In December 2009, I promised I would blog about another group of chemicals, phthalates.

According to EWG, “Phthalates (pronounced “THAL-ates”) are a group of chemical “plasticizers” that are used in a huge variety of consumer products, from PVC pipes to perfume. With billions of pounds produced annually, phthalates are everywhere. They’re even in the indoor dust we breathe. Random sampling by the CDC shows most people in the U.S. have detectable levels of phthalates in their bodies. Phthalates have been banned in the European Union since 2005. Nine other countries, including Japan, Mexico and Argentina, have also outlawed the chemicals.”

Phthalates are a family of industrial chemicals that are used as plasticizers, substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, and as solvents and other additives in personal care and other consumer products. Their principal plasticizer use is to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Common acronyms for phthalates are DEHP, DINP, DBP, DEP, and DIP. Phthalates crept into widespread use over the last several decades because of their many beneficial chemical properties. Now phthalates are found not only in the products in which they are intentionally used, but also as contaminants in just about anything. About a billion pounds per year are produced worldwide! They can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled as fumes, ingested when they contaminate food or when children bite or suck on toys, and are inadvertently but directly administered to patients from some PVC (polyvinyl chloride or vinyl) medical devices.

Intentional uses of phthalates include–in addition to softening plastics–the oily substances in perfumes, additives to hairsprays, deodorant, nail polish, and cosmetics–items that women may be using every day. Additionally, they are used in lubricants and wood finishers. Phthalates are found in many PVC products, including children’s toys, shower curtains, and automobiles. That new car smell, which becomes stronger after the car has been sitting in the sun for a few hours, is partly the pungent odor of phthalates volatilizing from a hot plastic dashboard. In the evening’s cool they then condense out of the inside air of the car to form an oily coating on the inside of the windshield.

Studies have shown that phthalates can damage the liver, the kidneys, the lungs and the reproductive system, especially the developing testes. They contribute to the early onset of puberty.

Why do women between the age of 20 to 40 years have higher levels of dibutyl-phthalate (DBP) in their bodies than anyone else? The website www.make-upusa.com states, “We don’t know for sure, but government databases state that DBP is used in cosmetics, toys, flooring, adhesives, wallpaper, furniture, raincoats and shower curtains. So cosmetics and other personal care products seem the most likely reason that women would be more exposed than anyone else. While more than 5,000 beauty and personal care products for women can be found on a drug store website, phthalates are only listed as an ingredient on some nail polishes. Could nail polish be the only source?”

On July 2, 2002, Health Care Without Harm, the Environmental Working Group and Coming Clean released “Not Too Pretty,” a report that outlined the harmful effects of aggregate exposure to phthalates and discussed human exposures. The report tested popular fragrances, hair sprays and deodorants purchased from four drug stores. Their independent laboratory tests found phthalates in more than 70 percent of 72 health and beauty products–including popular brands of shampoo, deodorant, hair mousse, face lotion and every single fragrance tested. This is the alarming 2002 report that launched the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in 2004, a coalition effort created to protect the health of consumers and workers by securing the corporate, regulatory and legislative reforms necessary to eliminate dangerous chemicals from cosmetics and personal care products.

In August 2005, a report was released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics that found a correlation between higher levels of phthalate exposure of women during pregnancy with shortened anogenital distance (AGD) in male babies. Shortened AGD meant that the boys were more likely to have incomplete testicular descent and smaller penises. The changes occurred at phthalate levels that were measured in about one quarter of women in the United States.

In December 2008, a report released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics stated that fewer phthalates had been found in perfume and other similar products. A December 9, 2008 USA Today article reported that some manufacturers were removing or reducing the phthalates. The USA Today article also includes links to how to find phthalate-free toys as well as additional facts on bisphenol A (BPA).

Thanks to the efforts of organizations such as the Environmental Working Group and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics change is happening, often on a voluntary basis by manufacturers who understand the implications of findings by these two groups (and others). The FDA is slow to catch up. As an example, it was reported today, January 15, 2010, in The Boston Globe that the FDA is now acknowledging “some concern” over BPA. On Thursday, January 14, 2010, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued new consumer recommendations regarding BPA.

My recommendation is to follow websites such as the Environmental Working Group and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to keep up on the latest studies and their findings. Personally, I look to them for guidelines to follow in my own family. Here is a list published on the EWG website to minimize one’s exposure to phthalates:

* Use nail polish and other beauty products that do not contain “dibutyl phthalate” (DBP) – check the ingredient list.
* Use personal care products, detergents, cleansers, and other products that do not contain “fragrance” in the ingredient list – “fragrance” commonly includes the phthalate DEP.
* Avoid cooking or microwaving in plastic.
* Use a non-vinyl shower curtain.
* Use paints and other hobby products in well-ventilated areas.
* Give children wooden and other phthalate-free toys, and don’t let children chew on soft plastic toys.
* Health care workers and patients can urge their medical facilities to reduce or eliminate use of products containing phthalates.
* Avoid products made of flexible PVC or vinyl plastic. A few examples of these products include PVC lawn furniture, vinyl raincoats, flexible PVC building materials, vinyl shower curtains, and toys for kids or pets made of PVC.

