Toxic Chemicals

Toxic Chemicals in the Home

Based on the book A to Z of D-Toxing: The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Our Toxic Exposures by Sophia Gushée, the top 10 chemicals (or families of chemicals) of concern and their health effects are described below. This list of common household chemicals can be used to learn, focus efforts, and strategize which chemicals to avoid.

Take a room-by-room tour of places where chemicals may be in your home.

1. KITCHEN

Cabinets & Shelves

Kitchen cabinets consume large amounts of wall space, holding dishes and packaged foods. Their beauty is one of the main focuses of a kitchen and can be seen by all.

What can’t be seen are the chemicals used to make those chemicals and shelves. Cabinets and shelves can contain chemicals from a family of chemicals known as solvents. Solvents are often used to make composite wood, paints, stains, and finishes.

• Chemicals. Solvents are used to create solutions, minimize clumping, and increase dry times. They are often used in adhesives and resins that bind wood dust when making composite wood. Solvents may affect the nervous, reproductive, development, liver, kidney, and respiratory systems. They may also cause cancer.
• Tips. Cabinets and shelves made from solid hardwood and finished with natural nontoxic paints, stains, and finishes are preferable. As a standard cabinet-building practice today, plywood is typically used to build the cabinet box (framework) and for the back panel (which holds the cabinets square and sturdy). Cabinet faces and doors (the part we see most) are typically made from composite wood, but is often available in solid hardwood. For the most nontoxic cabinets, cabinets made entirely of solid hardwood is ideal but is also expensive. When considering how to prioritize your budget, solid wood may not be a worthwhile option so choose composite woods that are free of formaldehyde. Focusing on which stains, adhesives, and paints you use are more affordable ways to detox your wood products.

Electronics

Electronics are everywhere: Computer stations for working, tablet devices displaying recipes, and “smart appliances” to remotely control settings and inform you when your steak is ready! Electronic devices heat up when in use. In order to minimize (and hopefully avoid) a fire hazard, chemical flame retardants are added to electronics.

• Chemicals. Chemical flame retardants have been linked to health conditions that involve the immune, endocrine, reproductive, developmental and nervous systems. They also may contribute cancer.
• Tips. Minimize the amount of electronics in your home. Since flame retardants are required by law to be added to electronics, the best way to minimize exposure from electronics is to minimize how much you have at home. As a bonus, this will help minimize electromagnetic fields.

2. LIVING ROOM

Furniture

There are many parts to furniture: the structure, padding, covering, and finishes that require different types of material. For example, furniture structure can be made from wood varieties, metal, and plastic, while padding can be made from foam, latex, cotton, or wool. Coverings can be made from leather varieties, synthetic materials, and have various fabric finishes; while wood finishes could be in the form of paint, stains, and sealants. In any style of furniture, there can be chemicals classified as volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

• Chemicals. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) fall within the solvent chemical family. VOCs can affect health both in the short-term and long-term. The impact can range from irritation of the eyes and respiratory system to dizziness and nausea to cognitive inabilities. Long-term effects can include damage to organ systems (such as the liver and kidneys), and the nervous system. VOCs may also contribute to cancer.
• Tips. Furniture made from natural materials—such as hardwood, cotton, and wool—typically have fewer VOCs than furniture made from synthetic materials, like composite woods, foam, and polyester. If the furniture has a paint, stain, or sealant, choose zero- or low-VOC products.

Faux leather is made from a fabric base. This base is chemically treated with wax, VOC emitting dye, or polyurethane to achieve the desired color and texture. No thanks. Real leather undergoes a tanning process that involves many carcinogenic chemicals and solvents that would make any environmentalist cringe. The process is so toxic to both the environment and the workers, in fact, that the EPA and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have closed most USA tanneries (5). At one time (believe it or not), Boston was a world leader in the production of leather goods, but so many pollutants were dumped into rivers and streams that the dirty water runoff kicked off an environmental backlash from consumers.

