TIP TALKS
The e-Newsletter of the
Toxics Information Project (TIP)
October, 2012
*****************************************************************************************************
A SCARY SUBSTANCE FOR THE SPOOKY SEASON:
PHTHALATES! (Booooooo!)
*************************************************
INDEX
**Plastics Chemicals Linked To Diabetes In Women
**Maine Lab Finds Reproductive Toxins Known As Phthalates
At Very High Levels In Children’s Products
Parents Call On Me Legislature To Pass Kid-Safe Products Bill
**Two Nasty Chemicals To Purge From Your Bathroom:
Triclosan & Phthalates
**Nail Salons And Their Health Effects
**Denmark Defies Eu With Planned Ban On Phthalate Chemicals
**Lunchbox Alert – And Disney Is A Culprit!
**Phthalates In Household Cleaning Products Linked To Breast Cancer –
Video & Tips
** New Environmental Working Group Guide To Healthy Cleaning
***************************************************
This month’s TIP TALKS looks at some of the most prevalent modern bad
guys – commonly used chemicals with a variety of ghoulish effects on
people’s health – and a real threat to kids!
**Research: Phthalates & Diabetes in Women? (In males, nasty
reproductive & neurological effects); Phthalates in Children’s Products
** Tips on Avoidance: Bathrooms can be truly detoxed with know-how;
Nail Salon Health Effects (Colorful nails are not so pretty?)
**Legislation: If you live in Denmark, a new ban protects your kids !
(Or you can do so by knowing the magic label on toys)
**Action: The Dark Side of Disney: No to phthalate-laden lunch boxes!
**Resources: Maid Brigade Video & Tips on Cancer Links to Phthalates
in Cleaners; New EWG Healthy Cleaning Guide to 2,000 products.
******************************************************************
PLASTICS CHEMICALS LINKED TO DIABETES IN WOMEN
Environmental Health News, By Crystal Gammon, July 30, 2012
www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/2012/study-links-plastics-chemicals-to-womens-diabetes
A group of chemicals found in household plastics and medical supplies is
linked to higher rates of diabetes in women - up to double the rate for
women with the highest levels, according to new research led by Harvard
scientists. "It's extremely likely that phthalates and other chemical
contaminants will turn out to be a big part of the obesity and diabetes
epidemic, but at this point we really don't know how these chemicals are
interacting with each other, or with the human body." -Richard
Stahlhut, University of Rochester Until now, most phthalate research
has focused on reproductive consequences because these compounds seem
to disrupt male hormones. Boys exposed to phthalates in the womb had
signs of feminized genitalia, which may lead to fertility problems.
Researchers also have found neurological effects, including reduced
IQs and attention problems in boys.
In the new research, certain phthalates - dibutyl phthalates (DBP),
which are primarily used in adhesives and lacquer finishes, and benzyl
butyl phthalate (BBP), a component of vinyl flooring, caulks and
sealants - were linked to double the rate of diabetes in women with
the highest levels of phthalate markers in their urine, according to
the report published this month in Environmental Health Perspectives.
DBP and Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), a plasticizer found in vinyl
products including IV bags and tubing, were also linked to higher blood
glucose levels and insulin resistance, two common precursors of type 2
diabetes, according to the study.
********************************************************************
MAINE LAB FINDS REPRODUCTIVE TOXINS KNOWN AS PHTHALATES
AT VERY HIGH LEVELS IN CHILDREN’S PRODUCTS
PARENTS CALL ON ME LEGISLATURE TO PASS KID-SAFE PRODUCTS BILL
www.cleanandhealthyme.org/Campaigns/Phthalates/tabid/126/Default.aspx
April 7, 2008 (Augusta, ME) - Results from new testing by the Alliance
for a Clean & Healthy Maine show high levels of phthalates, toxic
chemicals that have been linked to harmful health effects, in popular
children’s products. Waterproof crib mattress covers, teething rings,
toys, and bubble bath are among the products recently tested by a
Maine lab for the presence of phthalates. 20 of the 24 products
tested contained phthalates, chemicals banned in children’s products
in Europe, California & Washington State.
