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Image courtesy and copyright to Greenpeace/Davidson
Over the last century there has been an enormous increase in the number of chemicals that we come into contact with in our everyday lives. Chemicals are present in the houses we live in, the food we eat, the water we drink, the toiletries and cosmetics we use and in the air that we breathe. With tens of thousands of chemicals affecting virtually every facet of our modern lives, escaping contact with them is often impossible.
Fortunately, after years of campaigning by environmental bodies and NGOs a new EU-wide chemicals legislation entered into force in June 2007. While the new REACH legislation is achieving great success in the control of toxic 'Silent Spring' chemicals that build-up in wildlife, it still leaves a number of substantial problems unsolved and will continue to allow potentially harmful chemicals into the environment. Elizabeth Salter Green, head of the WWF-UK Toxics Programme has said: "But the EU has also made a dreadful mistake by deciding that chemicals that may cause cancer or birth defects, affect DNA or disturb the hormone system or cause other serious illnesses - so-called CMRs and hormone disrupting chemicals - will continue to be put on the market even if safer alternatives are available." Manufacturers will be permitted to continue selling these chemicals if they can demonstrate that they can be 'adequately controlled'. But the claim that chemicals of very high concern can be adequately controlled has been refuted by numerous scientific studies, including tests undertaken by WWF on the blood of more than 400 people, which showed numerous toxic chemicals to be present in every sample. Hazardous industrial chemicals used in consumer products are also widespread in house dust, rainwater, wildlife, and the blood of unborn infants. Elizabeth Salter Green said: "Thankfully there will be a review of REACH in six years time.”
Did you know? More than 300 man-made chemicals have been detected in people.
Source: foe.co.uk
Scientists and doctors tell us that life today is healthier than ever before. The main killer diseases of the past have been eradicated, people have a longer life expectancy, mortality rates are lower and our hygiene conditions are better than those of previous generations. However, in the face of the increasing numbers of new disorders that are appearing, should we believe them? Occurrences of cancer are now more common than previously and there has been an increase in asthma, heart disease, allergies, infertility and chemical and pesticide poisonings over the past fifty years. A recent report from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights focuses on the human rights impact of the widespread exposure of individuals and communities to toxic chemicals in everyday household goods and food. A number of recent studies are cited showing that man-made toxic chemicals are present in the blood of populations around the globe at levels which in some cases are far above the recommended limits. Of particular concern is the risk to unborn and younger children from contamination via the mother. The danger of long-term exposure to a combination of chemicals at low doses has not been thoroughly investigated but while we are waiting for the scientists to make their mind up, do we really want to take the risk?
More than 300 man-made chemicals have been found in human blood and body tissue. Cancer-causing substances and hormone-disrupting chemicals are included in this ‘toxic burden’. Left untreated, long-term exposure to indoor pollution can result in lung cancer, or damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system. Young children are especially vulnerable to impaired lung function and respiratory infection. Worryingly, there are now so many chemicals in our environment that it has become difficult to identify which of them might be the cause of a particular environmental or human health problem. Synthetic chemicals are appearing in alarming places - human breast milk for example - and the effects on various animals, include birth defects, cancers and damage to nervous, reproductive and immune systems. The key to the problem is that the government has to prove a chemical poses a threat before it is removed from the market - which is a difficult and expensive process. However, chemical manufacturers are still allowed to introduce most chemicals on to the market without having to prove that they are safe.
Man-made chemicals have been linked with illnesses such as testicular cancer and prostate cancer, which are both on the increase. Trends such as falling sperm counts and girls entering puberty earlier may also be due to the hundreds of chemicals we are exposed to in our daily lives. In both cases it has been suggested that exposure to hormone-altering chemicals could be the cause. Most concern has been shown over the chemicals that accumulate inside our bodies ('bioaccumulative' chemicals), which may be disturbing our delicate hormone systems. Our bodies are "fooled" by these toxins, which can bind to the same sites as natural hormones, thereby altering, magnifying or blocking the function of the natural hormones.
Scientists are now investigating the role of oestrogen as a trigger in these growing levels of cancer, and fear rising levels of hormone-altering chemicals in the environment that mimic this hormone may be to blame. What is certain is the following.
In the late 1990s an American reproductive epidemiologist named Shanna Swan published a well-respected study in Environmental Health Perspectives, stating that sperm counts are dropping by about 1.5 percent a year in the United States and 3 percent in Europe and Australia, though they do not appear to be falling in the less-developed world. Swan showed, further, that in the United States there appears to be a regional variation in sperm counts: They tend to be lower in rural sectors and higher in cities, suggesting the possible impact of chemicals (such as pesticides) particular to one locality.
