Plastics Industry Concerned About Phthalates - You Should Be Too
PlasticsNet.com is a plastics industry resource providing timely information for plastics industry professionals. In an article titled, "Toward Safer Plastics That Lock In Potentially Harmful Plasticizers" published on August 12, 2010, they clearly state that phthalates leaching from plastics are a potential health risk for consumers.
"Phthalates are the mainstay plasticizers. Unfortunately, they migrate to the surface of the plastic over time and escape into the environment. As a result, PVC plastics become less flexible and durable. In addition, people who come into contact with the plastics face possible health risks. The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2009 banned use of several phthalate plasticizers for use in manufacture of toys and child care articles."
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How many more studies shall we do before informing consumers that this class of chemicals increases the risk of reproductive cancers, asthma, allergies, etc? Exposure while in the womb has been shown to increase the risk for developing all these long-term, horrible, painful and humiliating diseases. Please share this information. The studies are done. The studies show harm. The plastics industry admits the risk of harm to human health. It's that simple.
Scientists find new way to prevent potentially harmful plasticizers
Potential For Safer Plastics That Lock In Harmful Plasticizers
Toward Safer Plastics That Lock In Potentially Harmful Plasticizers
Chemical link to testicular cancer probed
Foetal exposure to plastic bottles, cans behind high testicular cancer rates
Investigation of relationships between urinary biomarkers of phytoestrogens, phthalates, and phenols and pubertal stages in girls.
Exposure to phthalates and breast cancer risk in northern Mexico.
The plasticizer butyl benzyl phthalate induces genomic changes in rat mammary gland after neonatal/prepubertal exposure.
Until these chemicals are banned from consumer goods, here's how you can reduce your exposure:
Don't store your food in plastic bags or containers. These bags and containers contain phthalates and they leech into your food. Choose food storage containers that are glass or metal.
Reduce or eliminate the consumption of food products, such as bottled water, that are in plastic containers. Choose glass instead. Fill a stainless steel thermos for carrying water.
Dust with a damp cloth and rinse it frequently to remove dust that is saturated with settled phthalates from offgassing plastics.
Reduce the use of conventional cleaning and body care products that re-introduce additional phthalates to your home. Choose products that are made with natural oils and natural fragrances. This is especially important if you are pregnant, plan on becoming pregnant, nursing or caring for a small child.
The books, Sunflower Naturals Non-Toxic Body Care and Sunflower Naturals Non-Toxic Cleaning Guide will help you learn to use chemical-free solutions for cleaning and many body care needs so you can reduce your risk of exposure to this obviously harmful class of chemicals.
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 Phthalates and Your Health
Phthalates are in hundreds of products you use every day, but are these chemicals safe?
Author: Emily Patterson
Date Created: July 6, 2009
NEW: Bill 1040 (Sec. 108) "Makes it unlawful to manufacture, sell, distribute, or import a children's toy or child care article containing specified concentrations of specified phthalates. Requires the CPSC to begin appointing a Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel to study the effects on children's health of all phthalates and phthalate alternatives as used in children's toys and child care articles. Requires the CPSC to promulgate a final rule to determine whether to continue such prohibition and whether to declare any children's product containing any phthalates to be a banned hazardous product under the CPSA. Considers these requirements to be consumer product safety standards."
BILL: 1040 Section 108
My comments: What about cleaning and body care products that are used ON and around children? This class of chemicals should be banned completely. If the toys are posing a health risk, what about the lotions, creams, soaps, shampoos, dishes, and other household goods children, and adults, are exposed to every single day?
Phthalates are a class of man-made chemicals that are used to soften plastics, vinyl, retain and create fragrances for body care and cleaning products and improve the consistency of body care products. Low-levels of phthalates are probably safe for humans. Maximum daily exposure levels have been established by many federal agencies to ensure public safety. The Cosmetic Industry Review even used the established levels to demonstrate that the daily consumer exposure to phthalates in cosmetic products is well within the maximum daily levels set by federal agencies to protect consumer health.
