Polyvinyl chloride

10 Harmful Chemicals to Ban from Your Home Immediately.

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We are surrounded by human-made chemicals—more than 80,000 are in use in the United States today. Of those, only a few hundred have been tested for safety. Chemicals are so ubiquitous, they reach us before we’re even born: Researchers have found up to 300 contaminants in the umbilical cord blood of newborn babies.
Experts suspect this cocktail of chemicals in our water, food, air and homes may be part of the cause of the rising rates of some cancers, autism, diabetes and obesity. Young children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems are most at risk. While it may seem overwhelming to get control of our world’s rampant, potentially harmful chemicals, cleaning up the chemicals in your life is easier if you take it step by step. You can get started by reducing the quantity of these 10 chemicals in your house and yard.

1. Phthalates

Phthalates are endocrine-disrupting chemicals used to make #3 plastic (PVC or vinyl) flexible. PVC leaches phthalates when it’s heated or worn down. Phthalates are found in personal-care products and detergents, often labeled as “fragrance.” Phthalate exposure has been linked to early puberty in girls, a risk factor for later breast cancer.

To minimize: Never microwave plastic containers. Store food in glass or metal containers. Avoid vinyl flooring, shower curtains, PVC pipes, and products with “fragrance.”

2. BPA

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disrupter found in reusable polycarbonate (#7 plastic) food and beverage containers (including baby bottles); the lining of food and beverage cans; in PVC (#3 plastic); and on receipts and money. Research links BPA to breast cancer, miscarriage, erectile dysfunction and heart disease.

To minimize: Never microwave or heat plastic containers, and store food in glass or metal containers. Avoid canned foods—choose bulk, frozen or fresh instead. Some companies such as Eden Organic offer BPA-free canned food. Buy “BPA-free” reusable water bottles. Wash your hands after handling receipts or money.

3. Chlorine

Used as a disinfectant in municipal water systems, chlorine is toxic, even at low concentrations. Studies link chlorine exposure through ingestion and showering with an increased risk of heart disease, allergic reactions and miscarriages, as well as increased rates of bladder, colon and rectal cancers. Chlorine irritates the eyes, nose and throat.

To minimize: You can filter chlorine with a whole-house filter or with a chlorine-filtering showerhead and a granular-activated charcoal drinking water filter. Avoid swimming in chlorinated water.

4. Radon

Radon is a natural, odorless radioactive gas that can seep into homes from the ground. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer (and the leading cause for nonsmokers) and can be detected with a test kit.

To minimize: Test for radon with a simple test kit, then call in a radon remediation contractor if the levels are too high—4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. Levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L can still pose a risk and in many cases can be reduced; consult a specialist.

5. PFCs

PFCs (perfluorochemicals) are persistent organic pollutants used on stain-resistant clothing and upholstery, cooking pans, fast-food wrappers, and inside pet food and microwave popcorn bags. Teflon, Scotchgard, Stainmaster and Gore-Tex are all PFCs. They have been associated with low-weight babies, abnormal thyroid hormone levels, liver inflammation and reduced immune function.

To minimize: Forego stain treatments on furniture or carpet; don’t wear clothing labeled stain- or water-resistant; avoid nonstick pans; pop popcorn on the stove; and choose personal-care items without “PTFE” and “perfluoro” in the ingredients.

6. Lead

Found in paint manufactured before 1978 and old plumbing, lead is a neurotoxin that can cause headaches, joint pain, high blood pressure, and reproductive and memory problems, as well as impair children’s brain and nervous system development.

To minimize: If you have peeling paint, (and your house was painted before 1978), clean up chips immediately and hire a certified lead abatement contractor. Do not remove lead paint yourself. Prevent chipping by sealing old paint with a clear, nontoxic sealant. If you suspect high lead levels, contact your doctor about lead testing for any children in the household.

7. Pesticides & Fertilizers

If it kills insects or weeds, it likely isn’t good for human health, either. Many common pesticides are known carcinogens. One chemical in many pesticides, dichlorvos, is associated with mammary tumors in rats or mice. Another, glyphosate, has been linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

To minimize: Don’t use chemical pesticides or fertilizers on your lawn. Buy organic fruits and vegetables, or grow your own without artificial pesticides or fertilizers.

8. Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a flammable, pungent compound found in building materials, pressed-wood products, melamine (hard plastic) dishes and cigarette smoke. It can irritate the eyes, throat and mucus membranes, and cause headaches and nausea. Exposure may increase the risk of brain cancer and leukemia.

To minimize: Use “exterior-grade” pressed-wood products to limit formaldehyde exposure in the home. Before purchasing pressed-wood products such as plywood, paneling, particleboard, fiberboard, and furniture and cabinets, ask retailers or manufacturers about formaldehyde content.

9. Parabens

Parabens are used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. While no causal link with cancer has been established, parabens are controversial because they weakly mimic estrogen, and researchers have found measurable concentrations in breast tumors. Studies show that methylparaben (in some sunscreens) may react with sunlight to damage skin.

To minimize: Test for radon with a simple test kit, then call in a radon remediation contractor if the levels are too high—4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. Levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L can still pose a risk and in many cases can be reduced; consult a specialist.

To minimize: Avoid cosmetics that list parabens or words ending in “-paraben” among the ingredients.

10. PBDEs & PBBs

Used as flame retardants in building materials, electronics, foam cushions and textiles, PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) and PBBs (polybrominated biphenyls) accumulate in blood and fat tissues. Endocrine-disrupting PBDEs and PBBs may alter children’s brain development and cause learning and behavior problems. Exposure can decrease thyroid hormone levels and negatively affect reproduction.

To minimize: Cover or replace cushions or car seats where foam pads are exposed. Avoid rigid polystyrene (Styrofoam) insulation.

Sources: Raw For Beauty

Floors that Can Make You and Your Children SickFloors that Can Make You and Your Children Sick.

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You’ve probably given careful consideration to the food your children consume on a daily basis. But what about the other environmental influences they’re exposed to on a near 24/7 basis, such as the materials in their living space and, more specifically, your flooring?

It is likely no one in your home is more familiar with your floor than young children or toddlers living there, as this is where they spend a good deal of time – exploring, playing and learning the ropes of life.

As they crawl, their hands (that will later end up in their mouths) sweep across the surface, and their faces are in close proximity to the material itself, and any emissions that have accumulated in household dust.

Toxic chemicals, including some that are so dangerous to children they have been banned from toys, are widely used in popular flooring materials, and new research shows that these chemicals can be taken up by infants’ bodies as they crawl along on the floor.

Serious Risks from PVC Flooring Revealed

If your home contains soft, flexible plastic flooring, such as vinyl or those padded play-mat floors for kids (often used in day cares and kindergartens, too), there’s a good chance it is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). One of the main problems with PVC is that it contains phthalates, or “plasticizers,” which are a group of industrial chemicals used to make plastics like PVC more flexible and resilient.

They’re also one of the most pervasive endocrine disrupters so far discovered. A new study conducted by Swedish researchers found levels of certain phthalates were higher in the urine of babies that had PVC flooring on their bedroom floor.1

Researchers concluded:

“The findings indicate that the use of soft PVC as flooring material may increase the human uptake of phthalates in infants. Urinary levels of phthalate metabolites during early life are associated with the use of PVC flooring in the bedroom, body area, and the use of infant formula.

This study shows that the uptake of phthalates is not only related to oral uptake from, for example, food but also to environmental factors such as building materials. This new information should be considered when designing indoor environments, especially for children.”

This is not the first time PVC flooring has made headlines. Past research has linked it to increased levels of phthalates in household dust, which in turn is linked to chronic health conditions like allergies and asthma. One study also found that infants who lived in bedrooms with vinyl floors were twice as likely to have autism as infants with wood flooring.2

What You Need to Know About PVC Flooring Chemicals

Along with common uses in PVC flooring, phthalates are also commonly found in toys, food packaging, shower curtains, plastic medical equipment, household cleaners, cosmetics and personal care products.

According to a report by Environment and Human Health, Inc. (EHHI), studies have shown women of childbearing age have significantly higher phthalate exposures than other adults (could this be because they also use the most cosmetics?), and the chemical has been detected in 100 percent of pregnant women tested.3 It’s known that fetal exposure to phthalates is closely related to maternal exposure, so many, if not all, babies are starting out with exposure in the womb.

