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« "Onederwear" makes me wonder about our common sense | Main | Nuke free's the way to be »
Caution: These seven household items may feminize baby boys
. . . and they're unhealthy for you, too. Phthalates are the culprit.
Phtha-what, you ask? Phthalates are common industrial chemicals. They've been around since the 1930's, making vinyl out of hard plastics, acting as solvents, and contributing to the "fragrance" of many personal care products. The Centers for Disease Control tested 289 people in 2000, and found phthalates in all of their blood at surprisingly high levels. High phthalate levels have been linked to decreased sperm motility and concentration and altered hormone levels in adult men; in a recent study of 134 newborn boys and their mothers, researchers found distinct differences in the reproductive systems of the boys whose mothers had the highest phthalate levels during pregnancy. Further research revealed that those moms' phthalate levels weren't uncommon -- in fact, an estimated one quarter of American women would have similarly high phthalate levels.
Luckily, there are steps you can take to limit your exposure. Here are six seven common sources of phthalate exposure in the home, and what you can do to avoid them.
- Nail polish: Dibutyl phthalate is often used to make nail polish chip-resistant. Look for it on the ingredients list, where it may be shortened to DBP.
- Plastics in the kitchen: Take a critical eye to your cupboards. Phthalates may be more likely to leach out of plastic when it's heated, so avoid cooking or microwaving in plastic.
- Vinyl toys: Phthalates are what make vinyl (PVC) toys soft, so don't give them to children. Opt instead for wooden and other phthalate-free toys, especially during that age when they put everything in their mouths!
- Paint: Paints and other hobby products may contain phthalates as solvents, so be sure to use them in a well-ventilated space.
- Fragrance: Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is often used as part of the "fragrance" in some products. Since DEP won't be listed separately, you're better off choosing personal care products, detergents, and cleansers that don't have the word "fragrance" on the ingredients list.
- Vinyl: Vinyl shows up in a lot of different products; lawn furniture, garden hoses, building materials, and items of clothing (like some raincoats) are often sources. Aside from carefully choosing materials when you're making purchases, there is one easy change you can make: switch to a non-vinyl shower curtain. That "new shower curtain" smell (you know the one) is a result of chemical off-gassing, and it means your shower curtain is a source of phthalates in your home.
- Air Fresheners: New research from the NRDC demonstrates that, just like fragrances in personal care products, most air fresheners contain phthalates. That even goes for the ones labeled "fragrance free." NRDC suggests that you open your windows and use fans to circulate air and keep it fresh.
Another one that has concerned me is the bake to harden clays Another one that has concerned me is the bake to harden clays like Sculpey. Kids are the primary users of these products, pressing and pulling the dough apart as they create. Cooking then releases fumes. I've not been able to find an official study on this, though. (Know of one?)
http://www.sculpey.com/Products/PR_ACMI.htm
http://tinyurl.com/3y4at2
thank you so much for this quick concise round up of the problems with phthalate!!! this is such a MAJOR problem & a pet concern of mine!
just found your blog today & love it!
thanks!
Hi-
do you happen to have the reference for the article that you mentioned in the blog? The recent study on 134 newborn baby boys. I am really interested (and also terrified) by this phenomenon, and wonder why more people aren't up in arms about it.
thanks
k
Kee- You're welcome! We like to be useful when we can.
K- The reference is to a 2005 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives. Here's the reference from EWG's researchers:
Swan SH, Main KM, Liu F, Stewart SL, Kruse RL, Calafat AM, et al. 2005. Decrease in anogenital distance among male infants with prenatal phthalate exposure. Environmental health perspectives 113(8): 1056-1061.
There's a new wilderness bill going through the portals of congress which needs our enthusiastic support. HR 1975-The Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act. Please look it up at tomas.gov
to find out all about it. Call your Congressmenbers and the Natural Resources committee under Dominick Carroll. We have till Oct. 28th 07 to get it voted out of committee. Search or contact the Alliance for the Wild Rockies for more info. Thankyou, you salt of the earth, wonderful people! Your the cream of humanity. Lorna Moffat
Where can I get safe stuffed animals for babies?
I have been trying desperately to garner information related to the so-called "burn-in" which is called for when purchasing a new kitchen stove. They say that you must heat your oven initially to over 400 degrees for at least 1/2 to 1 hour. At which time there "may be smoke and funes," which should dissipate in about 1/2 hour. We did this while airing out the house with a whole house fan for more than four hours (two hours and two hours) and could not bear the "odor," as they called it. I have not been able to find out what is in the spray that they coat the ovens with which causes this. We are returning the stove and will not turn it on again. They said that all ovens have this spray now. "They must have sprayed too much." I will not expose myself again. I am going to purchase a used stove so that I won't have this going on in my house. I am still concerned about how much we inhaled even though we had the doors open and the whole house fan going. Sears could not tell us what was in the spray. How can we find out? This has me so concerned. I hope to reach a few other people who have posted in the internet that they had the same experience. What are the sources for this information? I called EPA and Consumer Protection and they were totally ignorant about any of this.