As for the interior components of a leather couch, there would be little difference from upholstered conventional furniture. Fire retardant foam and cheap, formaldehyde emitting particleboard is favored over a safer solid hardwood frame. Watch out for “engineered hardwood” too which uses plywood construction. All plywood contains formaldehyde glues which outgas over time. Some leather furniture makers use hypo-allergenic foams and true hardwood frames, but the leather tanning process is still a thorny issue for those that are chemically sensitive.

Drapes, Blankets & Coverings

Stain repellent fabric can be found in furniture coverings, drapes, and blankets, making them easily cleanable when liquid is spilled or splashed onto them. One of the chemicals used to create a stain repellent is in the nanoparticle family. Antimicrobials are also in this family of chemicals.

• Chemicals. Nanoparticles that have been tested on animals have resulted in behavior, metabolism, inflammation, damage to cell structure, development issues, and neurological damage. The effect on humans is unknown but thought to easily affect the human brain and organs since their minuscule size could more easily travel into the body.
• Tips. Manufacturers are not required to include nanoparticles on labels, making it tough for consumers to avoid. Initial tips for avoiding them are twofold: avoid sprays and powders with nanoparticles (or minimize sprays and powders in general), and avoid applying creams with nanoparticles over cuts (or avoid applying creams, lotions, etc. over open wounds as a general rule).

3. BEDROOM

Mattresses and bedding

Mattresses can be a major source of chemical exposure. Mattress companies are not required to disclose all of the chemicals they use and have to withstand an open flame from a blowtorch for over a minute. To accomplish this, many companies (over 90% in a recent survey) douse mattresses in flame-retardant chemicals like polybrominated diphenyl ether, better known as PBDE. These chemicals are highly toxic and do not have to be disclosed!

PCBEs are banned in Canada, Europe, and even parts of the US. They can accumulate in the body through skin and inhalation exposure and are associated with hormone, brain, and reproductive damage, especially in children.

Mattresses can also contain harmful compounds like:

• Formaldehyde – Commonly used in mattresses, especially as an adhesive in mattresses made from polyurethane foam (a toxic petroleum-based material).
• VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) – Can cause lung and skin irritation and are often found in the glue in many mattresses.
• Decabromodiphenyl Oxide and other Brominated Flame Retardants – These are linked to hair and memory loss and are listed as possible carcinogens.

Chemical flame retardants aren’t the only problem with conventional mattresses, however. Coil spring mattresses have the added danger of being high in electromagnetic frequencies. Sound crazy? Maybe not. This article from Scientific American explains how rising rates of breast cancer and melanoma in the Western world provide a possible explanation:

As we sleep on our coil-spring mattresses, we are in effect sleeping on an antenna that amplifies the intensity of the broadcast FM/TV radiation. Asleep on these antennas, our bodies are exposed to the amplified electromagnetic radiation for a third of our life spans. As we slumber on a metal coil-spring mattress, a wave of electromagnetic radiation envelops our bodies so that the maximum strength of the field develops 75 centimeters above the mattress in the middle of our bodies. When sleeping on the right side, the body’s left side will thereby be exposed to field strength about twice as strong as what the right side absorbs.

An organic mattress often contains cotton, wool, latex, or a combination of the three. On their own, these ingredients are generally considered safe but some of them can still be problematic in mattresses. Additionally, there is a lot of green-washing and mislabeling in the mattress industry and it is important to check for undisclosed added flame retardants.

Terms like “natural” and “eco-friendly” are unregulated for mattresses. They also don’t mean that the mattress is made of natural materials. A mattress must be 95% organic to meet USDA organic mattress standards and be labeled as organic. Some mattresses may use organic cotton or organic wool for the top layer, but check before assuming an organic label means an entirely natural mattress.

If a mattress is certified organic, it is certified by a third party. Look for terms like:

• GOTS – Global Organic Textile Standard. Mattresses with this certification must use at least 95% certified organic fibers for all fabric used.
• GOLS – This stands for Global Organic Latex Standard and is the first third party standard for organic latex. It specifies that the latex used must be at least 95% organic latex.
• GREENGUARD – An independent certification that requires environmental chamber tests for over 360 chemicals. This certification specifies that a mattress is low in VOCs, phthalates, formaldehyde, and other harmful chemicals and that it is safe for children and the elderly.