In childhood, children are further exposed to phthalates in consumer products ranging from toys, pacifiers and food packaging to personal care products and crawling on vinyl flooring. The chemicals are known to be a major source of indoor air pollution as well, as they are emitted from numerous household goods, including not only flooring but also furniture, upholstery, mattresses and wall coverings.

Phthalates have even been detected in infant formula and baby food, likely because they migrated from the packaging materials. This likely explains why the Swedish researchers found that certain phthalate levels were lower in 2-month-old babies if they were exclusively breastfed, with no supplements.

It’s alarming that children are being exposed to so many phthalates, from so many sources, as these are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that have been linked to a wide range of developmental and reproductive “gender-bending” effects, including:

Disturbed lactation Decreased dysgenesis syndrome: A syndrome involving cryptorchidism (undescended testicles), hypospadias (birth defect in which opening of urethra is on the underside of the penis instead of at the end), and oligospermia (low sperm count), and testicular cancer
Interference with sexual differentiation in utero Enlarged prostate glands
Impaired ovulatory cycles and polycystic ovary disease (PCOS) Numerous hormonal disruptions
Early or delayed puberty Breast cancer and uterine fibroids

Why Premature Babies May be Most at Risk

The sad truth is that most babies are likely starting off with a toxic chemical load due to their mom’s chemical burden. However, premature babies get a particularly rough start due to the high concentrations of phthalates they’re exposed to in the plastic medical equipment used during neonatal intensive care. With each plastic tube that a newborn is hooked up to, the rate of phthalate exposure increases. And for those premature infants who spend weeks and months in the neonatal intensive care unit, the exposure levels can be extraordinary.

As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned, DEHP can be found in:4

IV tubing and IV bags Nasogastric tubes
Umbilical artery catheters Tubing used in cardiopulmonary bypass procedures (CPB)
Blood bags and infusion tubing Ventilator tubing
Enteral nutrition feeding bags Tubing used during hemodialysis

 

In fact, these medical devices can contain 20 to 40 percent Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP, a type of phthalate) by weight – and IV tubing can contain up to 80 percent! DEHP is not bound to the vinyl. It readily leaches out of these medical devices (the tubing or bag) into the solutions that come into contact with the plastic, where it then goes directly into you or your child.

The degree of this leaching depends on the temperature, the lipid content of the solution, agitation of the solution, and the duration of its contact with the plastic (i.e., storage time). Of course, the more medical procedures your child requires, the higher the exposure to this chemical. So, babies who are seriously ill and hospitalized have the greatest risk of exposure, as well as being the most vulnerable to its effects.

EHHI found that male infants exposed to phthalates through medical procedures are most at risk of suffering health effects,5 which include excessive inflammation.

Inflammation is known to trigger a number of diseases in premature babies, including a chronic lung disorder known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia and necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious intestinal condition. After their initial onslaught with chemicals in the hospital, they will then go home, where, unfortunately, the chemical exposure often continues.

12 Tips for Reducing Your Phthalate/PVC Exposure

Anything you can do to lower your, and your children’s, exposure to plasticizing chemicals like phthalates is a step in the right direction. Among them:

  1. Choose toys made from natural materials (or at least only buying those made from phthalate-free plastic).
  2. When redoing your home, look for “green,” toxin-free alternatives in lieu of regular paint and vinyl floor coverings.
  3. Replace your vinyl shower curtain with one made of fabric or better yet install glass shower doors.
  4. Switch over to natural brands of toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste, and cosmetics.
  5. Check your home’s tap water for contaminants and filter the water if necessary. You may also want to use an alternative to PVC pipes for your water supply.
  6. Avoid using artificial air fresheners, dryer sheets, fabric softeners, scented candles or other synthetic fragrances and perfumes.
  7. Store your food and beverages in glass rather than plastic, and avoid using plastic wrap.
  8. Avoid processed foods (many are packaged in phthalate-containing packaging) and instead focus your diet on fresh, organic and locally grown whole foods.
  9. Breastfeed your baby exclusively if possible, for at least the first six months (as you will avoid phthalates exposure from infant formula packaging and plastic bottles/nipples).
  10. If you use baby bottles, use glass, not plastic.
  11. Use only natural cleaning products in your home.
  12. Teach your children not to drink water from the garden hose, as many are made with phthalate-containing plastics.

Source: Dr. Mercola