Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetics, Toiletries and Household cleaners.

The US has the worst record in the industrialized world for regulating toxic chemicals.

Courtesy of our Corporate owned government and Congress, the federal agencies Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have exposed Americans to the highest risk from endocrine disruptors, found in most commercial cleaning and beauty products.

These chemicals mimic the effect of estrogen and other hormones in the human body. Many epidemiologists believe they are linked to the current epidemic of breast cancer, premature puberty, and both male and female infertility. Much evidence links other synthetic chemical to the phenomenal increase in cancer that occurred with the “Better Things for Better Living…Through Chemistry.” (DuPont slogan in 1935) revolution that took place after World War II. Cancer was an extremely rare condition in young and middle aged population prior to the chemical revolution.Besides the current epidemic of  childhood and young adult cancers , an asthma epidemic in children, linked to the use of commercial household cleaners during pregnancy is extremely alarming.

Food chemicals, pesticides residues are also a serious danger to your health and when considering the compounded and synergetic effects with all other chemicals ingested and used daily from birth, our home environment and health are incredible toxic. The FDA and EPA required these dangerous chemicals to be experimented on millions and millions of animals who suffered agonizing lives and deaths in the pretense of consumer safety, and the FDA and the EPA reviewed the negative reports of these chemicals over and over again in redundant studies, and still the agencies ignored the evidence and gave the corporations the go ahead.

See list of  Food chemical additives and Pesticide residues on food.

Your government does not care about your health.

Mr Obama following the steps of George H.W. Bush appointed a GMO proponent as Secretary of Agriculture and a former Monsanto executive to head food safety : action which may implicate you personally in millions of cancer cases and thousands of deaths worldwide. The chemical and biotech giant Monsanto has a documented legacy of greed, death, poverty and illness –from the creation (and subsequent cover-up) of Agent Orange and the spread of PCBs to Bovine Growth Hormone and patents on genetically modified seeds.  

The health and pharmaceutical industries do not care about your health. In fact, you bad health is quite profitable. Most of the companies, like Monsanto, Bayer, DuPont,Dow and their subsidiaries that  research, develop and manufacture the chemicals and the pesticides also manufacture the pharmaceutical drugs.  

The phthalates and bisphenyl-A found in plastic water bottles, pacifiers, and baby toys has been pretty well publicized. These compounds function as synthetic estrogens can cause breast cancer, premature puberty, and low sperm counts in men.

Shampoos, hand and body lotions, deodorants, toothpaste and sunscreen contain preservatives that function as estrogen disruptors. The US bans only eight of these compounds while the EU bans 1,000. The harm they cause to individuals, children and pets is compounded when they are flushed down the drain and accumulate in our waterways. Studies reveal that hundreds of these toxic chemicals have shown up in the blood and breast milk of third world and arctic populations who have otherwise never used these products.

One of the worst offender is the paraben class of compounds (methyparaben or Paba) used as preservative in nearly all toiletries. The second most common is triclosan, found in most anti-bacterial products.  

Toxic Skin Products

 Less publicized are potentially toxic “nanosized” particles present in many popular sunscreens and so called “natural” mineral foundations.

Nanoparticle containing skin products are strictly regulated in the EU France ” with laws requiring safety testing and mandatory product labeling as a minimum -” and an outright ban in some places.

But the FDA, which has known for nearly a decade that many common sunscreens contain ingredients that accelerate the growth of skin cancer cells, refuses to act on this information.

Nanoparticles are absorbed into the blood stream through skin damaged through eczema or psoriasis, a major health concern as mineral foundations are specifically marketed to women to conceal unsightly dermatitis. In addition, mineral foundation powders are often accidentally inhaled into the lungs during application. Moreover preliminary evidence suggests that nanoparticles can even penetrate healthy skin.