Mary Rogers
Thank you for this most valuable info/warning... I've long supected that modern chemicals contribute to feminizing of so many young males... and I wonder about the effects on young girls too. I also wonder how much this influences gender confusion and sexual preferences, especially considering the gay/lesbian population explosion! Then I must wonder (lol)... what could have influenced me to be such a rough & tumble "tom boy"(born in 1959)... and could we expose the feminine boys to that, to balance them out and bring them back to "normal"? (Hypothetically speaking of course).
hi kay. i too am very concerned about these chemicals, however, i am actually a little MORE concerned by your comments regarding the "gay/lesbian population explosion"... what??!! are you joking?? i really hope you are. gays and lesbians aren't any more abundant now than they have ever been, we are just fortunate that we live in a time when it is much safer for us to come out, be ourselves, and love who we love without feeling ashamed and embarrassed because we're viewed by people like you as being 'abnormal.' luckily for us, people like you are fewer and further between these days. please do a little self education on the history of sexuality. anyway, phlalates are said to reduce sperm count and motility in adult men, the article said nothing at all about any connection between that and their sexual orientation.
Where can I find a list of Phthalate-free personal and baby care products?
Couldn't you have thought of a more creative, and less insulting, title for your article? I applaud your effort to educate people on the side effects of dangerous chemicals, but please try to avoid misogynistic fear-mongering.
WE WOULD LIKE TO INSTALL NEW CARPETING IN TWO ROOMS OF OUR HOUSE. WHAT SAFE ... NON-OFF GASSING FIBER SHOULD WE CHOOSE? SINCE "PET" IS CONSIDERED "GREEN", IS IT ALSO SAFE?, SINCE IT IS ALSO PLASTIC, BUT IS THE RECYCLED TYPE. WE CANNOT INSTALL WOOD OR CERAMIC FLOORS IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, SO WE ARE LEFT WITH NO CHOICE ... OR ARE WE?? THANKS FOR ANY ADVISE OR COMMENT, LANI
Wool carpet works great. Same goes for wool matteresses. Wool is naturally fire resistant too.
Ok, about the oven comment: YES! This happened to me too. I was outraged! If you find out anything, please let us know.
Hi-
First off, thank you for making this valuable information public to many people especially parents. I'm part-owner of a natural food store in the Bay Area and these chemicals have been a concern for quite some time.
Like "jp", I'm a bit concerned by "kay's" comment and assumption that a more feminine boy has any determination of his sexuality. How you choose to raise your children is your choice, but one could only persuade you that, if you have children, you don't raise them with the naive belief and unhealthy restrictions in a particular set of gender roles.
Like AnneMarrie, I feel the problem is in the title of your posting. The actual study found that mothers who were exposed to a high rate of phthalates gave birth to male babies who had a smaller distance in what most people these days refer to as the "taint" (urban dictionary - "the area between the male or female genitalia and the anus"), than that of the average male baby. This is a physical abnormality and not a transgender related one.
Another concern is the phthalates and bisephenol A levels in canned food, since most of them are plastic lined. Fortunately public knowledge is starting to make a difference. Thanks for your time...
We had that happen with our new oven as well, but when we called teh Sears repairperson out to explain, he said it is actually the glue behind the oven used to install the oven in the kitchen, that the installation technician must have used too much. When the oven heats up, it heats up the glue in back as well and then releases the odor. He of course laughed when I asked if it was harmful. It's so frustrating that it's so hard to protect your family.
Im confused, and used to work in the vinyl industry. The off gasses are non toxic now adays, and the PVC used in your shower curtains, is the exact same PVC used in hospitals for blood bags and in tons of our medicines that we are actually swallowing, and a bunch of great things that help keep us alive. Scientists are researching fungi that will let the composite biodegrade naturally. You should not be in fear of PVC people, its not bad! Just educate yourselves a bit more!!
So... I have to admit, JB, when I read your comment my first thought was "No wonder he's confused -- he worked with PVC for years!"
The evidence that components of PVC are bad for human health is really quite solid. I don't imagine that's what the industry tells their employees, of course, but the data is certainly there. If you're interested, this page will lead you to lots more info (from EWG and others) about the problems with PVC.