home, and what you eat.

A caution: It is important to do what we can, but not to become fanatic about it. To worry about every tiny toxin you may be exposed to will likely contribute to as many health problems as the toxins! Do what you reasonably can, then enjoy life.

DID YOU KNOW?

Of chemicals commonly found in homes, 150 have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities." (Consumer Product Safety Commission)

DID YOU KNOW?

Your perfume may be making you and those near you sick?

The National Academy of Sciences reports that 95% of the chemicals used in fragrances today are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum, including known toxins capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions. Many of the same chemicals in perfumes are the same chemicals that are in cigarette smoke. That perfume you wear may be causing headaches in the person next to you.

DID YOU KNOW?

After analyzing 2,983 chemicals used in personal care products, 884 were found to be toxic. (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health)

DID YOU KNOW?

The leading dishwasher detergent contains 3.39 grams of phosphates per tablespoon. If every North American household washed just one load of dishes each day with this product, more than 4,800 TONS of phosphates would be needlessly dumped into our waterways, threatening the natural balance of fish and algae life.

Common Household Toxins:

Here is a list of just some of the household toxins that you may find in your home. This list is not here to scare you, only to make you aware of what may be around you. A healthy body is able to rid itself of many toxins – the question is, at what point are we exposing ourselves to more than our body can handle?

Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element that occurs naturally in the environment.
Where it is found: contaminated drinking water, copper-chromium-arsenate treated lumber
Possible health effects: developmental delays, lowered IQ, behavioral problems 

Asbestos

Bisphenol A
Bisphenol A is a synthetic chemical.
Where it is found: plastic baby bottles, teethers, some plastic water bottles, lining of metal food cans, some other products made from plastic
Possible health effects: endocrine problems, cancer, infertility, hyperactivity

Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic gas. It does not have a smell or color.
Where it is found: gas stoves, auto exhaust (from nearby traffic or your garage attached to your house), leaking
Possible health effects: headaches, dizziness, cardiovascular failure, nervous system failure, death

Chlorine Bleach
Chlorine is a highly toxic gas. It is one of the most common household toxins. Many people like to use it to clean, brighten, and whiten their laundry.
Where it is found: household cleaners, chlorine bleach
Possible health effects: eye irritation, skin irritation, respiratory problems

Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is used as a preservative and disinfectant. It is a common ingredient in textile finishing products. It is also used to make resins for different purposes.
Where it is found: anything made from particleboard, furniture, carpets, some latex paints, dish washing liquids, carpet cleaners, some permanent press fabrics, fabric softeners, adhesives, glues, nail polish, nail hardener
Possible health effects: nausea, dizziness, fatigue, sore throat, burning eyes, burning nose, loss of appetite, fatigue, constipation, abdominal pain, insomnia, headaches, irritability, developmental delays in children, neurological problems, cancer, reproductive problems

Mercury

Perchloroethylene (Perc)
Perc is a volatile organic compound that is mostly used in the dry cleaning process.
Where it is found: newly dry cleaned clothing
Possible health effects: drowsiness, loss of coordination, mild memory loss, dizziness

Perfluroinated Chemicals (PFC)
PFC's are used to make non-stick surfaces and stain-repellents.
Where they are found: microwave popcorn bags, non-stick pans, carpets, scratch and stain resistant materials, fabric and cleaning products, carpets
Possible health effects: developmental problems in children, may cause cancer 

Pesticides
Pesticides are used to kill bugs and other pests.
Where they are found: food (mostly non-organic produce), bug sprays, grass that has been sprayed
Possible health effects: nerve damage, cancer, birth defects, developmental problems, reproductive problems

Phthalates
Phthalates are "plasticizers." They are used to soften plastics and make them more flexible and resilient. They give lotions their consistency. 
Where they are found: plastics (bottles, toys, storage containers, teethers, shower curtains, plastic bags, food wraps), cosmetics, personal care products (nail polish, soap, perfume, deodorant, shampoo, hair spray), detergents, and vinyl flooring
Possible health effects: developmental problems in children, hormone disruption, reproductive problems

