Phthalates – a hidden danger
October 5, 2009 by Anna
Filed under Baby & Family
Phthalates are a group of chemicals frequently found in polyvinyl chloride (plastic #3) and are used to make plastics softer and in the manufacture of artificial fragrances. One of the most common toxic additives is DEHP, a phthalate that is a carcinogen and reproductive toxicant found in many PVC products. Phthalates are used to make soft plastic toys frequently used by infants while teething. This is a very alarming fact because the dangerous toxins are more likely to leach out when in a moist environment, such as a mouth, or when cleaned with harsh detergents, as babies toys frequently are.
Phthalates are also added to most beauty products from deodorants to hair gels to nail polish or anything made with an artificial fragrance. Because phthalates are used in the manufacture process of chemical fragrances, it is not a listed ingredient, but consider how many household or cosmetic products you use that are artificially fragranced!
Phthalates are also used as solvents in pesticides and in a variety of medical equipment, such as PVC tubing for the administration of IV medication or the bags that store donated blood. Phthalate containing plastics are even used to package many food products. In 1999, the European Union placed an emergency ban on any phthalate use in toys made for children under the age of three (a ban that has since been renewed), but the removal of any phthalates from US formulas and plastics is still totally voluntary with minimal compliance.
Bad for Baby Boys
Certain phthalates have been shown to negatively effect the kidneys, lungs, and blood clotting. These chemicals also effect the developing male reproductive tract, where the ability of phthalates to mimic estrogen (a female hormone) can disrupt genital development and cause a host of other problems for baby boys. Not only is this possible when the infant is exposed to phthalates himself, but also when his mother is exposed to them while he is in utero. This is important because the group of Americans found to have the highest exposure to phthalates is often women of child-bearing age.
As if being an endocrine disrupter and a probable carcinogen isn’t bad enough, it appears that phthalates have the ability to affect fertility by damaging the DNA of sperm, can cause serious allergies in children, and insulin resistance in adults (a condition which can lead to Type II diabetes). Despite all the research demonstrating the dangers of phthalates, these chemicals are still present in an alarming number of products that we encounter daily. In fact, it’s estimated that the average person uses at least 10 products daily with phthalates in them and we have no means to gauge the risk that represents – especially to our children.
The fact that we don’t have any reliable regulation of these chemicals seems a gross oversight. Scientists are just beginning to understand that exposure levels to these chemicals has skyrocketed over the last 50 years as plastics have replaced most other more natural materials in our world. As they leach into our food, our water, our air and are in a thousand products we use daily in our homes, the average American now carries a toxic load that may substantially affect their health. And our children have less developed immune systems and reach levels of toxic overload much more quickly than we do as adults. Therefore, it is critical that we choose products carefully and avoid all PVC packaging and chemically fragranced products.
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There’s a great website http://www.HealthyStuff.org where parents can find which toys and children’s products have chemicals concern like phthalates (and which ones are safe). Call the company if you have a toy that tested poorly and let them know your concerns.
If you must buy new things, shop at stores that have made a commitment to not use these dangerous chemicals (like Pottery Barn which now carries many kids products certified by Oeko-Tex and IKEA which stopped using phthalates in the 1990s).