Bisphenols (including BPA)
What is it?
A group of industrial chemicals used in the manufacturing of polycarbonate plastics, some epoxy resins and thermal paper.
Where is it found?
Polycarbonate plastics are used for plastic dinnerware, bottles, sports equipment, toys, food packaging and medical devices. Epoxy resins are used to coat the inside of water pipes and food/beverage cans to increase their shelf-life and preventing the metallic taste transferring to the food or beverage. Bisphenols are also used to develop dye in thermal paper used for sales receipts, public transport and parking tickets. Other products that may contain bisphenols include floorings, paints and sealants.
How can we be exposed to it?
By ingestion, bisphenols can migrate in small amounts into food and beverages stored in materials containing them i.e. swallowing food, water or beverages that have been in containers made with bisphenols or by having dental sealants that contain bisphenols. Small children may be exposed by hand-to-mouth and direct mouth contact with toy materials containing bisphenols. Furthermore, workers who manufacture products that contain bisphenols are also exposed.
What can exposure cause?
- Changes in the development and behaviour of infants and children;
- Changes in a developing fetus;
- Interference with the body’s natural hormones;
- Changes in reproductive function
How to reduce your risk
We can’t avoid every chemical that we come into contact with, but we can make more informed choices about what we eat, drink and use in our home:
- Check for bisphenol / BPA-free labels on plastic products, avoid using plastic products marked with recycle codes #3 or #7, as they contain BPA e.g. toys, food containers, personal care bottles, shower curtains, raincoats, flooring and outdoor furniture;
- Avoid heating plastics in the microwave, which can cause BPA and other bisphenols to leach into your food;
- Avoid food from cans that might be lined with BPA and other bisphenols;
- Replace plastic storage containers, bottles and travel cups with reusable glass, porcelain or stainless-steel ones;
- Avoid processed foods, wash and eat fresh foods as much as possible.
For more information please visit:
The Endocrine Society
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Phthalates (e.g. diethylphthalate (DEP))
What is it?
Phthalates are a group of synthetic chemicals with diverse uses in consumer products. Primarily they are used as plasticisers which make plastics more flexible and harder to break. But they can also be used as solvents, dispersion agents, coatings, emulsifying agents, gelling agents, to name but a few.
Where is it found?
Products that contain phthalates include detergents, adhesives, flooring, clothes containing plastics such as raincoats and in many cosmetics and personal care products such as soaps, shampoos, nail varnishes, perfumes and other fragranced products. Phthalates are commonly used in polyvinyl chloride plastics, these plastics are used to make products such as plastic packaging, medical tubing and some children’s toys.
How can we be exposed to it?
By inhalation, skin-contact or ingestion, they can be released by evaporation and migration. For example, people can be exposed to phthalates by eating and drinking food that has been in packaging and containers containing phthalates. Exposure can also occur from breathing air that contains phthalate vapours or dust contaminated with phthalate particles. Small children may be at greater risk to phthalate particles in dust due to hand-to-mouth behaviour and by direct mouth contact with toy materials containing phthalates. Furthermore, workers who manufacture products that contain phthalates are also exposed. Once phthalates enter the body, they are broken down into metabolites that are excreted in urine.
What can exposure cause?
Phthalates have been linked to:
- Asthma
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Breast cancer
- Obesity
- Type II diabetes
- Autism spectrum disorders
- Altered reproductive development and in particular, male fertility issues
It is important to note human health effects from exposure to low levels of phthalates are unknown, and more research is needed.
How to reduce your risk
We can’t avoid every chemical that we come into contact with, but we can make more informed choices about what we eat, drink and use in our home:
- Check for phthalate-free labels on plastic products, avoid using plastic products marked with recycle codes #3 as they contain phthalates;
- Avoid products that include the vague ingredient ‘fragrance’, as more than likely they contain a phthalate;
- Avoid heating plastics in the microwave, as this can cause phthalates and other chemicals to leach into your food;
- Remove any food packaged in plastic once home as phthalates continue to leech over time. Even if you bought the product in plastic packaging, you can actually reduce your exposure by storing it out of the packaging;
- Replace plastic storage containers, bottles and travel cups with reusable glass, porcelain or stainless-steel ones;
- Avoid processed foods, wash and eat fresh foods as much as possible.
For more information please visit:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Benjamin, S., Masai, E., Kamimura, N., Takahashi, K., Anderson, R. and Faisal, P. (2017). Phthalates impact human health: Epidemiological evidence and plausible mechanism of action. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 340, pp.360-383. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.06.036
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
What is it?