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
PVC is a plastic that is used to make a lot of different products.
Where it is found: shower curtains, bottles, imitation leather, flooring, window frames, window blinds, pipes
Possible health effects: liver damage, damage to your lungs, central nervous system problems, reproductive problems

Triclosan (see following article)
Triclosan is an antibacterial.
Where it is found: liquid hand soaps, dish detergents, cleaning products, some toothpastes, toys, and bedding
Possible health effects: endocrine system dysfunction, immune system dysfunction

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
VOC's are gases and vapors that contain carbon. They contribute to the formation of smog.
Where they are found: cleaning products, hair spray, cosmetics, deodorants, perfume, cleaning products, carpets, paint, paint strippers, varnishes, air fresheners, dry cleaning. VOC's are released into the air as gases.
Possible health effects: cancer, allergies, asthma, neurological problems, reproductive problems, developmental problems

Food For Thought:

PBS Trade Secrets: A Moyers Report

...Our Bodies Contain Toxic Chemicals

Of the more than 75,000 chemicals registered with the Environmental Protection Agency, only a fraction have gone through complete testing to find out whether they might cause problems for human health. Many that are produced in enormous quantities have never been tested at all.

 Usually, it takes dramatic episodes of workplace injuries or wildlife poisonings, combined with rigorous scientific proof of harm and public outcry, before the government will act to restrict or ban any chemical. And that is no accident. The current regulatory system allows synthetic chemicals into our lives unless one is proven beyond doubt to be dangerous.

Sources:

An introduction to indoor air quality http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html

 (“Smelling Good But Feeling Bad, Synthetic Perfumes, Colognes and Scents Are Turning Up Noses,” Green Living Your Health, and “The Health Risks of Perfume and Other Scented Products,” emagazine.com - March 2002)

Triclosan (used in antibacterial soaps)

From www.beyondpesticides.org:

On July 14, 2009, Beyond Pesticides and Food and Water Watch submitted an amended petition to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requiring that the agency ban the use of the controversial pesticide triclosan for non-medical applications on the basis that those uses violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act. Strong scientific evidence suggests that pervasive use of triclosan poses imminent threats to human health and the environment.

“Numerous scientific studies and reports clearly indicate that in addition to its human health and environmental dangers, triclosan is not effective for many of its intended benefits and may actually be doing consumers more harm than good,” said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. “Even worse, is that current regulations on triclosan haven’t been updated since 1994 and much of the science used by the FDA to regulate the pesticide dates back to the late 1970s and early 1980s. The agency’s inconsideration of new scientific research on triclosan represents an egregious failure to properly protect the public against this dangerous pesticide.” 

Regulated by both the FDA and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), triclosan is commonly found in hand soaps, toothpastes, deodorants, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, facial tissues, antiseptics, fabrics, toys, and medical devices. Scientific studies indicate that widespread use of triclosan causes a number of serious health and environmental problems.

Chief among those issues is resistance to antibiotic medications and bacterial cleansers, a problem for all people, but especially vulnerable populations such as infants and the elderly. Triclosan is also a known endocrine disruptor and has been shown to affect male and female reproductive hormones, which could potentially increase risk for breast cancer. Further, the pesticide can also interact with other chemicals to form dioxin and chloroform, thereby exposing consumers to even more dangerous chemicals.

Due to the fact that many products containing triclosan are washed down the drain, triclosan also shows up in water systems and sewage sludge. Accumulation of the pesticide in waterways and soil has been shown to threaten ecosystems and produce hazardous residues in fish and food crops.

“Triclosan’s growth to a nearly $1 billion consumer market is indicative of the failure of the FDA to regulate unnecessary, ineffective products that are toxic to both people and the environment,” said Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides. “The marketing of triclosan preys on consumer fears regarding bacterial-born illness, despite the fact that scientific findings show triclosan to be no more effective than soap and water, and may actually cause more harm than good in advancing bacterial resistance.