US Japan Fam
  • Blog
  • About Me
    • Contact
    • Subscribe to our List Serves!
    • Press Page - Travel
    • Hire Me!
    • DIY Hair Inspo!
    • Privacy Policy & Disclaimers
  • Family Travel + Momcations
  • Membership
  • NJ / NY Guides
    • Day Trips & Weekend Getaways from NYC
    • Hudson Valley >
      • Day Trips & Activities
    • Bay Ridge Families >
      • Life in NYC >
        • Brooklyn
        • Bronx
        • Manhattan
        • Queens
        • Staten Island
      • Summer Camp Guide
      • Birthday Party Guide
      • Classes & Activities for Babies & Toddlers
      • Halloween Guide
      • Holiday Guide
      • Scavenger Hunt
      • Advertising
      • Submit Your Event
  • Blog
  • About Me
    • Contact
    • Subscribe to our List Serves!
    • Press Page - Travel
    • Hire Me!
    • DIY Hair Inspo!
    • Privacy Policy & Disclaimers
  • Family Travel + Momcations
  • Membership
  • NJ / NY Guides
    • Day Trips & Weekend Getaways from NYC
    • Hudson Valley >
      • Day Trips & Activities
    • Bay Ridge Families >
      • Life in NYC >
        • Brooklyn
        • Bronx
        • Manhattan
        • Queens
        • Staten Island
      • Summer Camp Guide
      • Birthday Party Guide
      • Classes & Activities for Babies & Toddlers
      • Halloween Guide
      • Holiday Guide
      • Scavenger Hunt
      • Advertising
      • Submit Your Event

Phthalates, Dioxins, and BPA - OH MY!

5/5/2013

2 Comments

 
We're about to go down the rabbit hole here ladies and gentlemen. If you are of the "ignorance is bliss" mentality, you have been forewarned.

A friend on facebook had one of those re-shared posts today that circulate the web again and again. It was along the lines of "Warning: Drinking bottled water that's been sitting in your car will give you breast cancer. Sheryl Crow's doctor told her that's what gave her breast cancer" yada yada yada. Shocking and frightening - yes! But I'm never one to read something and believe it 100% without looking into it a little further. So off to google I went. Got some interesting findings which led me to research phthalates, BPA, and oodles of other goodies out there leaching into our bodies on a daily basis. I'm not quite sure what to do with all of this info, so I thought I'd share it and bring you into my dark and confusing world.

Phthalates:

What: Used to increase flexibility and durability in plastics. As the plastic ages, the release of phthalates is accelerated and they easily leach into food, the air, etc. High doses have been shown to change hormone levels and cause birth defects.

Sources: PVC – think shower curtain, air mattress, etc. Fatty foods such as milk, butter, and meats are a major source. Also, check your daily cleaning and cosmetic goods such as laundry detergent, shampoo, etc.

Dioxins:

What: Highly toxic; can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer. They dissolve in fat, are eliminated from the body verrrrrrrry slowly, and are passed on from mother to child before birth and through breastfeeding.

Sources: Humans get 90% of their dioxin exposure through food, mainly meat and dairy products, fish and shellfish. Other sources are smelting, chlorine bleaching of paper pulp, manufacturing of herbicides/pesticides/PVC, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires. Diapers, tampons, and sanitary napkins all contain dioxins because of the bleach and chlorine used in their processing. Some studies showed that the levels of dioxins in these products were low, and not the most toxic or potent forms, but not much is known yet.

Parabens:

What: Synthetic preservatives that mimic estrogen and act as endocrine disrupters. These are stored in fat cells, and are not easily broken down so will accumulate in the breasts and other areas with a lot of fat, and have been found in high concentration in breast tumors. Also thought to lead to early puberty and decreased sperm levels.

Sources: Foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and personal care products.

BPA:

What: An endocrine disrupter that mimics estrogen, studies have linked prenatal exposure to later physical and neurological difficulties. In 2010 the FDA warned about its hazards to fetuses, infants, and young children, and Canada declared it a toxic substance. It’s since been banned in baby bottles.

Sources: Used to make hard usable plastics – think water and baby bottles, pacifiers, lining of canned vegetables and soups. Type 7 plastics are the most likely to contain it, with type 3 being possible, and other types being unlikely.

Phosphates:

What: An environmental pollutant. Hard to break-down by ordinary waste-processing systems, they’re carried to lakes and rivers where they increase algae growth and decrease oxygen which is needed by plant and animal life in the water.

Sources: Contained in household detergents and cleaning agents, especially dish-washing and laundry detergents.