**********************************************************************
TWO NASTY CHEMICALS TO PURGE FROM YOUR BATHROOM: TRICLOSAN & PHTHALATES
Healthy Child, Sept. 24, 2012,
www.healthychild.org/blog/comments/two_nasty_chemicals_to_purge_from_your_bathroom_triclosan_phthalates/#ixzz28jpMbaeU
A clean bathroom is a beautiful thing. But did you realize that some of
the very same toxic chemicals used to clean your tub & toilet are also
found in your antiperspirant or perfume? Yuck. While you may not be
able to detoxify personal care & house cleaning routines overnight,
there are toxic chemicals lurking in your bathroom that should be
shown to the door immediately.
1. Triclosan Does your soap contain triclosan? Triclosan is an
antibacterial agent that may be contributing to bacterial resistance
in humans, leading to superbugs that can’t be killed by antibiotics.
Because triclosan may harm the immune system, there’s a concern it may
make people more likely to develop allergies. Triclosan is present in
makeup, toothpaste, anti-perspirants, fragrances, & face cleaners. It’s
even in the pet’s shampoo. Actually, you can find triclosan almost
anywhere in your home: in sheets, clothing, boots, countertops, sponges,
& more. Both ubiquitous & persistent, triclosan is stored in human
body fat. Bottom line: Ridding your bathroom routine of triclosan
may be one of the easiest ways to detoxify your home & body.
2. Phthalates Phthalates are toxic chemicals used to make plastics
soft & are part of the chemical composition of fragrance found in air
fresheners, cosmetics, detergents, cleaning products & more. That
“shower curtain smell”? It’s a sure sign of phthalates off-gassing
into your bathroom. Phthalates are ubiquitous. A body burden study
by the Centers for Disease Control found one phthalate, dibutyl
phthalate (DBP), in all 289 people tested. Long associated with
hormone disruption that reduces sex hormone levels, & may contribute
to infertility, phthalates were recently associated with doubling the
risk for type 2 diabetes for people age 65 and older. Two other
phthalates, diethyl & butylbenzyl phthalate (DEP and BBzP) are asthma
triggers. Bottom line: It’s not easy to avoid phthalates so look
for products labeled “phthalate free.” Ditch the vinyl shower curtain.
Stay away from any product listing DBP, DEP or BBzP. Avoid scented
products like candles and air fresheners.
*********************************************************************
NAIL SALONS AND THEIR HEALTH EFFECTS
www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/your-manicure-looks-beautiful-but-the-health-effects-are-ugly/article4416784
July 15, 2012 Ever wonder about the health effects of "nail salons?"
From the article above, "In Toronto, nail polish & removers are
considered hazardous waste. ... Both polish and remover contain acetone,
which can cause everything from headaches and dizziness to nervous
system & reproductive problems. Polishes are infamous for containing
the "Big Three" hazardous chemicals: toluene, which can damage nervous
& reproductive systems; formaldehyde, which can cause rashes & asthma;
and dibutyl phthalate, which has been shown to affect sexual organ
development in male fetuses." Tanning parlors & nail salons are
everywhere - and the health effects of both are not pretty.
***********************************************************************
DENMARK DEFIES EU WITH PLANNED BAN
ON PHTHALATE CHEMICALS
www.euractiv.com/consumers/danish-minister-bans-endocrine-d-news-514424
September 12, 2012. Danish Environment Minister Ida Auken has
decidedto ban four industrial chemicals linked to disrupting the
human endocrine system, pushing Denmark ahead of the European Union,
which has already started a process of phasing out phthalates. Auken
said she would introduce a ban this Fall on DEHP, DBP, DIBP & BBP
phthalates, which have been linked to reduced sperm count, causing
male sterility. They’re also accused of pushing young girls into
puberty too early & causing liver cancer in rats. "The Danish
Environment Ministry has enough documentation so we feel now is
time for action," Auken told EurActiv. Phthalates are chemical
substances which are used to make plastic soft and more flexible.
They can be found in everyday products such as rubber boots,
oilcloths and vinyl flooring & some of them have already been
banned in Europe for use in children’s toys. (Note: You can
identify toys meeting that standard by the label CE EN71)
********************************************************************
LUNCHBOX ALERT – AND DISNEY IS A CULPRIT!
Phthalates are toxic chemicals already banned from children's toys
because we know they're dangerous to kids - linked to serious health
problems, including asthma, ADHD, and diabetes. Unfortunately,
companies like Disney are exploiting loopholes in federal law.