One in nine British women will develop breast cancer sometime in her life. In the 30 years to 2004 breast cancer cases rose by 81 per cent. (Mortality rates have fallen by 20 per cent in about 15 years however.) Other possible causes of concern are statistics showing that one in six girls in Britain is starting to show signs of puberty at the age of eight, compared to one in 100 girls a century ago and an increase in prostate cancer by 50% between 1996 and 2006 in England.
Although experts are currently undecided as to whether chemicals are the cause of falling sperm counts and increase in cancers, man-made chemicals are certainly in the frame. While some chemicals can be linked to particular health problems it is difficult to provide unarguable proof that a specific chemical from a specific source is the cause of a particular disease or health problem. Even when it has been proven that chemicals are dangerous action is not always taken; for example evidence of human health risks from toxic chemicals in cigarettes emerged more than four decades ago and the cigarette industry is still going strong.
 Chemicals in the Home
Think your house is safe? Then think again. Household cleaners, personal care products, pesticides, paints and solvents are all common in the home. You will more than likely have used most - if not all - of them before, and all probably contained harmful toxic chemicals. The simple act of cleaning your carpet, washing your dishes or painting your walls can easily result in you coming into contact with products that could make you ill.
The walls of your house could be another cause for concern. Many conventional household paints and varnishes contain volatile organic compounds or VOCs, which are basically solvents. As the paint dries the VOCs evaporate producing that 'newly painted' smell. This process is also known as off-gassing and is both damaging to the environment and potentially to your health, as many have been classified as toxic and carcinogenic. Gloss paints can cause significant damage to the eco-system when they are released into the water system. New environmental regulations, and consumer demand, have led to the development of low-VOC and zero-VOC paints and finishes. Most paint manufacturers now produce one or more non-VOC variety of paint.
In the last few decades many chemicals have made their ways into our homes; a study conducted by America's Environmental Protection Agency comparing indoor and outdoor pollution found the population they studied breathed two to five times more hazardous chemicals when indoors than if they had sat in their gardens, even amongst those living in highly polluted cities.
 Chemicals in Cosmetics
Before you leave the house in the morning, it's likely you will wash yourself with soap or shower gel, shampoo your hair, use some deodorant or aftershave or maybe apply some make-up. These are things you do without thinking; they are a mundane part of an everyday routine. But this routine might be more damaging than you ever imagined. A survey carried out by the US National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health found that 884 chemicals used in personal care products and cosmetics were toxic and estimate that women absorb up to 2 kilograms of chemicals through toiletries and cosmetics over the course of a year. These products are often classified as 'safe' as they won't kill you if you eat them. However, it is important to remember that the stomach is highly acidic and digests many of these chemicals. Make-up is applied externally and consequently is absorbed through the skin directly into your blood stream.
If you have children, you will more than likely have to treat them for head lice at some point. They pick it up easily, and often children must be treated before they are allowed back in the classroom to prevent the lice spreading further. But the lice shampoo you use might well involve a dose of toxic pesticides such as organophosphates, or even lindane which are extremely potent pesticides known to cause liver damage, stillbirths, birth defects and cancer. Other known effects include liver damage, stillbirths, birth defects and cancer. The risk of childhood brain cancer has also been associated with the use of domestic pesticides to control termites, flea collars on pets, insecticides in the garden and herbicides to control weeds - all common, everyday items you probably use without thinking twice.
After severe government warnings over the dangers of sunbathing, most people religiously slather themselves with suntan lotion before venturing out into the sun to protect themselves from the risk of skin cancer. Yet in 2000, a team of Norwegian scientists found that a chemical used in 90% of suntan lotions might be toxic and could actually cause skin cell damage. Perhaps the most frightening of all the items in the beauty industry is perfume. Most women use it regularly, but what many people don't know is that the perfume industry is protected by laws that allow the manufacturers to keep the ingredients of their fragrances secret. Many of the chemicals contained in perfume are easily absorbed through the skin where they accumulate in major organs. While no serious medical research has been done on the effects of perfume, some doctors and scientists believe that perfumes could be as damaging to the health as tobacco smoke, partly because 95% of chemicals used in fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum. They include benzene derivatives, aldehydes and many other toxics and sensitisers, capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions These scent chemicals can also be found in chemical air fresheners, tissues, washing powders, detergents and cat litter.