What to Do:

So now what?? I'm completely freaked out by the amount of these products I already have exposed my baby to in-utero and in the 4 months since his birth. For sure he's going to develop 10 kinds of cancer, be developmentally challenged (what is the PC term for that these days?), and grow breasts when he's 5 (well, ok he already has them, but I think that's just his baby-fat...). No time like the present to take action. So here's what I've figured must be done:

1) Be prepared to spend more money
2) Buy organic, especially for the "dirty dozen"
3) Make sure your plastics and canned goods are labeled "BPA Free" (Thankfully, most baby items these days are clearly labeled with this, but beware of plastic hand-me-downs - especially since the older the plastic the more readily the toxins are leaching out)
4) Consider greener alternatives to the traditional brands: ex. Honest Company and Earth's Best make chlorine-free diapers (or go with cloth diapers); Seventh Generation has safer laundry and dish-washing detergents; Badger makes a mean sunscreen... Ditch the fabric softener and bubble baths altogether. There are lots of DIY cleaning tips out there as well - vinegar and water for cleaning, using wet wash clothes instead of baby wipes, etc!
5) Check your products' safety on the EWG Skin Deep Database
6) Don't buy anti-bacterial or fragranced anything, especially for baby. They're harsh on skin, have extra unnecessary chemicals, and anti-bacterial goods seem to be increasing the presence of antibiotic resistant strains, yikes!!
7) Buy bedding of 100% cotton, hemp, linen or wool (no synthetics which are full of chemicals). While you're at it, the more clothes you do this with the better.
8) For baby, go with glass bottles and silicone nipples and pacifiers (latex can release carcinogens).
9) Choose: metal or solid wood furniture with non-toxic finish (nothing made of particleboard, chipboard or pressboard), paint with low-VOCs, non-vinyl wallpaper, carpeting with the industry's "green label" (though carpeting is a nightmare for anyone with allergies, trapping mold, dust, bacteria, etc), metal blinds over PVC plastic blinds.
10) Choose wooden or cloth toys over plastic. Make sure they're free of toxic paints, glues, dyes, etc. If plush or fabric, keep them free of dust by storing in a lidded toy box.

Don't panic and throw out everything this very minute, unless money is no problem in your household, ahhhh  wouldn't that be nice?? Baby steps! As you reach the end of one product, just replace it with the safer alternative. Little by little your house will be greener and safer for your family, or at least that's the idea ^_^ I hope I can practice what I preach!! If you have tips on a great product, or how you got your family on a greener path, please leave a comment!!

Resources for more info:
Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database - they rank cosmetic goods from 0 (totally healthy for people and the environment) to 10 (we're all going to die because of this product!!).

Guide to Less Toxic Products <Baby Care> - by the Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia


2 Comments
Dent Vu link
10/1/2016 03:04:28 pm

Wastes from the factories or wastes from the homes makes the environment pollute. To remove such pollution we should grow the trees who makes the air fresh and specially we should recycle the waste for the safety of our health.

Reply
192.168.254.254 link
11/9/2020 11:23:25 pm

Very nice blog and articles. I am realy very happy to visit your blog. Now I am found which I actually want. I check your blog everyday and try to learn something from your blog. Thank you and waiting for your new post

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    US Japan Fam on Facebook
    US Japan Fam on Instagram
    US Japan Fam on Twitter
    US Japan Fam on YouTube
    US Japan Fam on Pinterest
    Picture
    My Amazon Storefront
    US Japan Fam on TikTok
    Follow on Bloglovin
    Contact Me!
    Picture
    shop my Amazon storefront

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    About  ME:

    I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins + 1), focusing on fun and honest product and travel reviews, helping busy parents find the best for their families! Find what you need in the menu bar or search section above!

    Legit Ways To Make Money From Home - a stay at home mom's guide to working from home

    USFamilyGuide.com

    Parent Reviewers Directory Listing

    Categories

    All
    All Inclusive Resorts
    Baby
    Babywearing
    Babywise
    Bay Ridge
    Bilingual
    Birth Story
    Breastfeeding
    Childbirth
    Cleaning
    Co-sleeping
    Crystal Springs Resort
    Family Friendly Hotels
    Fashion
    Female Solo Travel
    Fitness
    Giveaway
    Guest Post
    Hair Dye
    Healthy Living
    Home
    Hudson Valley
    Hypnobabies
    International Family Vacations
    Interracial Marriage
    Japan
    Japan Travel
    Jet Programme
    Kids Activities
    Lancaster
    Learn Japanese
    Long Haul Flights
    Maternity Leave
    Mexico Vacation
    Momcation
    Mommy Nearest
    Motherhood
    Multigenerational Family Vacations
    Multingenerational Travel
    New Jersey
    New York
    Pregnancy
    Review
    Road Trips
    School
    Sleep Training
    Sponsored Post
    Stay At Home Mother
    Technology
    Theater
    Theme Parks
    Toddler Faves
    Toddlers
    Toys
    Travel
    Tri State Area Travel
    Twin Pregnancy
    Twins
    Unique Accommodations
    Vaccination
    Vlog
    Weaning
    Weightloss
    Woodloch
    YouTube / Social

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    December 2012

Proudly powered by Weebly