Are You Being Exposed to these Toxic Chemicals?

I don’t know about you, but in the recent years I have heard words like pthalates and parabens being thrown around a lot.  Products are being marketed as “paraben-free” or “non-toxic”, but what do these standards actually mean? And who is enforcing these health standards?

Stink!

A few weeks ago, a Netflix Documentary  called “Stink!” was recommended to me because it shines a light on the disturbingly unregulated industries that produce the majority of American goods.  Roughly 80,000 chemicals are used in U.S. products today, but the FDA has only banned 30. That’s right, 30!  In contrast, the UK has 1,200 banned chemicals and even those numbers are far too low. 

For years I lived under the assumption that the FDA regulated household products, just as they regulated medicine or food, but I was sorely mistaken.  In fact, there are government regulations that make it easier for companies to hide chemicals they use in their products. This makes it even more difficult to screen your products for dangerous chemicals – assuming you even know what to look for.  

One of the most shocking scenes in “Stink!” is a recorded interview with members of the FDA. During the meeting, FDA leaders admit that if arsenic (a known poison) was being used in a product’s fragrance, they could do nothing about it. This is because fragrance formulas are protected as a trade secret under American law. To put this into perspective, there are over 3,000 chemicals that are commonly used to make fragrances.  This means that you could buy a product that only has 10 chemicals listed on its ingredients, but if the word “fragrance” or “parfum” is on the bottle, there could actually be dozens of toxic chemicals!  Studies have concluded that the average perfumes/colognes have roughly 14 chemicals that are not listed on the ingredients label.

So what if there are toxic chemicals in products? It’s not like I’m eating or drinking my makeup.

One of the reasons that these chemicals aren’t as regulated is this very reason; you’re not expected to intentionally ingest any of these products.  However, studies have shown that even if we don’t consciously put these products in our body, they still can find their way into our bodies at very high levels.  For example, a 2018 study found that there were 20x more parabens in the urine of women who wore makeup versus women who rarely or never wore makeup. It was then estimated that women who wear makeup are exposed to 50mg of parabens PER DAY! These chemicals can be absorbed through our skin in small quantities and makeup products can easily get in our eyes, mouth, nose etc.

Okay, so I just spent 2 hours throwing away every product in my house with the word fragrance on it, now what?

Although I couldn’t possibly discuss every toxic chemical, here are some of the key chemical groups to look out for. I am constantly updating this list as I research more chemicals and ingredients.

1. Parabens
2. Phthalates
3. Triscolan
4. BPA (Bisphenol A)
5. Sulfates
6. Formaldehyde
7. Flame Retardants
8. Fragrance of Parfum
9. Coal Tar Dye
10. Oxybenzone

Descriptions Coming Soon: 

1. Phosphates
2. Lead
3. Dioxine

To find a detailed description of each chemical on the list, just click on one!  Some or all of these chemicals can be found in cosmetics, cleaning products, personal care products (shampoo, toothpaste, etc.), furniture, clothing, child/baby products, food packaging, and more.

The risks of these chemicals vary, but the majority of them can cause some form of cancer, infertility, birth defects, developmental issues, neurological harm, burns, flu-like symptoms, severe allergic reactions, skin/eyes irritation, faster spread of cancer, and increase the chance of heart and liver disease. 

Parting Thoughts

Unfortunately, there is no possible way to protect yourself from every toxic or harmful chemical. There are just so many in our environment and in the products and materials we rely upon.  However, we do control what we buy – although I know that many of you are on a tight budget.  I started my website so you don’t have to search blindly for products that are safe and sustainable. So use my products recommendations as a resource.

I try all of the products before recommending them, and update the site with new information on a weekly basis.  Remember to regularly check for new articles and products, or subscribe to my newsletter. Thanks for reading, and always contact me with any questions, ideas, concerns, or anything else you’d like to share.

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2672362/

https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/balanced-living/healthy-home/are-flame-retardants-toxic/

http://www.npi.gov.au/resource/formaldehyde

https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/sulfates

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/toxic-fire-retardants-will-linger-environment-for-years/

https://www.treehugger.com/health/80-sunscreens-are-ineffective-or-harmful.html

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-bpa#heart-health

https://davidsuzuki.org/queen-of-green/dirty-dozen-bha-bht/

https://www.parents.com/health/injuries/safety/harmful-chemicals-to-avoid/

https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/Phthalates_FactSheet.html

https://www.ewg.org/californiacosmetics/parabens

http://antiartificialist.com/2018/12/toxic-fragrances-stink-documentary/