Plastic
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Currently Known Chemicals of Key Concern:
There are two villains here: a family of chemical compounds called phthalates that make PVC plastic soft (as in plastic shower curtains or wash-off baby books that go in bathtubs) and the industrial chemical bisphenol A (a hard, shiny plastic often used for baby bottles and sippy cups). Although the chemicals involved are different they have a similar effect, mimicking hormones. As they leach out of the plastic they feminize babies and small children. This leads to a variety of problems, including smaller penises as well as planting the seeds for cancer that can develop later in life.
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; page 67
Phthalates
Also referred to as plasticizers, phthalates are a family of eight hormone-mimicking chemical compounds. These compounds are the additives that make plastic soft and flexible in everything from toys, shower curtains, and plastic bags to vinyl floors and medical tubing. They are also used to enhance personal-care products by making perfume last longer, nail polish more elastic, and lotions more easily absorbed in the skin. Check out this CBS video: Phthalates.
If you want to be able to spot phthalates think soft plastic, like wash-off baby books, plastic shower curtains, medical tubing, kitchen flooring, food packaging, and even some toys. Hard plastic cars that children pedal around the backyard do not contain phthalates.
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; page 70
Phthalates in rodent studies by EPA
In rodent studies the EPA conducted, rats exposed to phthalates contracted liver cancer and developed damaged kidneys; in addition, male rat pups exposed to the chemicals in utero experienced dramatic reproductive mutation, including smaller scrotums, undescended testicles, hypospadias, and reduced penis size. This cluster of abnormalities frequently results in lower sperm counts, infertility, reduced testosterone, and testicular cancer, a phenomenon scientists now refer to as “phthalate syndrome.”
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; pages 72 – 73
“Are some phthalates more dangerous than others?”
There are eight chemical compounds in the phthalate family, some more toxic than others. The three most potent phthalates are diethyl phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and benzylbutyl phthalate (BBP). Not only do they adversely affect health by themselves, but even in small doses they interact with one another in ways we don’t understand. The dominant phthalate, DEHP, which is in, among other things, shower curtains, cable sheathing, garden hoses, and some toys, has been used so widely that it can now be found literally all over the world: in subsurface snow in Antarctica and in jellyfish more than three hundred feet below the surface of the Atlantic.
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; page 73
What Products Contain the Big Three?
- DEHP: vinyl products, floor tiles, upholstery, shower curtains, cables, garden hoses, rainwear, car parts and interiors, packaging film, sheathing for wire and cable, some food containers, toys, and medical devices
- DBP: nail polish, cosmetics, and insecticides
- BBP: adhesives, paints, sealants, car-care products, vinyl flooring, and some personal-care products
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; page 73
The CDC reports that children are exposed to Phthalates by:
- Breathing air contaminated with phthalates that have migrated out of phthalate-containing products in our homes, like shower curtains, vinyl flooring, garden hoses, and some plastic toys.
- Mouthing soft plastic toys that contain phthalates.
- Applying personal-care products that contain phthalates, especially to highly absorbent areas of the body, like armpits, the palms of the hand, or the scalp.
- Eating food that has come into contact with packaging that contains phthalates and bisphenol A.
- Receiving medical treatment like a blood transfusion or IV feeding tube that uses medical tubing that contains phthalates.
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; pages 76 – 77
The CDC’s findings regarding phthalates and women of childbearing years suggests that one of the chief delivery mechanisms for phthalates might be cosmetics, hair products, and lotions. A 2004 study conducted by the FDA found that two-thirds of the beauty products analyzed contained DBP. Still we don’t know the health risks resulting from our preteens’ and teens’ growing affection for and use of makeup and hair care products.
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; page 79
Phthalates in Dust
Libby McDonald, the author of The Toxic Sandbox, took a look at the Clean Production Action’s (CPA) study of dust samples. In 2004, CPA — an environmental group that works with companies to replace toxic chemicals in their products with safer alternatives — gathered dust from vacuum bags in seventy homes nationwide. They then analyzed the dust samples for chemicals that are known to be harmful to the immune system and reproductive organs in animal tests. They discovered that phthalates made up 89% of the total concentration of chemicals found, and that DEHP alone comprised 69% of the 44 toxins.
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; page 84
From The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; pages 68 – 70:
The Bad News
- Scientists call these feminizing chemicals endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors interfere with the normal functioning of hormones, including estrogen and thyroid.
- Exposure to these hormone-mimicking chemicals during critical periods in a child’s development, both in utero and in infancy, can result in lifelong injury.