Chemicals in Food
Over the past 50 years, how our food is produced, sold, bought and reprocessed has changed dramatically. In a new study by WWF-UK low level doses of old and new chemicals were found in basic foods like brown bread, butter and milk. They include banned pesticides like DDT, flame-retardants and phthalates. The British alone consume around a quarter of a million tons of food chemicals a year, and pesticides and herbicides are the primary areas for concern. These are sprayed liberally over the foods we eat and may contain ingredients that affect not only the nervous system of insects, but also that of the humans who eat them. Many of the chemicals contained in pesticides cannot be evacuated from the body with food waste but accumulate in fatty tissue, where they can be responsible for degenerative diseases. For example, organochlorines are commonly found in pesticides, which are very stable and not water-soluble which means they can remain in the human body and the environment for long periods of time. Pesticides are not the only area of concern where food is concerned. All processed foods contain additives that are toxic in varying degrees. A Food Standards Agency-commissioned report published in September 2007 found a link between hyperactivity among children and certain food colourings, as well as a preservative used in sweets, drinks and processed foods in the UK.
What can you do?
Ultimately, it should be remembered that you couldn't possibly avoid everything! Follow the advice given below for tips on how you can reduce your contact with chemicals. Pregnant women and small children should take extra care, as they are most at risk.
· PVC plastic frequently contains phthalates, which evidence suggests could be hormone disrupters, so avoid goods made from this material. PVC is one of the most widely used types of plastics and is used for packaging in cling film and bottles, for consumer products such as credit cards and audio records, for construction in window frames and cables, for imitation leather and around the home in pipes, flooring, wallpaper and window blinds. Testing by several governments has shown that children can ingest hazardous chemicals from PVC toys and also in the UK, products such as teething rings are now free from phthalates. Ask in the shop if the product contains any PVC - if so, try using a different brand.
· Buy organic produce whenever possible and support local growers
· Try cutting down on the scented products you use, for example only wearing perfume on special occasions, opening the window instead of spraying a chemical air freshener or using products marked 'fragrance free'.
· Most paints are now marked to tell you how many VOCs they expel whilst drying, so purchase those marked 'low' or 'minimal'. Try to use paints that are water-based, as these are often less toxic than those which are oil-based.
· Avoid using pesticides and chemicals in your garden and avoid going near areas that have been freshly sprayed with pesticides.
· Avoid 'anti-bacterial' products, which can contain risky chemicals such as alkyltins, persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals.
· Avoid products containing Triclosan, such as certain plastic chopping-boards, washing-up cloths, sponges, liquids, soaps and disinfectants.
· Buy a water filter to reduce the levels of chemical contaminants in drinking water.
· Change any lead water pipes in your house.
· Avoid canned food as most food tins are lined with a resin which can contain a hormone-disrupting chemical called bisphenol A, which can leach from the tin into the food inside.
Make your Own Cleaners
It's easy to make your own green cleaning solutions rather than always having to buy them. Vinegar is the active ingredient in many commercial products anyway - just add a bit to warm water and you've got the perfect solution for mirrors, tiles and windows. A stronger vinegar solution will de-scale a kettle or toilet, while lemon juice is a good alternative to bleach.
· Descalers - distilled white vinegar for limescale in kettles and toilets, lemon juice is a fragrant alternative for teapot stains
· Oven Cleaner - a paste of baking soda and water left on for 3 minutes and then washed off with a scouring cloth and hot water. Sprinkle salt on spills while still warm to ease their removal once oven is cool.
· Window Cleaners - 2tbsp distilled white vinegar and a few drops of liquid soap in a spray bottle. Some smearing may occur on first use due to waxy build-up from previous cleaner. Remove this with surgical spirit or washing soda.
· Scourers - Bicarbonate of soda is a good scouring powder for sinks and baths and polishing chrome. Salt is also abrasive but perhaps not quite as effective.
· Drain blockages - dissolve quarter of a cup of baking soda and 50ml of vinegar in boiling water.
Alternatively, if you do wish to buy ready-made products, why not take a look at the extensive range of cleaning products on the Natural Collection website. Their contents are fully biodegradable and they are selected for their minimal environmental impact.
Sources & Links
1. Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org)
2. US Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov)
3. Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace are campaigning against the use of chemicals and pesticides in our environment. Visit their websites at www.foe.co.uk and www.greenpeace.org.uk
4. The World Health Organisation has many articles and reports on chemicals. Visit their website at www.who.int
5. The Soil Association campaigns for organic food and farming. Visit their website at www.soilassociation.org
6. The Pesticide Action Network works to eliminate hazards from pesticides (www.pan-uk.org)
7. European Environment Agency (www.eea.eu)
8. Cancer Research UK (www.cancerresearchuk.org)
9. Women’s Environmental Network (www.wen.org.uk)
10. World Wide Fund for Nature Chemicals and Health Campaign (www.wwf.org.uk/chemicals)
© Green Dot Guides Ltd 2008
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