What a week of catch up this has been around the house after being gone 3 weeks! I don't know where to start at the moment so I'm going to throw out what I want to update in no particular order and whatever pops into my head.
EWG
Confirmed: New shower curtain smell is gross
It may not be news to regular Enviroblog readers, but it's official: new shower curtain smell is caused by toxic chemicals.
A study commissioned by the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice looked at the chemical composition of PVC shower curtains bought at a variety of retailers (from Sears to Bed Bath & Beyond). They found, unsurprisingly, that shower curtains contain high levels of phthalates. They also found high level of organotins, and the single shower curtain tested for off-gassing released 108 different volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Which kinds of VOCs? Not that there's any such thing as a good VOC, but these are some particularly nasty ones. In fact, seven of them are considered hazardous air pollutants by the EPA. All kinds of fun possible health effects too, from asthma attacks to liver toxicity.
But there is good news. Many retailers are offering a greater selection of PVC-free shower curtains, made of other types of plastic or fabrics. Sears (which owns Kmart) and Target both told reporter Tami Abdollah that their companies were phasing out PVC shower curtains altogether.
What's troubling is that it takes health and environmental advocates to get clearly hazardous products off the shelves. Our toxic chemical regulatory system leaves consumers to fend for themselves, without even giving them the information they need to make decisions. Have I mentioned the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act? Yes? Just making sure.
I knew that "new" smell probably meant bad, and when Christian was chewing on the curtain one day, I knew it probably wasn't good.... at least I can get a liner at target.....
Heather you asked me about Arbonne click here http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/wordsearch.php?query=Arbonne this website is in my FYI section and it's my beauty product bible. For lack of a better term. I have researched specific ingredients if the product is not in the database AND some formulations change so double check what you are buying with the info on the site... I have noticed some products are listed with parabens but they have taken it out. It's just a really good reference. Eye opening really. I'm working on making a list on iherb of stuff I'm about to buy again.
Ok what else....my mind is blank, I'm tired... but the good tired from doing so much around here...We had a nice time in KS. I cry every time I leave my parents, it really doesn't get any easier. Christian went around calling Mom, Marsha, he would say Grandma Marsha and Grandma but it was really funny to hear him say " thank you Marsha, and Hi Marsha!! and the whiny.. My Marsha :) I love you Marsha, and he did say I love you papa Bill" unsolicited so that they were eating that up! We discovered that he can count to 14. He can also sing the song that he self titled " rock a by Christian" He got a kick out of showing off and making people laugh.. aw yes and he is very proud of himself for passing gas. He laughs and says " I tooting" then he gets beet red trying to push out another for entertainment. In contrast, Isabelle was so embarrassed for letting one go at the table, that she cried, and she was only 14 months old!!!!
Eventually I will get pics on facebook, but it's slow on dialup and many times the upload will fail and timeout when I've waited a half hr. So we'll see!
Ask EWG: What is "fragrance"?
Question: Is it true that the cosmetics industry can put any chemical into a product’s "fragrance" without showing it on the ingredients list? What do they put in there?
Answer: It's true. When you see "fragrance" on a personal care product's label, read it as "hidden chemicals." A major loophole in FDA's federal law lets manufacturers of products like shampoo, lotion, and body wash include nearly any ingredient in their products under the name "fragrance" without actually listing the chemical.
Companies that manufacture personal care products are required by law to list the ingredients they use, but fragrances and trade-secret formulas are exempt. An analysis of the chemical contents of products reveals that the innocuous-looking “fragrance” often contains chemicals linked to negative health effects. Phthalates, used to make fragrances last longer, are associated damage to the male reproductive system, and artificial musks accumulate in our bodies and can be found in breast milk. Some artificial musks are even linked to cancer. And if you've got asthma, watch out-- fragrance formulas are considered to be among the top 5 known allergens, and can trigger asthma attacks. The same kinds of chemicals are often used for fragrances in cleaning products, scented candles, and air fresheners.