The potentially hazardous nanoparticles in sunscreen are nanosized zinc oxide and nanosized titanium dioxide. Because there is no scientific data a whatsoever regarding “safe” level of exposure, any absorption is worrying. Zinc oxide nanoparticles have been shown (in very small concentrations) to kill brain stem cells in mice; damage colon cells; and play some role in the development of autism, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s – as well as crossing the placenta and potentially harming the developing fetus. Nano-titanium has been shown to cause cell and DNA damage (both directly and indirectly by increasing circulating free radicals). Not only are these substances totally unregulated in the US , but due to lax labeling laws, 80 percent of sunscreens that claim to contain no nanoparticles are found to contain them.

Hair Dyes  

 Phenylenediamine (PPD) – present in over two-third of chemical hair dyes and by far the most toxic. Linked (in animals) to damage of the immune and nervous system, skin, liver and kidneys. Banned in France , Germany , and Sweden and use “restricted” in Canada  

Resorcinal –  classified by the European Union as a harmful skin and eye irritant and dangerous to the environment.

Ammonia – irritant to skin, eyes, and respiratory system (can cause asthma).

Persulfates – irritant to skin, lungs (can cause asthma), and eyes.

Peroxide – potential toxic effects on eyes, nervous and respiratory (can cause asthma) system. Can cause DNA damage, possibly leading to cancer. Banned in cosmetic use in Japan and use “restricted” in Canada .

Lead acetate- lead has well known damaging effects on the brain and nervous system.

4-ABP- linked to cancer

Many “natural hair dyes still contain some PPD, only less.

Resources below for safe brands and a cosmetics database:   

http://www.nochemicalcosmetics.com/

 http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com (http://www.ewg.org)

Dangerous Chemicals in household cleaners

Air fresheners– Usually contain methoxychlor, pesticide that accumulates in fat cells, as well as formaldehyde, a highly toxic known carcinogen, and phenol, a common culprit in contact allergies.

Carpet and Upholstery shampoo– commonly contain perchlorethylene, a known carcinogen and ammonium hydroxide, a corrosive, extremely irritable to eyes, skin and respiratory passages.

Dishwasher Detergents– (number one cause of household poisoning) most contain highly concentrated dry form of chlorine, which leaves a residue on dishes that accumulates with each washing and is absorbed into hot food.

Furniture polish– contain petroleum distillates, which can cause skin and lung cancer and nitrobenzene, linked with low sperm counts, anemia and liver, kidney, lung and eye damage.

Laundry detergents Residues can remain on clothes and dishes and are release in the water supply. 

Linear alkyl sodium sulfonates (LAS or anionic surfactants) –release carcinogenic and reproductive toxins into environment during production.

Petroleum distillates (aka napthas) – linked to cancer, lung damage and inflammation (can cause asthma) and damage to mucous membranes.

Phenols – linked with damage to nervous system, heart, blood vessels, lungs (can cause asthma) and kidneys.

Nonyl phenol ethoxylate – endocrine disruptor banded in Europe, owing to link to breast cancer, premature puberty and low sperm counts.

Optical brighteners (convert UV light wavelengths into visible light, making clothes appear whiter without making them cleaner) – toxic to fish and can cause allergic reactions when exposed skin is later exposed to sunlight.

Phosphates (banned in many states) – contribute to water “dead zones” by stimulating algae growth that depletes oxygen needed for fish and other animal life.

Sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) –  highly toxic chemical which reacts with organic materials in the environment to form carcinogenic and toxic compounds that can cause reproductive, endocrine and immune system disorders.

EDTA (ethylene-diamino-tetra-acetate)- chelating agent that biodegrades poorly and can re-dissolve toxic heavy metals in the environment allowing them to enter the food chain.

Oven Cleaners –Contain highly toxic and corrosive lye and ammonia with fumes that can damage the respiratory system especially of children and pets and leaves residues always once the oven is turned on.

Toilet bowl cleaners –Contain hydrochloric acid, a highly corrosive irritant which can damage eyes, skins, liver and kidneys and Hydrochloric bleach, a corrosive irritant that can damage eyes, skin and respiratory tract.

Check the Environmental Working Group for great info on specific products