After exposure to 12 products containing phthalates you have reached the maximum daily exposure limit established by the EPA.
Sources of Exposure:
liquid soap, bar soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, cream, anti-perspirant, shaving cream, after-shave, cologne, make-up, laundry soap, fabric softener, room sprays, carpet powder, plug-in deodorizers, dish soap, dishwasher soap, floor cleaner, bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner, counter spray, plastic bottles, plastic dishes, electronics, office supplies, plastic jewelry, plastic combs, plastic brushes, blow dryers, paints, plastic sinks and tubs, synthetic fabric, adult toys, children's toys, plastic pipe, vinyl flooring, hardwood flooring, carpeting, plastic food storage containers, plastic bags, pill coatings, food packaging, vinyl/plastic shower curtains and more
The example used by the Cosmetic Industry Review of exposure to phthalates on a daily basis from cosmetics included nail polish, hair spray, deodorant and perfume. This example is definitely within maximum exposure levels developed using data showing that exposures above established maximum exposure levels there exists the potential for harm to human health.
Here is the information from the Cosmetic Industry Review publication Dibutyl Phthalate, Diethyl Phthalate, and Dimethyl Phthalate Re-review Summary (page 3-4):
"The calculated estimated exposure level of DBP from the concurrent use of multiple cosmetic products came to 9.13 :g/kg /day. This value is within the reported range of total human exposure to DBP from all sources in women, 32 :g/kg/day (upper 95th percentile for women of reproductive age) to 6.5 :g/kg/day (upper 95th percentile for rest of group). Therefore, the Panel accepted 9.13 :g/kg/day as a not unreasonable approximation of DBP exposure from cosmetic products.">
The estimate calculated by the Cosmetic Industry Review is approximately one third of the maximum daily exposure limit established to protect consumers from possible health hazards associated with phthalates. This calculation was determined based on using the following products: Nail base coat or polish, hair spray, deodorant and perfume. The example clearly states "from all sources". If those four sources are the ONLY sources of phthalate exposure you encounter on your day, you are well-within your maximum daily exposure level for phthalates. However, most people also use soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotions, creams, make-up, after-shave, shaving cream, and more every day. If the test on four products is one third of the maximum daily exposure limit, you should be able to safely use about 12 products since it is well-known that maximum exposure limits are established with a margin for error. That should be okay, right? Think again.
In addition to the twelve products you choose, you are exposed to phthalates from all of these other consumer goods: liquid soap, bar soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, cream, anti-perspirant, shaving cream, after-shave, cologne, make-up, laundry soap, fabric softener, room sprays, carpet powder, plug-in deodorizers, dish soap, dishwasher soap, floor cleaner, bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner, counter spray, plastic bottles, plastic dishes, electronics, office supplies, plastic jewelry, plastic combs, plastic brushes, blow dryers, paints, plastic baby bottles, plastic sinks and tubs, synthetic fabric, adult toys, children's toys, plastic pipe, vinyl flooring, hardwood flooring, carpeting, plastic food storage containers, plastic bags, pill coatings, food packaging, shower curtains and more. The list goes on and on. There are products in each of these categories that don't contain phthalates. However, it is probably impossible to get your exposure levels down enough to be within the established maximum contaminant level when you are exposed to phthalate emissions from almost every product you own.
According to the Phthalates Information Center, phthalates have been used safely for close to fifty years. However, there are many scientific studies that suggest that high levels of phthalates are associated with increased risk of asthma, allergies, eczema, lung development, lupus, undescended testes, hypospadias, clef pallete, extra rib pair, and premature breast development in girls. This data wasn't available 50 years ago. Phthalates were allowed into the environment before these safety studies were ever done. Here are just some of the results:
EPA Chemical Summary: Phthalates
TEACH Chemical Summary
This summary covers many of the known risks associated with phthalates. If you are like me, you may be physically ill after reading this summary. The studies exist. Most are rat and mouse models. However, rats and mice are used to show initial findings to determine additional testing and monitoring in humans. Phthalates in the environment have tripled in the last 30 years. Asthma, allergies, eczema, hypospadias, undesended testes, lupus and premature breast development have also tripled in the last thirty years.
