- Found in water bottles, baby bottles, plastic wraps, food and beverage can liners, plastic food storage containers, DVDs and CDs, Dental sealants, Impact-resistant plastics, cash register receipts, and more...
- US Government's National Toxicology Program has concluded that there is some concern at current exposure levels
- Brain and behavioral effects on fetuses and young children
- Political issues perpetuate ongoing debate and cloud health concerns of BPA in adults
- Learn more about the most well known hormone disrupter - Bishpenol A (BPA)
Phthalate
- Products containing Phthalates
- Type 3 plastics
- Some but not all PVC formulations
- Adhesives and glues, agricultural adjuvants, building material, detergents and surfactants, modelling clay, waxes, paint pigments, printing inks and coatings.
- Soft plastic fishing lures, caulk, sex toys (jelly rubber).
- Another hormone disrupter (especially testosterone) with similar health risks as BPA.
- Animal studies show reduced sperm counts and reproductive abnormalities
- Evidence of a link to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and liver cancer in humans
- Manufacturing and incineration of phthalates release dioxin
- known carcinogen and hormone disrupter
- Congress passed legislation in 2008 to ban six phthalates from cosmetics and toys because of research that indicates developmental and reproductive damage
Oxybenzone
- Found in sunscreens, lip balm, moisturizers, cosmetics
- Linked to hormone disruption and low-birthweight babies
- About 97% of Americans have the compound in their urine
- Current exposure levels have been deemed safe
Parabens
- Synthetic preservatives found in moisturizers, and hair care and shaving products
- Causes hormone disruptions and cancer in animals
- FDA has deemed current levels in cosmetics safety
- Paraben-free products are available
Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)
- Component of Teflon nonstick coatings found in nonstick pots and pans
- Also found in a water- and oil-repellent chemical long used to make protective coatings for carpets, upholstery, and clothes
- Has been found to cause hormone disruption and reproductive abnormalities in animal and human studies
- Also linked to thyroid diseases (NHANES, 1999-2006 study)
- Avoid heating Teflon cookware to high temperatures, particularly when empty
- Avoid contact with water- and oil-repellent chemicals containing PFOA
- EPA is urging makers to stop using PFOA by 2015
Perchlorate
- Exposure
- Derived from perchloric acid, both naturally and artificially
- Used to treat thyroid disorders since 1950s
- Used in pyrotechnics industry and as a component of solid rocket fuel
- May be found in drinking water, soil, some vegetables
- Fireworks are also a source of perchlorate in lakes
- May be found in cow's milk from cows feeding on crops exposed to water containing perchlorates
- Environmental groups are urging government to lower perchlorate levels in drinking water
- Effects
- Perchlorate can interfere with iodine uptake into the thyroid gland disrupting production of thyroid hormone
- Not stored or metabolized in the body
- Effects of perchlorate on the thyroid gland are fully reversible once exposure stops
Decabromodiphenyl Ether (DECA)
- A flame retardant found in electronics, furniture, carpets, and house dust
- Health hazards include permanent learning and memory deficits; hearing defects; decreased sperm count in animals
- Animal toxicity studies show Deca-BDE causes neurodevelopmental effects and reductions in thyroid hormone levels
- Industry began phasing out the DECA in December 2009 following EPA advice
Tributyltin (TBT)
- Main active ingredient in certain biocides used to control a broad spectrum of organisms
- Used in wood preservation, antifouling pesticide in marine paints, antifungal action in textiles and industrial water systems (eg: cooling tower and refrigeration water systems), wood pulp and paper mill systems, and breweries.
- TBT leaches from marine paints into the aquatic environment causing irreversible damage to aquatic life.
- Tributyltin triggers genes that cause the growth of fat cells, so it has been linked to obesity in humans (ScienceDaily.com 2008).
- Considered a severe marine pollutant and has been banned by the International Maritime Organisation
Triclosan & Triclocarban
- Found in products like Colgate Total, Ajax and Dawn dish detergent, and over 76% of antibacterial washes
- Antibiotic (reduce or prevent bacteria contamination) that also acts as an endocrine-disrupting pesticide.
- Found in urine of 75% of population
- Traces of it have been found in earthworms from agricultural fields and Atlantic dolphins
- Animal studies show these compounds can attach itself to receptor sites and block thyroid function
- Japan and Canada had banned the use of Triclosan in consumer products
- The EU has classified it as a dangerous irritant.
Environmental Estrogens
- Organochlorine chemicals
- vinyl chlorides, dioxins, PCBs, perchloroethylene
- half of endocrine disrupters are in this class
- Non-organochlorine chemicals
- phthalates, phenols (plasticizers), aromatic hydrocarbons, some surfactants
- Medications
- hormone replacement, oral contraceptives, tamoxifen, cimetidene
- Agricultural hormones
- animal products consumed by humans
References
Azra Kovacevic A, O’Dell C (15 Jan 2008), Decabromodiphenyl Ether (Deca-BDE): A Report to the Minnesota Legislature
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Jan 20), Environmental Health Perspectives (Online Report).
Park A (1 April 2010), Top 10 Common Household Toxins, Time Magazine.
Rudel R, Perovich L (Jan 2008). Endocrine disrupting chemicals in indoor and outdoor air, Atmospheric Environment, 43 (1): 170-81.
Staff (2008). "Persistent Pollutant May Promote Obesity". ScienceDaily.com.
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