If you’re buying a mattress that contains both cotton/wool and latex, it is good for it to have all of these certifications.

(source)

4. BATHROOM

Soaps, Toothpastes, Shaving Creams & Other Personal Care Items

We’ve all heard the saying, “you are what you eat“. Well, your skin “eats” by absorption. The body metabolizes what it absorbs through the skin into the blood stream. Which is about 60 percent of what is applied to the skin. Your skin is the largest of your body’s organs. So, what are you feeding your skin?

The Campaign For Safe Cosmetic Reports That….

….”Personal care products like shampoo, conditioner, after shave, lotion(s) and makeup are not regulated by the FDA or any other government agency. It is perfectly legal and very common for companies to use ingredients that are known or suspected to be carcinogens, mutagens or reproductive toxins in the their products. Consumers buy these products at drug stores, grocery stores, online or in salons, usually without questioning the product’s safety.”

• Chemicals. Plastic microbeads added to products for abrasion (such as soaps, toothpastes, shaving creams, and facial scrubs) is a relatively new fad so the health effects are not fully known yet, but dentists suspect that microbeads may be contributing to dental-related diseases. The tiny pieces of plastic can get stuck in the gums and between teeth, and trap bacteria. The environmental impact may be significant and lead to an impact on human health. Water treatment equipment is not able to catch such small plastic particles,, causing the microbeads to end up in lakes. The microbeads look like fish eggs, which may be eaten by fish and other lake-residing animals. And humans could be eating those fish. (1)
• Tips. Exfoliate with natural products—like salt, sugar, or ground nut shells—that can be easily added to nontoxic soaps to give a similar lightly-abrasive texture to your cleaners. Loofah sponges are another natural alternative. Be sure to dry the sponge completely so that it doesn’t mold.

Cosmetics & Hair Styling

Beauty products such as cosmetics and hair styling gels and sprays make us look marvelous on the outside, but may harm our insides. Petroleum distillates are one of several chemicals found in personal care products, such as lip balms, mascaras and hair products.

• Chemicals. Petroleum distillates are made from crude oil (the same oil used to make gasoline and kerosene) that has been distilled, processed, and refined. They  accumulate in bodies and may contribute to cancer. It has been prohibited or restricted in the European Union, but is still used in the U.S.
• Tips. Petroleum distillates are required to be listed on product labels, making it easier to spot products that contain it. The complexity comes in the number of names for petroleum distillates. Here are a few names that are more commonly known: petroleum, petroleum jelly, mineral oil, mineral spirits, kerosene, white spirits. Choose cosmetics and hair sprays that don’t contain these ingredients. Look for cosmetics, hair styling, and other personal care products that are made from natural ingredients.

The term “organic” has been used so loosely, with regard to these products, that it has become a widely held misconception that if the label has the word organic, or organics, on it the product is not only organic but also safe to use. This is NOT the case with the vast majority of products. Let’s take a closer look at the cosmetics industry, the industry which brings us body care products, cosmetics, deodorants, toothpaste, mouthwash, hair products, soaps and skin care products. How do they define natural and organic and why is this important to know? The cosmetics industry defines natural as:

“ingredients derived from a natural substance”

We often see long chemical names which are followed by “derived from..…” Let’s use, as an example, the process used to create cocamide DEA “derived from coconut oil” which requires the use of the cancer causing chemical diethanolamine (DEA). It’s no longer natural coconut oil as it now contains the cancer causing chemical DEA.

