The 18% Solution Part I
It is easy to feel overwhelmed about increasing pressure that we are placing on our ecosystem.
What if I told you we could reduce environmental pollution by approximately 18% just by making some simple purchasing choices?
Yes it is that simple, well almost……
It is estimated that close to 18% of all environmental pollution is a direct result of pharmaceutical and personal care products use. These contaminants are either excreted out of our bodies or flushed down the drain directly. Researchers call the pharmaceutical and personal care products being flushed into our rivers from sewage treatment plants or leaching into groundwater from septic systems “emerging contaminants”. This post will focus on two contaminants found in personal care that are most commonly requested to be re-assesed for safety by researchers and regulators.
You may have heard of the term parabens (synthetic preservatives) or phthalates (plasticizers) which have been suspected to be of human and environmental health concern. Both of these ingredient classes are suspect carcinogens (cancer causing) with estrogenic and endocrine disrupting activity. They are often called endocrine disruptors because of their ability to minic hormones (namely estrogen) that in excess in the human body can cause reproductive abnormalities. This could be why researchers at the United States Geological Survey said they had discovered “intersex fish” in the Potomac River and its tributaries. The fish, smallmouth and largemouth bass, were male but nevertheless carried immature eggs. There is however one catch when trying to avoid phthalates in personal care – You’ll rarely find the word “phthalates” on a product label. Paraben preservatives are much easier to identify.
Often phthalates can hide under the name fragrance or other seemingly innoculous names.
Here are the ones to watch for when it comes to phthalates in personal care.
DEHP (diethylhexyl phthalate), DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) and DEP (diethyl phthalate) are often found in personal care products, including nail polishes, deodorants, perfumes and cologne, aftershave lotions, shampoos, hair gels and hand lotions. Also included in the above are ingredient names such as cadmium chloride, benzo[a]pyrene, ethylene glycol, vinclozolin, dinoseb, and cycloheximide.
BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate) is also used in some personal care products as well as flooring and car products. DMP (dimethyl phthalate) is used in insect repellent and some plastics (as well as rocket propellant).
Parabens are p-hydroxybenzoic acid ester compounds widely used as preservatives in foods, cosmetics, toiletries, and pharmaceuticals. They are synthetic in nature and like phthalates are also considered “gender benders”. Commonly listed in combination or individually as methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and can also go under trade names like Germaben I & II and also not to forget the similary related 2-phenoxyethanol and diazolidinyl urea. Parabens are of particular concern due to their ability to easily absorbed through the dermis and into the bloodstream intact.
Okay so we have not saved 18% of the world yet but stay tuned.. much more to come on this topic to come.
Great article! Consumers are wise to avoid potentially hazardous ingredients such as parabens. But they also want skin care that nourishes their skin to keep it soft, healthy and radiant.