To avoid those unpleasant side effects, choose fragrance-free products, but beware labels that say "unscented." It may only mean that the manufacturer has added yet another fragrance to mask the original odor. Check ingredient labels carefully, or search Skin Deep to find products that do not list "fragrance" as an ingredient.
The best solution is not to allow cosmetics companies to get through this loophole. They should be required to list all of their ingredients on the label where consumers can find out what they're buying. On top of that, cosmetics manufacturers regularly include ingredients with known or suspected links to cancer, reproductive toxicity and other negative health effects. The federal government must set safety standards for personal care products.
If you're concerned about the chemicals you use on your body every day, sign EWG's petition at cosmeticsdatabase.com and urge the FDA to make personal care products safe.
Got a question for our researchers? Send it in! We'll select one (or a few) for next month's edition of Ask EWG.
Want Ask EWG sent to your inbox? Sign up for our monthly bulletin.
That's all for now, tried to upload a couple pics 3 times and I give up........
Showing posts with label plastic concerns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plastic concerns. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
A Word From EWG
What is it?Phthalates are a common industrial chemical used in PVC plastics, solvents, and synthetic fragrances. They've been around since the 1930's, and now they're pretty ubiquitous; when they tested 289 people in 2000, the CDC found phthalates in all of the subjects' blood at surprisingly high levels. They're often referred to as a plasticizer, which we think sounds rather like a kind of exercise to be done on the living-room floor in front of videos hosted by Jane Fonda. But we digress.
What are the possible health effects?Phthalates are endocrine disruptors linked to problems of the reproductive system, including decreased sperm motility and concentration in men and genital abnormalities in baby boys. (Oh, and did you know that average sperm counts have decreased significantly since the 1940's?) More recently they've also been linked to asthma and allergies.
How can I minimize my exposure?Avoid these, and you'll also be avoiding phthalates:
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: Just like fragrances in personal care products, most air fresheners contain phthalates. http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/05/cheatsheet-phthalates.htm
Kid-Safe Chemicals Act: It's Time for Change
You deserve to know your family's products are safe. The Kid-Safe Chemicals Act, which was introduced last week in Congress, will protect your family and force chemical companies to prove chemicals are safe before they use them.
Seems like a no-brainer, right? But current law is so deficient that the Environmental Protection Agency couldn't use it to ban carcinogenic asbestos. In the past 30 years, EPA has evaluated the safety of just 200 out of 80,000 chemicals, and banned only five.
Pollution in people is associated with serious diseases like childhood cancer, autism, and ADHD, but right now the government has almost no authority to protect people from even the most hazardous chemicals.
At EWG, we've worked hard to get Kid-Safe introduced and we're dedicated to passing it. Look for more campaign information soon and click here to learn more. http://www.ewg.org/kidsafe
What is it?Bisphenol A is a toxic plastics chemical found in polycarbonate plastic and the resinous lining of food cans.
What are the possible health effects?In April of 2008, the National Toxicology Program raised concerns that exposure to BPA during pregnancy and childhood could impact the developing breast and prostate, hasten puberty, and affect behavior in American children.
How do I minimize my exposure?
Limit canned foods. BPA leaches into canned food from the lining. When possible, and especially when pregnant or breastfeeding, limit the amount of canned food your family eats. Particularly avoid canned soup, pasta, and infant formula.
Avoid polycarbonate plastic. Hard, translucent plastic marked #7 is probably polycarbonate, which leaches BPA, especially when heated. Ditch your polycarbonate water bottles in favor of a stainless steel bottle. Don't microwave plastic -- use ceramic or glass instead.
If you're formula feeding your infant, consider using powdered formulas packaged in non-steel cans. Also, choose baby bottles made from glass or specially-marked plastics that don't leach BPA (like polypropylene or polyethylene).
Where can I learn more?http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/04/cheatsheet-bisphenol-a-bpa.htm
What are the possible health effects?Phthalates are endocrine disruptors linked to problems of the reproductive system, including decreased sperm motility and concentration in men and genital abnormalities in baby boys. (Oh, and did you know that average sperm counts have decreased significantly since the 1940's?) More recently they've also been linked to asthma and allergies.