- Estrogen is one of the major communicators in both the male and the female body, telling cells how they should behave. When fetal cells are exposed to even a tiny amount of additional estrogen, the reproductive system can become reprogrammed, resulting in early onset adolescence, undescended testicles, enlarged prostates, reduced sperm counts, and smaller penises.
- The reproductive abnormalities associated with these chemicals set the stage for cancers later in life, such as breast cancer or prostate cancer.
- If you have these plastics in your home, their harmful chemicals spread everywhere, even accumulating in dust bunnies.
- In rodent studies, phthalates are linked to:
- Liver cancer
- Damaged kidneys
- Slightly smaller scrotums
- Undescended testicles
- Smaller penises
- Hypospadias (a birth defect where the opening of the urethra is on the base of the penis rather than the tip)
- Reduced sperm count
- Reduced testosterone
- Testicular cancer
The Good News
- It is easy to identify the offending plastics and keep them out of your home.
- Many countries — though not yet the United States — have prohibited the use of endocrine disruptors in consumer products, especially those marketed for children. Once banned, levels of these chemicals have quickly dropped in people’s bodies.
Bisphenol A (BPA)
Although the effects of bisphenol A (BPA) are not understood as well as those of phthalates, there is enough evidence to raise an alarm. Some countries, like Japan, have already banned its use.
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; page 84
Bisphenol A in Rodents
Professor Vom Saal at the University of Missouri has been researching endocrine disruptors since 1991 and looking at bispehnol A in particular since 1995. Although there are no human studies, in animal studies he has learned that small doses of bisphenol A injure reproductive organs in male pups, increasing the size of the prostate and decreasing sperm production. In the female pups exposed in the womb, Professor Vom Saal found that the estrogenic effects of bisphenol A alter uterine and breast cells, significantly increase body weight, and result in the early onset of puberty. The dosage given to mice in these studies is comparable to the amount of bisphenol A children are exposed to on a daily basis in this country.
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; pages 84 – 85
Professor Vom Saal says on the links between low-dose BPA exposure to an array of behavioral outcomes, such as ADHD, hyperactivity, poor motor skills, and learning disabilities: “We don’t know for sure, but we see these growing health trends, starting in childhood — hyper-aggressiveness, learning problems, and difficulty with social interactions and play behavior. And, later, if not in childhood, chronic anxiety. Some of these trends are so prevalent they almost seem normal: abnormal puberty changes, fertility difficulties for both men and women, breast cancer, prostate cancer. All of these trends parallel the onset of the plastics revolution that began twenty-five to thirty years ago. Part of this is just connecting the dots.”
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; page 85
From an interview with Randy Jirtle, a geneticist in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Duke University:
Q: Could there be a connection between the increase in plastics in our environment and rising obesity rates? Randy Grenier, Waltham, Massachusetts
Jirtle: We have recently demonstrated that exposure of pregnant mice to bisphenol A (BPA), a building block of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins used to make consumer items ranging from water bottles to dental sealants, significantly reduces DNA methylation in Avy mice (Dolinoy et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 104: 13056-13061, 2007). This results in the birth of more yellow offspring, mice that become obese and have a higher incidence of diabetes and cancer as adults. Thus, there could be a connection between the increase in plastics in our environment and the rising incidence of obesity in humans. However, such an association will not be able to be demonstrated unequivocally until the expression and function of genes involved in human obesity are shown to be altered by BPA.
In animal studies bisphenol A is linked to:
- Early onset of puberty
- Obesity
- Larger than normal prostate
- Smaller sperm-carrying ducts
- Reduced sperm count
- Breast changes that represent early stages of breast cancer
- Altered immune function
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; pages 85 – 86
How Does Bisphenol A Get Into Our Children’s Bodies?
Bisphenol A is used in polycarbonate, the hard, shiny plastic used to make many products, including clear plastic baby bottles, toddler sippy cups, dental sealants, the interior coating of some food cans, sport bottles like Nalgene, and five-gallon water jugs. The greatest exposure comes not from touching these things, but when food and beverages come in contact with bisphenol A, soaking it up, especially when food and liquid are heated up in a polycarbonate receptacle. The more you heat the container, especially when it’s scratched, the more bisphenol A you drive into the food. For this reason, never pour hot liquid into polycarbonate bottles, and if they are old or scratched, bisphenol A can migrate more readily into your food so it is best to throw it out. Because bisphenol A moves easily through the placenta, moms can pass it to their unborn babies.