When ingredients in a product are truly natural they will not have been altered by the use of extreme heat or toxic chemicals. What you need to be looking for in these types of products are those who’s remaining ingredients are certified organic. Products such as toothpaste, deodorants, powders, some hair care products and most cosmetics fall into this category. The cosmetics industry defines organic as:

“any compound containing carbon”

This is also the organic chemistry definition. Carbon is found in anything that ever lived. Based on this definition, the toxic petrochemical preservative methyl paraben would be organic as it comes from crude oil which was formed by rotted vegetation. This would put methyl paraben right up there with those other three highly recommended “organic body care products”, motor oil, diesel fuel and gasoline.

The way most of the industry uses them, natural and organic really are pretty much the same thing. They may have some natural or organic ingredients but they will still most likely contain toxic chemicals. The body care industry is flooding the market with products which use words like “botanicals“, “organic“, “organics” and “natural” in their name or at least somewhere on the label. Some of them even put “Certified by _ _ _ _” which isn’t one of the official organic authorities.

Don’t get us wrong, these products are often much better than conventional products. However, most of them still contain toxic chemicals. There are some products which cannot be labeled as organic because they contain to high of a percentage of natural ingredients which cannot be certified organic. Some ingredients in this category would be water, salts, minerals, clay, metal oxides and some plant extracts which come from plants that are not farm grown, they are wild harvested, and therefore cannot be certified organic.

When shopping for organic body care and skin care products, at your local store or online, it’s next to impossible to find products that you can be sure are truly organic. That’s where we come in. One of our main reasons for this web site is to provide our visitors with access to the results of our research.

A major part of our research has been to find companies who, first and foremost, provide certified organic body care and personal care products. Secondly their natural products are produced without the use of toxic chemicals and with certified organic ingredients whenever possible. (1, 2, 3)

5. NURSERY

Children’s Stuff

Little babies urinate approximately 20 times per day and need their diaper changed every 2-3 hours.(2) That means their little butts are wiped 8-12 times per day. Those baby wipes commonly contain chemicals, including glycols.

• Chemicals. Glycols are a type of alcohol that is used to clean the skin and prevent moisture loss. They have been found to cause dermatitis (skin condition), birth defects, and damage the reproductive and kidney systems.
• Tips. Wipe little butts with organic, reusable, cotton cloths (wash cloth or cloth diaper), damp paper towel, toilet paper, or cotton balls. If standard wipes are used, select those that are unbleached, chlorine-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free, and fragrance-free.

If you skipped the section above on mattresses, then you’ll want to read it because it is far more important for infants than adults to avoid the toxic chemicals found in mattresses. In addition, European researchers found antimony, a fire-retardant chemical used in some crib mattresses, leaches through the mattress; they connected this finding to SIDS deaths. The livers of autopsied infants were also found to contain high amounts of antimony. Europe is moving away from flame retardants and requires them to be proven safe before use. Yet US laws require flame retardants be applied to many kinds of children’s clothing.

Toys

Children’s toys, such as bath toys and sponges, sometimes have antibacterial chemicals—such as triclosan—added to them to keep the toy from molding. Some toy manufacturers and distributors suggest cleaning the toy with antibacterial soap. While well-intended, the chemicals used to create antibacterial products may be harmful to health.

• Chemicals. Triclosan is an antibacterial and disinfectant. It may be affecting health by disrupting thyroid and other hormones, and doing harm to the liver and immune system. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates the use of triclosan (and other antimicrobials) as a pesticide in products like counter cleaners, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates triclosan (and other antimicrobials) as drugs and antiseptic products such as hand cleaners.(3)
• Tips. Avoid cleaning toys with antibacterial soaps or sprays. Toys that are labeled “antibacterial” may contain triclosan or other chemicals linked to health conditions. Third-party organizations such as HealthStuff (https://www.ecocenter.org/healthy-stuff) has a searchable database and develops reports advising of healthier products, including children’s toys.

Baby Bottles and BPA

Canada has taken the first steps to outlaw the sale of baby bottles made from polycarbonate plastics, which are the most common type on the market. It has done so because the plastics are made with a chemical called bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA has a structure very similar to estrogen and for that reason is referred to as a “hormone disruptor.” Hormone disruptors can interfere with the natural human hormones, especially for young children.

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