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Though scientists, environmentalists and manufacturers probably will debate the dangers of chemicals in popular products for years to come, many consumers wonder what they can do today to make "greener" choices at the store.
Unfortunately, experts say, deciphering the labels of personal and household products isn't as simple as selecting organic produce. There's no standard, enforceable definition of a "non-toxic" or "environmentally friendly" household cleaner, says Urvashi Rangan, senior scientist and policy analyst at Consumers Union. Such terms don't provide consumers with any real guarantees about products' ingredients, she says.
There's no real standard for "natural" or "organic" cosmetics, either, says Jane Houlihan, vice president for research at the Environmental Working Group.
The Food and Drug Administration requires that cosmetics companies test their products for safety so consumers don't develop a rash or eye infection. But it doesn't require companies to study whether products contain chemicals such as endocrine disruptors.
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Products for baby (top, then left to right): Seventh Generation Natural Baby Laundry Detergent is made without petroleum-based cleaners, fragrances or dyes; Born Free is made without bisphenol A; Adiri Natural Nurser is made without bisphenol A; HABA Baby's First Blocks are made in Germany without phthalates; BumkinsWaterproof contains no phthalates or lead.
By Leslie Smith, Jr., USA TODAY |
These chemicals -- which include preservatives called parabens that are
found in many shampoos and conditioners -- act like hormones and are
linked to reproductive and development problems in infants, Houlihan
says.
Because scents can be considered trade secrets, hundreds of ingredients
can be lumped together under the heading of "fragrance." Some
fragrances are made with endocrine-disrupting chemicals called
phthalates, several of which are listed as reproductive or
developmental toxins by California and have been banned in cosmetics by
the European Union.
For household cleaners, companies must disclose certain active
ingredients, or substances that the government considers "chemicals of
known concern," Rangan says. But manufacturers don't need to list
everything that they put in their products, Rangan says. Consumers may
want to avoid products with a "danger" or "warning" label, which
probably include stronger chemicals.
John Bailey, executive vice president for science at the Cosmetics, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, says manufacturers have confidence in their products' safety. He says phthalates used in cosmetics have been extensively tested and pose no health risks.
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TIMING OF EXPOSURE MAY BE CRUCIAL
For chemicals that alter the hormone system,
the timing of exposure is critical, says Richard Jirtle, a professor at
Duke University Medical Center.
His work suggests that endocrine disruptors such as bisphenol A, or
BPA, may affect developing offspring in the earliest days of pregnancy.
In an experiment published in July in Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, Jirtle found that feeding BPA to female mice
changed the color of their babies' coats. BPA caused more than cosmetic
changes. In this breed, brown mice grow up with healthy weights, while
those with yellow coats grow up to be obese, with a higher
susceptibility to cancer and diabetes.
In Jirtle's experiment, mothers fed BPA before, during and after
pregnancy had twice as many yellow babies - which made up 21% of their
litters - as mothers who weren't fed the chemicals.
In humans, endocrine disruptors are of most concern during critical
windows of vulnerability, especially the first two trimesters of
pregnancy.
The good news for moms-to-be is that, unlike toxins such as mercury and
lead, which can remain in the body for years, these chemicals don't
stick around. Tracey Woodruff, an obstetrician at the University of
California-San Francisco, says because it won't be stored in bone or
fat as some chemicals are, BPA quickly exits the body in urine.
By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY
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The Environmental Working Group recommends that consumers adopt a "better safe than sorry" approach. The group says consumers may want to watch out for certain products and ingredients:
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Fragrance, which often is included in ingredient lists as a catch-all term for dozens of chemicals, including phthalates.
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Sunscreens, which may contain estrogen-like chemicals. Houlihan recommends that consumers choose sunscreens made with zinc or titanium, which don't appear to pose this threat.
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Sodium laurel/laureth sulfate, a surfactant that Houlihan says is often contaminated with the carcinogenic substance 1,4 dioxane.
Some potentially risky chemicals aren't listed on labels, Houlihan says, because they're found in packaging. Manufacturers use a hormone-like substance called bisphenol A to line metal cans and add flexibility to plastics, such as baby bottles made with polycarbonate plastic, says Stanford University pediatrician Alan Greene, author of Raising Baby Green.
Although manufacturers say bisphenol A is safe and there are no human studies showing it poses a threat, tests in animals have linked the chemical to early puberty and cancer. Greene recommends avoiding plastics with certain recycling codes: #7 may include bisphenol A, and #3 may contain phthalates. Plastics with recycling codes 1, 2 and 5 are safer, he says.
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'GREEN' CLEANING SOLUTIONS
Experts say consumers don't need to break the bank to go green. People can clean their homes with products from the pantry: vinegar, baking soda, borax, Castile soap, cream of tartar, hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, washing soda (carbonate of soda).
Windows: Mix 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice in 1 quart of water. Spray on and use newspaper to dry.
Furniture: Mix vinegar and oil -- either olive or flaxseed -- in a one-to-one ratio, then polish with a soft cloth.
Brighten laundry: Add a half-cup of strained lemon juice during the rinse cycle.
Toilets: Pour 1 cup of borax into the toilet at night. In the morning, scrub and flush. For extra cleaning, add a half-cup vinegar to the borax.
Sterling silver: Line a plastic or glass bowl with aluminum foil. Sprinkle the foil with salt and baking soda, then fill the bowl with warm water and your silver. Tarnish will migrate to the aluminum foil. Rinse and dry the silver, then buff it with a soft cloth.
Hands/surfaces: Warm water and soap work just as well as anti-bacterial or anti-microbial products, which may contain ingredients that pollute the environment or cause antibiotic resistance.
More information from the National Center for Healthy Housing: http://www.centerforhealthyhousing.org/
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