Referred to as PFCs or PFAS's , fluorinated chemicals are used in many consumer products such as carper cleaning products, food packaging , clothes and furnishings because of their oil/ stain / water repellent properties.
Health concerns in the use of PFC's were found to have links to kidney and testicular cancers. These chemicals do not break down in the environment because of their chemical structure.
Alternatives found instead of PFC's are:
-choosing materials without water or stain repellant
-avoid food contact w/ greaseproof packaging (microwave etc.)
-do not purchase Teflon materials for baking /cooking
-support companies that advocate against using PFC's in their materials
Antimicrobials
Antimicrobials, also referred to as antibacterials are chemicals added to products that kill or inhibit the growth of microbes. Angtimicrobials are usually found in cleaning products, personal care products, soaps, paint, storage containers and more. Health concerns found in association w/ antimicrobials are hormone disruptors. Babies were found to be more susceptible and vulnerable to toxic chemicals. This can also trigger allergies in certain people.
To note, it has not been data supported that utilizing antimicrobial items makes a difference to your health
What we can do to prevent the spread is to:
-avoid products w/ the words "antimicrobial / antibacterial / anti-odor"
-use minimal chemical soaps w/ less ingredients
-spread the advocacy against anti-microbials
Flame Retardants
Flame retardants are chemicals that slow the process down for igniting fires. They are usually found in clothes, furniture, kitchen appliances, electronics, building materials and etc. Health concerns associated with flame retardants are when people ingest them through dust - the biggest population affected by this material are toddlers who are on their hands and feet the majority of the time.
Environmental concerns are due to soil contamination, pollutants were found to be high in levels.
What we can do to avoid using these flame retardants are looking to make sure the materials do not contain them.
Biphenols + Phthalates
Biphenols and Phthaletes are hormone disruptors, that have many uses making plastic stronger';
Biphenols are used in polycarbonate plastic bottles such as water bottles, food containers and more.
Phthalates are found in plastic wraps of vinyl flooring, shower curtains, toys, plastic wrap.
These are hormone disruptors and can disrupt our body system, especially in young children.
What we can do to avoid the use of these materials are opt for glass, porcelain or steel for containers. We can also avoid microwaving plastic
Washing hands
Some Solvents
Solvents are chemicals that are used to dissolve or disperse other substances.
Products containing solvents include oil-based paints, adhesives, wood finishes, shoe polish, cosmetics, aerosols and more.
The health concerns associated with BiPhenols and Phthalates are by breathing in the vapors that can lead to headaches, dizziness, brain fog and nerve damage. Higher levels of exposure can lead to asphyxiation or death.
Exposure to these chemicals are from products that we unknowingly breathe - wet paint from outdoor environments, gasoline, cleaning products and more.
What we can do to protect ourselves is use water based paints, instead of oil.
select Safer-Choice permitted materials
use paints , glues, stain removers in well ventilated areas
Certain Metals
Certain metals are pure metals such as mercury, arsenic, lead that are naturally found in the earth. Mining for fossils, fuel combustion, and industries are often the most widespread contamination.
Mercury: burning plants can release mercury into the air. the bacteria in the water made it more toxic, which can be soaked up through he fish of the environment. Eating fish that are long sustaining such as tuna are major sources of mercury exposure.
Arsenic: rice, mushrooms, apples and other produce can absorb water through the soil.
Lead: lead is found major sources such as paint, dust and in homes built prior to the 1980's. Lead can soak through water, and plumbing fixtures and be exposed to water making it acidic. lead was also a popular cheaper alternative to materials found in children's toys and dishes.
The health concerns for all these materials are great- all these can affect fetuses in the womb during childbirth, harm brain development and lead to behavior problems. Mercury and arsenic were found to be associated with cerebrovascular systems.
People have been exposed to metals through drinking water, ingesting or inhaling the dust. Young children are at higher risk of exposure because of the absorption of metals in relation to their bodies.
What can we do to help limit the exposure?
- reduce the dust exposure
- properly recycle
-avoid fish that are high in mercury by following the US FDA fish chart
-lower the amount of rice -based foods
- keep older toys away from children with exposure to lead
source: http://www.sixclasses.org/videos/certain-metals
Watching these videos really make me re-think of lot of the products and foods I buy. I really appreciated that they gave alternatives for ways to limit exposure to these chemicals.
ReplyDeleteI am still unsure of what it means by when they say "hormone disruptors", all I know is that hormones help regulate bodily functions. So any harm or disruption to them is not good. Biphenols and Phthaletes are two chemicals that have made me so afraid of utilizing plastics.
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