– The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; pages 86 – 87
- BPA and phthalates are both potent hormone disruptors that are increasingly linked to health effects like brain and behavior changes, cancer, and reproductive system damages. — Environmental Working Group
- “We don’t know for sure, but we see these growing health trends, starting in childhood — hyper-aggressiveness, learning problems, and difficulty with social interactions and play behavior. And, later, if not in childhood, chronic anxiety. Some of these trends are so prevalent they almost seem normal: abnormal puberty changes, fertility difficulties for both men and women, breast cancer, prostate cancer. All of these trends parallel the onset of the plastics revolution that began 25 – 30 years ago. Part of this is just connecting the dots.” (Professor Vom Saal in The Toxic Sandbox (2007) by Libby McDonald; page 85) (Professor Vom Saal at the University of Missouri has been researching endocrine disruptors since 1991 and looking at bisphenol A in particular since 1995.)
- Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in many outdoor-style polycarbonate bottles, and has raised lots of questions about its health effects. Recently, the National Institutes of Health said it was a “great cause for concern with regard to the potential for adverse effects in people.” Possible consequences include reproductive effects, estrogen-mimicking behavior, lowered sperm counts, and premature puberty in girls. The effects of estrogen mimickers in the body are many and very uncertain, but even the possibility of development of breast tissue should make most men steer clear, since BPA could be linked to man-boobs. (”Squeaky Green” p59)
- From MSN Health & Fitness:
- A growing body of scientific research has linked the weak estrogenic compound bisphenol-A (BPA) to a variety of health problems, such as infertility, prostate cancer, and breast cancer. BPA is the main building block of polycarbonate plastic, a hard plastic widely used to make kitchen utensils, food storage containers, travel mugs, and water bottles. BPA is also a main component of the epoxy linings found in metal food and beverage cans. The problem: Polycarbonate plastics can leach BPA into our food and beverages.
- Heat, acid, alcohol, harsh detergents, age, and microwaving can also exacerbate the release of BPA, says Frederick vom Saal, a biology professor and BPA researcher at the University of Missouri.
- Because their reproductive organs are still developing, fetuses, infants, and children are especially vulnerable to synthetic estrogens BPA. This means pregnant women and kids can benefit from reduced exposure to BPA. Reproductive-aged women may also want to be careful. “From animal models, it appears that the period right after fertilization and before a woman even knows she’s pregnant, is the most sensitive time in development,” says Randy Jirtle, a Professor of Radiation Oncology at Duke University. “So if women are even thinking of becoming pregnant, they should consider limiting their exposure to BPA.”
- In August 2009, Massachusetts warned parents as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women to avoid BPA.
- Read what you can eat to reduce BPA’s damage!
- Many plastic toys are made of polyvinyl chloride (aka PVC or vinyl), a type of plastic that is made with phthalates. Phthalates leach out of various products and into our blood streams, and are implicated in reproductive disorders and respiratory problems. They’re also found in some pacifiers, teethers and chew toys. Many toy companies have voluntarily removed PVC from their items due to safety concerns. Unfortunately, most of those companies are in Europe. (European countries banned phthalates in PVC toys over a decade ago. The city of San Francisco just did it too.) (”Squeaky Green” p122)
- Look for that familiar triangle that’s found on all plastic products. If you see a number “3″ in that triangle, it’s PVC. And the magic letter is “V.” Unfortunately, it’s not a symbol for peace. It’s a symbol for PVC. Buy latex or silicone teethers. No phthalates in those. (”Squeaky Green”)
PVC or Vinyl
Polyvinyl chloride (or “PVC,” also known as “vinyl”) is an environmental toxin. Polyvinyl chloride is widely considered to be the most toxic plastic. Vinyl chloride, the base ingredient in PVC, is a known carcinogen, and those who work in PVC plants suffer elevated health risks. Dioxins and other carcinogens are byproducts of it. In the example of making yoga mats, plasticizers are added to make the PVC soft and sticky. It’s not usually possible to know the exact ingredients of any given mat, but the most common additives include lead, cadmium, and a class of chemicals called phthalates, which disrupt the endocrine system among many other health problems. These additives off-gas and leach during product use, and are also known to seep into groundwater once the product goes to landfill.
PVC itself does not biodegrade, and it remains on the shelf, in the environment, or in the landfill. Sometimes landfills catch on fire, and then the PVC releases dioxin, hydrochloric acid, and other toxins. PVC is extremely difficult to recycle, which is why so little of it is recaptured.
CLICK HERE FOR TIPS ON HOW TO BE SMARTER WITH PLASTIC!
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