How can I minimize my exposure?Avoid these, and you'll also be avoiding phthalates:
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: Just like fragrances in personal care products, most air fresheners contain phthalates. http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/05/cheatsheet-phthalates.htm
Kid-Safe Chemicals Act: It's Time for Change
You deserve to know your family's products are safe. The Kid-Safe Chemicals Act, which was introduced last week in Congress, will protect your family and force chemical companies to prove chemicals are safe before they use them.
Seems like a no-brainer, right? But current law is so deficient that the Environmental Protection Agency couldn't use it to ban carcinogenic asbestos. In the past 30 years, EPA has evaluated the safety of just 200 out of 80,000 chemicals, and banned only five.
Pollution in people is associated with serious diseases like childhood cancer, autism, and ADHD, but right now the government has almost no authority to protect people from even the most hazardous chemicals.
At EWG, we've worked hard to get Kid-Safe introduced and we're dedicated to passing it. Look for more campaign information soon and click here to learn more. http://www.ewg.org/kidsafe
What is it?Bisphenol A is a toxic plastics chemical found in polycarbonate plastic and the resinous lining of food cans.
What are the possible health effects?In April of 2008, the National Toxicology Program raised concerns that exposure to BPA during pregnancy and childhood could impact the developing breast and prostate, hasten puberty, and affect behavior in American children.
How do I minimize my exposure?
Limit canned foods. BPA leaches into canned food from the lining. When possible, and especially when pregnant or breastfeeding, limit the amount of canned food your family eats. Particularly avoid canned soup, pasta, and infant formula.
Avoid polycarbonate plastic. Hard, translucent plastic marked #7 is probably polycarbonate, which leaches BPA, especially when heated. Ditch your polycarbonate water bottles in favor of a stainless steel bottle. Don't microwave plastic -- use ceramic or glass instead.
If you're formula feeding your infant, consider using powdered formulas packaged in non-steel cans. Also, choose baby bottles made from glass or specially-marked plastics that don't leach BPA (like polypropylene or polyethylene).
Where can I learn more?http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/04/cheatsheet-bisphenol-a-bpa.htm
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
As Long as They Make $
http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/04/cheatsheet-bisphenol-a-bpa.htm This article is about BPA in plastics, it mentions children and pregnant women... I'm so TIRED of finding out about more CRAP, (ok I have been trying to get out of the habit of that word since my kids repeat everthing, but they can't read this), that "they" big companies put in food, plastic, lotions, everything just so they can make more MONEY. They are other alternatives and maybe if everyone quit putting crap in stuff they would have to compete for business and have affordable prices. It's no wonder more kids are autistic and what not, so much contamination everywhere. It's hard to find a balance when you're an anal all or nothing person. Should I be guilt-ridden for having frozen pizza every weak or buying hotdogs...would it have been better if I just didn't know?? I could go along ignorantly and eat my chips and hotdogs in peace, not worry about chemicals on my apple peels. Now they say this BPA lines cans, so that tomatoe sauce I thought was so healthy isn't so great after all? Baby bottles, baby formula cans, sippys...All I can do is slap myself in the face, remember the Lord Almighty still controls everything and try to do my best and be temperate. Eating healthy and CHEAP is hard. It is too bad we can't just know that if we can buy something, it's safe, but that's not the world we live in, we live in the world where the bottomline is more important than treating others as we would want ourselves or families treated. I shall now step off my soapbox and wish you all a happy rest of the week. :)
ps Lindsay, http://www.iherb.com/ has Aubrey Organics Vegecol for dry sensitive skin. I have the moisturizer, it's light enough I used it this winter but the vegecol rates good on the database. In a past post I have a 5 dollar discount code if you end up going that direction.
ps Lindsay, http://www.iherb.com/ has Aubrey Organics Vegecol for dry sensitive skin. I have the moisturizer, it's light enough I used it this winter but the vegecol rates good on the database. In a past post I have a 5 dollar discount code if you end up going that direction.
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