A recent study from the Center for Health, Environment and Justice
found that most children’s lunch boxes -- which technically aren’t
“toys” -- contained up to 30 times the amount of toxic dust deemed
safe by the federal government. Disney’s lunch boxes were some of
the worst offenders. This year, an independent study found levels
of phthalates in Disney-licensed lunch boxes 20 times higher than
the legal toy phthalates limit! Kids and cartoons? Classic.
Kids and chemicals? Not so much. Alternatives exist. Tell Disney
to do the right thing for kids & take toxic chemicals out of their
lunch boxes! Sign the Moms Rising petition at:
http://action.momsrising.org/sign/ToxicDisney/?akid=3515.1791396.6CAqr4&rd=1&t=1
*********************************************************************
PHTHALATES IN HOUSEHOLD CLEANING PRODUCTS
LINKED TO BREAST CANCER – VIDEO & TIPS
ATLANTA—Knowledge is power, and in this case, possibly a matter of life
and death. As more information comes out linking chemicals in household
cleaning products to breast cancer, Maid Brigade has released an
informative video & tips to help today’s women protect their individual
and families’ health with safe cleaning practices. See:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWjFF0-YUP8&lr=1&uid=8W6JukawrpABOpzE1Wbmog
The more women clean the higher their chance for breast cancer,
according to two recent studies by the Silent Spring Institute. A study
in the Journal of Environmental Health also reported that women who use
ordinary cleaning products were often as much as two times more likely
to develop breast cancer than women who used a more natural cleaning
approach. “Everyday exposures to toxic chemicals in things like laundry
detergent, cleaning supplies, air fresheners, even a home’s indoor air
can increase women’s chances of developing breast cancer,” says Marie
Stegner, consumer health advocate for Maid Brigade, a green house
cleaning services company.
In Maid Brigade's new video, Stegner discusses with Leslie Reichert –
author of The Joy of Green Cleaning and a nationally recognized green
cleaning expert – why ordinary cleaning products put women at increased
health risks. “Chemicals in cleaning products called phthalates
(endocrine disrupters) short out cells so cells can’t talk to each
other,” comments Reichert. “When that happens, they [cells] end up
making more or less hormones than they should. That’s when cancer cells
can be created.
*********************************************************************
NEW ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP GUIDE TO HEALTHY CLEANING
Cleaning is a chore that just has to get done - but why does picking
a safer cleaning product also have to be a burden? The scary fact is,
ingredient labels aren't mandatory for cleaning products. Some companies
don't list anything, while others list just one or two ingredients or
use vague nonsense terms. It might not come as a surprise that there
are dangerous ingredients in cleaning products - some known to harm the
lungs, trigger asthma or linked to cancer. No one is making sure these
products are safe for you and your family, so EWG went to work. For
over a year, EWG staff scoured the labels & websites of thousands of
products to compile a wide-ranging list of chemicals in household
cleaners, & conduct extensive scientific reviews of these substances.
EWG's 2012 Guide to Healthy Cleaning rates more than 2,000 household
cleaning products for toxicity & disclosure. Use it to sidestep the
worst products out there & reduce the number of harmful chemicals
to which you might be exposed.
Click the link below (or copy it) to access the new EWG Guide to see if
your cleaners – from all-purpose to laundry detergent – make the grade.
www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners?inlist=Y&utm_source=201209cleanersreleasesuba&utm_medium=email&utm_content=third-link&utm_campaign=toxics
***************************************************************
NOTE: TIP IS PROBABLY THE ONLY ORGANIZATION WITH WHOM YOU ARE
IN CONTACT THAT NEVER SENDS OUT SPECIFIC CALLS FOR DONATIONS!
NEVERTHELESS, WE DO NEED FINANCIAL SUPPORT. DO CONSIDER ONE OF
THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS – SOME THAT COST YOU NOTHING!
***************************************************************
EASY WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR WORK:
BENEFIT TIP WHILE SURFING OR SHOPPING THE WEB
at: www.goodsearch.com/?charityid=818190
BENEFIT TIP WHILE SHOPPING ON THE WEB AT:
www.igive.com/welcome/warmwelcome.cfm?c=38382&m=0
OR BEST OF ALL, MAKE A DONATION:
Mail a check to TIP at the address below (We are a tax deductible
organization)
**************************************************************
Liberty Goodwin, Director
Toxics Information Project
P.O. Box 40572,
Providence, RI 02940
Tel. 401-351-9193
Website: www.toxicsinfo.org
***********************************************