As an additional resource, you can read and/or print out a two-page PDF document entitled, “Phthalates: The Everywhere Chemical” for more information on the what’s and how’s of this pervasive chemical.

DID YOU KNOW…
*Phthalates are a health concern for all humans; however, children under the age of three are at greatest risk.
* DEHP may be found in some public or private drinking water supplies. The Safe Drinking Water Act regulated DEHP levels in public water supplies, but not in well water. Other forms of phthalates, which may also be found in drinking water, however, are not regulated.
* Phthalates can enter foods and infant formulas from plastic tubing used during food processing or from plastic and paper packaging. Phthalates can also contaminate food earlier through background environmental contamination levels. The highest concentrations tend to be in fatty foods, such as milk and dairy products, fish, meat and vegetable oils.
* Children can inhale phthalates that are released from vinyl (PVC) products into indoor air.
* “Serious concern” has been expressed about DEHP as used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) medical tubing and other medical devices for feeding and medicating critically ill newborn infants and for assisting their breathing. Such procedures might result in exposures to DEHP that are much higher than for the general population and could affect development of the male reproductive system.
* Infants and children may swallow small amounts of phthalates when they chew soft vinyl teethers, toys, raincoats, and vinyl miniblinds. Dust in rooms with vinyl miniblinds, wallpaper and flooring may also contain phthalates. (Sunlight causes PVC to deteriorate into dust.)
* Phthalates can be inhaled and to limited extent absorbed through the skin from some brands of perfume, nail polish, skin lotion, deodorant, and hair spray and other hair styling products. Some companies have reformulated their nail polishes without DBP.
* Some oral medications are coated with phthalates to control when the pills dissolve. This may be a significant source of phthalate exposure for some patients.

FOR TODAY…I will continue to educate myself about the sources of phthalates. I will work to minimize my family’s exposure within our home environment.

The founder of Bubble Goddess Bath Co., Jennifer Leete, does a presentation called, “Is There Cancer In Your Lotion?” The premise is to show people that many, many products have ingredients that are harmful to us and our families. Once participants go home and do some of their own investigation, they usually realize that even some of the most well-known and trusted brands have ingredients that are carcinogenic and estrogenic. This is of great concern for adults but pose an even bigger threat for our babies and children since much of what is harmful effects hormones which in turn impacts human development. Since our skin is our largest organ, it is extremely important that we know what we are putting on it. Everything goes from our skin directly into our bloodstream. It is therefore as important to consider what we put on our bodies as what we put in them.

So what exactly makes a product harmful? Environmental Working Group, in the fall of 2008, published the top six (6) ingredients to avoid in your products. They are: (1) fragrance; (2) alpha and beta hydroxy acids, used in anti-aging products; (3) parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben, etc.), used as preservatives; (4) triethanolamine, used in many kinds of products including moisturizer, mascara, sunscreen, eye makeup remover, shaving cream and more; (5) iodopropynyl btylcaramate, used in sunscreen, moisturizer, styling gel, shampoo, conditioner, and more; and (6) triclosan, used in antibacterial products. I would add to this list sodium laryl sulfates and sodium laureth sulfates—these are used to make your products lather.

In addition to avoiding the ingredients listed above, there are other steps you can take to keep yourself and your family safe. They include the following:

1. Use plain soap. Avoid bath and beauty bars with fragrances, dyes and preservatives.
2. Don’t trust the claims. Read the ingredients. Learn about them.
3. Buy products scented only with essential oils. Products with “fragrance” on the ingredient list may contain chemicals linked to allergies and reproductive problems.
4. Avoid products with proprietary or trademarked ingredients like “preservatives” or “colors” that contain chemical concern.
5. Simpler is generally safer. Fewer ingredients usually mean lower risk.
6. Be wary of any ingredients you are unable to pronounce or names which are made up of a combination of numbers and letters!

As consumers, it is imperative that we begin to pay more attention to what is in our products. As we learn more, we can begin to “buycott” products that contain harmful ingredients. This will send a strong message to manufacturers and our government that we need change. Before you throw away everything in your cabinets and cupboards, take time to get familiar with the products you use through Environmental Working Group and Skin Deep. You can look up many of the skincare, hair care and body care products you currently use to see how they are rated on a scale of 0 to 10 (“0″ being the safest). Skin Deep also breaks each product down and lists their ingredients as well as their potential effects. As you look at products, keep in mind that byproducts caused by chemical reactions through combining ingredients can also occur but are not listed. In Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano, she states she is comfortable using products that are rated between 0 and 4. Each of us must decide for ourselves what feels safest.

Information is power, so get informed. From there, you can make decisions for yourself and your family that make you comfortable. There are lots of resources. In addition to the websites listed above, Safe Cosmetics is another resource. Many books have now been written as well. These are a great way to become familiar with what has been happening and recommendations for what and how to change. Keep in mind that the websites listed here will be more up to date when you want to investigate a specific product.

The old saying, “Buyer Beware” is important to remember. Learn all you can and then sit with the information. Check in with your intuition–your heart center–to decide what is best for you and those you love. As you make decisions, remind yourself that we are all doing the best we can. Be an informed consumer and then trust your decisions.

Be well!!