Children's Health Article
The Association between Asthma and Allergic Symptoms in Children and Phthalates in House Dust: A Nested Case-Control Study
"Furthermore, dose-response relationships for these associations are supported by trend analyses. This study shows that phthalates, within the range of what is normally found in indoor environments, are associated with allergic symptoms [asthma, allergies and eczema] in children. We believe that the different associations of symptoms for the three major phthalates-BBzP, DEHP, and di-n-butyl phthalate-can be explained by a combination of chemical physical properties and toxicologic potential. Given the phthalate exposures of children worldwide, the results from this study of Swedish children have global implications..">
Autoimmune Disease: Phthalate Linked to Lupus in Mice
"According to a report out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Toxicology Program, published in the October 2000 issue of EHP, phthalate exposure is more extensive than previously suspected, especially in women aged 20-40 years. Other studies have pointed to possible links with asthma, rhinitis, and eczema in children as well as altered genital development in male infants. The new lupus findings add to a growing list of potential health effects caused by these chemicals.">
Lupus Foundation of America
"Thus, the history of lupus, although dating back at least to the Middle Ages, has experienced an explosion in this century, especially during the modern era over the past forty years.">
About phthalates
"For example, the phthalates dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) produced dramatic changes in male sexual characteristics when exposure took place in utero, at levels far beneath those of previous toxicological concern. These changes included increases in the rates of hypospadias and other indications of demasculinization.">
The rate of asthma, allergies, eczema, hypospadias and lupus have all more than tripled in 30 years with a linear correspondence to a dramatic increase in consumer products containing phthalates. Your phthalate exposure is well-within the standards set for your safety and the safety of your family - if you only come into contact with about 10-15 products per day that contain phthalates. The reality is, you come into contact with hundreds of products that contain phthalates every day.
Since combinations of phthalates are used to create unique fragrances, cosmetic and cleaning product companies don't have to state which of the chemicals used because it's considered proprietary information. This class of chemicals is also used as a plasticiser to make liquid soaps, lotions, creams, shampoos and conditioners smoothe-flowing. Since it has already been decided that the industry doesn't have to disclose this information because of proprietary information of the fragrances, they don't have to list it on the label as one of the ingredients - even though the product may contain up to 20% of different phthalates. Here's how you find phthalates in your favorite products: If the product ingredient label says, 'Parfum' or 'Fragance' and it is not clearly stated that the fragrance comes from plant extracts and essential oils, you can be pretty sure that the product contains phthalates.
Cleaning product companies don't have to list any ingredients on the label. But they also use phthalates to make laundry soap, fabric softener, dish soap and cream cleansers flow smoothely. The scents in cleaning products are made with phthalates and this information is considered proprietary as well.
And finally, plastic products you have in your home don't need to disclose the ingredients used to make the plastics. Take a quick glance around, how many plastic products do you see? Each one of those products could be off-gassing phthalates and having a negative effect the health of you and your family. Safety studies were based on the use of four body care products as 'from all sources'. The problem is, there are a whole lot more than four sources.
There are ways to reduce your exposure. Simply reduce purchases of plastic products. You don't have to throw out your older plastic products. Studies have shown that the highest rate of off-gassing of phthalates occurs when the products are new. Older plastics have very minimal release of phthalates. Stop purchasing products that contain phthalates when you have a choice. Most natural products do not contain phthalates and use essential oils or plant extracts for aromas. Choose natural body care products, natural cleaning products, natural paper products and natural fabrics such as cotton, hemp or wool when you replace clothing and home furnishings.
I hope you will consider forwarding this information to your family and friends. The risks associated with phthalates are not being adequately covered in the media. Consumers need to know that long-term studies are showing phthalates to be a tremendous human health hazard.
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