This weekend, I am traveling to spend time with a very close friend. I didn’t want to miss “Footprint Friday,” so enjoy what follows…

Because it’s wintertime in the Northern Hemisphere, most of us spend more time indoors with our doors and windows shut tight to keep out the cold. This contributes to the potential for poor indoor air quality. And one of those contributors can be the products we use to “freshen” our indoor air–to eliminate that stale and/or musty smell. We think we’re freshening our air when in fact we may be contaminating it with irritating and potentially harmful chemicals. Most commercial products created to add scent to the air are made from chemicals which contribute to many potential problems.

The chemicals used to add scents to products, such as home air fresheners, can cause serious health problems for some people, especially for people with lung diseases such as asthma or COPD. Being near a scented product can actually make some people sick! The chemicals in scents can cause many different reactions. Even products containing natural plant extracts can cause allergic reactions in some people. Scents not only enter our lungs, but enter our bodies through our skin as well. You may remember from your high school or college physiology class that our skin is our largest organ–it’s important therefore that we think about what passes through our skin into our bloodstream as we consider the products and ingredients to which we expose ourselves.

While some people are only mildly affected by scents, others have severe reactions. Some common symptoms include:

* headaches
* feeling dizzy
* feeling tired or weak
* shortness of breath
* nausea
* cold-like symptoms
* worsening asthma symptoms

So exactly what ingredients are found in scents? Scents are usually made from a mixture of natural and man-made chemicals. A typical fragrance can contain between 100 to 350 ingredients! The problem with scented products is not so much the smell itself as the chemicals that produce the smell. When we get a headache or feel “stuffed up” from smelling a product, it may actually be the chemical ingredients causing the reaction. Scented products can contain several toxic chemicals that constantly turn into vapor in the air and attach themselves to hair, clothing, and surroundings. Most (95%) of the chemicals used are synthetic compounds made from petroleum. These include chemicals made from benzene, aldehydes and many other known toxins and sensitizers.

One commonly used chemical is diethyl phthalate, which is used to make scents last longer. (I previously blogged about phthalates–click here to read the full post.) It can cause allergic skin reactions (contact dermatitis) and is classified as a skin sensitizer and a reproductive toxin, according to HAZ-Map: Occupational Exposure of Hazardous Substances of the National Library of Medicine of the United States.

Since we’re looking at the impact of “scented” products, you might be wondering whether products that are labeled “unscented” or “fragrance-free” could be safer alternatives. In other words, do the labels “unscented” or “fragrance-free” really mean there is no fragrance? The answer is no. Even products labeled “unscented” or “fragrance-free” may actually contain fragrances used to mask the smell of certain ingredients. Health Canada has specific rules about how companies can use these words on their labels. According to Health Canada’s labeling regulations, “fragrance free” or “unscented” means that there have been no fragrances added to the product and no masking agent has been added in order to hide the scents of the other ingredients in that product.

So what you can do at home to keep your air “fresh?” The best solution is to keep your home well ventilated. If you don’t have an air exchange system, open a window to get fresh air in and stale air out. Even in the winter months, there are usually days or times of the day when we can open some of our windows. You can also put a fan in a window drawing air out and open another window to increase air circulation–this should be reserved for those “warmer” days.

In the winter, in addition to looking for opportune times to open your windows, here is an easy-to-make home recipe that leaves your home smelling wonderful and your family feeling loved. In dry climates, as well as anytime we are heating our homes, this recipe has the added benefit of providing much-needed humidity in your home.

THE BELLISIMA GODDESS AIR FRESHENER

A large pot filled with water
The peel of one-two oranges
1-2 tablespoons of whole cloves
2-3 cinnamon sticks

Place the orange peel, cloves and cinnamon sticks in a large pot of water. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Remove the lid and reduce the heat to simmer. Allow the aroma and steam to waft through your home. To prevent the water from evaporating completely, remember to check the pot frequently and add more water as needed.

Have a bellisima week!

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.

As part of my discussion of BPA this week and the risks it poses to human beings as well as to our environment, it is important that we take a look at what we can do to protect ourselves and minimize our exposure to this very real chemical threat.

Even though bisphenol A (BPA) first made news as a dangerous chemical in our water bottles, our main exposure actually comes from the linings of canned foods. Most canned foods have BPA in the liner of the can–Eden Foods is the only company I’ve found so far which uses an alternative, custom-made BPA-free liner–their cans cost 14 percent more than the industry standard cans that do contain BPA. Among all the other plastic substances that get into our food, BPA stands out because of its ability to disrupt the functions of hormones–especially estrogen. When BPA is in the liners of the canned foods, it leaches into the food itself. The BPA is then ingested by us and goes into our bloodstream. (As a result of our exposure to BPA, the CDC knows that more than 90% of us have detectable levels of bisphenol A in our bodies.) Canned beverages appear to contain less BPA residues, while canned soup, pastas and infant formula contain the highest levels. Acidic canned goods, such as tomatoes and tuna, also contain higher levels of BPA residue.

1. The first step therefore that you can take is to reduce your consumption of canned goods. Instead, eat more frozen or fresh food. In addition to avoiding BPA, you’ll also get more nutrients and less sodium–both steps toward a healthier diet.

2. When you do consume canned foods, rinse the fruit or vegetables with water prior to heating and serving–this could lessen BPA ingestion. Sensitive groups such as kids and pregnant women should limit canned food consumption.

3. Breastfeed your baby or use powdered formula instead of cans. If your baby needs liquid formula, look for types sold in plastic or glass containers. Also, find baby bottles in glass versions or those made from safer plastics such as polyamine, polypropylene and polyethylene. Soft or cloudy-colored plastic does not contain BPA. Additionally, choose bottles for pumping and storing expressed breast milk which are labeled BPA-free.

4. Avoid bottles and plastic containers that are made from polycarbonate (usually marked with a number 7 or the letters PC) and if you want to reduce exposure to phthalates**, avoid polyvinyl chloride (marked with a number 3 or PVC). Even though leaching from plastic baby bottles and food containers seems to occur at much lower levels, it is still best to take extra precautions.

5. If you use a metal water bottle, be sure to choose one that does not have a plastic liner. Many metal water bottles are lined with a plastic coating that contains BPA.

6. Even though the levels of BPA that leach from hard plastics is generally low, avoid using plastic containers to heat food in your microwave. Ceramic, glass or microwaveable dishware are better alternatives.

7. Finally, throw out old and scratched plastic bottles.

**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.” Look for more information on this group of chemicals next week.