PFAS are manmade chemicals used as oil and water repellents and coatings for common products such as non-stick cookware, fire retardment textiles, stain resistant fabrics and water repellent clothing and other textiles. When released into the environment these EDCs do not break down and will continue to accumulate over time. They are often referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment. There are thousands of types of PFAS chemicals; two of the most common are PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid).
Where is it found?
PFAS chemicals can contaminate drinking water supplies near manufacturing facilities where the chemicals are used. PFAS have also been detected in water near military bases and firefighting training facilities where firefighting foam containing PFAS is used. PFAS chemicals can also enter the food supply through food packaging as well as from soil contaminated with PFAS.
How can we be exposed to it?
PFAS persist in the environment and exposure in people can occur by consuming PFAS-contaminated water or food. Exposure can also occur by using products that contain PFAS.
What can exposure cause?
PFAS chemicals can mimic fatty acids in the fat within our bodies as well as the fat within the foods we eat. They also act as EDCs as they are able to interfere with hormone systems. Exposure to PFAS chemicals can cause adverse health effects.
Research indicates PFAS can:
- Alter cholesterol levels
- Disrupt thyroid function
- Harm liver and kidney function
- Alter immune response
- Raise risk of ulcerative colitis
- Harm reproductive health
- Increase the risk of birth defects
- Decrease infant birth weights
- Cause tumours and cancer
How to reduce your risk
While not all chemicals can be avoided, we can make more informed choices about what we eat, drink and use in our home:
- Avoid using products that contain PFAS, such as waterproof and stain resistant textiles and clothing and non-stick cookware. Safer alternatives for cooking include stainless steel and iron.
- Avoid food packaging materials such as some grease-resistant paper, fast food containers/wrappers, microwave popcorn bags etc. since many are coated with PFAS.
- PFAS (and other chemicals) can build up in household dust, so dust regularly using a wet mop or wet cloth on solid surfaces, and vacuum carpets.
- If your drinking water is contaminated above levels specified by the environmental agency/government, use an alternative water source for drinking, preparing food, cooking, brushing teeth and any other activities where you might ingest the water. You could also consider installing a home water filter treatment that is certified to lower the levels of PFAS in your water.
For more information, please visit:
Parabens
What is it?
Parabens are a group of chemicals commonly used as artificial preservatives in cosmetic and personal care products. Often cosmetics contain ingredients that can biodegrade, so parabens are added to prevent and reduce the growth of harmful bacteria, moulds and yeasts to increase the shelf life and stability of the products.
Where is it found?
Parabens are used in a wide variety of cosmetics, foods and drugs. Cosmetics that may contain parabens include makeup, moisturisers, haircare products and shaving products, etc. Chewing gums and mouthwashes can also contain parabens. Cosmetics typically contain mixtures of different types of parabens. The most commonly used six types are methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, isopropyl-, butyl- and isobutylparaben.
How can we be exposed to it?
We can be exposed to parabens through touching, swallowing or eating products that contain parabens. Many products, such as makeup, moisturisers, haircare products and shaving creams contain parabens. Parabens in these products are absorbed through the skin. Parabens also can enter the body when pharmaceuticals, foods and drinks containing parabens are swallowed or eaten.
What can exposure cause?
Scientific studies suggest parabens can disrupt hormones in the body, harming fertility and reproductive organs, affecting birth outcomes, and increasing the risk of cancer. They can also cause skin irritation. Furthermore, studies have also detected parabens in nearly all urine samples taken from adults in the U.S., regardless of demographic (Ye 2006).
Parabens are also linked to ecological harm, as low levels of butylparaben can kill coral (Danaovaro 2008). Parabens have been detected in surface waters, fish and sediments (Haman 2015). When parabens are combined with chlorinated tap water, a number of chlorinated paraben by-products can form (Canosa 2006). Little is known about the toxicity of these by-products, which may be more persistent (Haman 2015).
How to reduce your risk
While not all chemicals can be avoided, we can make more informed choices about what we eat, drink and use in our home:
- Avoid using products that contain parabens, and look out for products labelled “paraben-free.” Common parabens and their synonyms include: Propylparaben (or propyl 4-hydroxylbenzoate), butylparaben (or butyl 4-hydroxylbenzoate), ethylparaben (or ethyl 4-hydroxylbenzoate), heptylparaben (or heptyl 4-hydroxylbenzoate), methylparaben (or methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate).
- Pay particular attention to products marketed to children: Both the European Commission and Denmark have banned butylparaben and propylparaben from nappy creams and other leave-on products for children under three years.
For more information, please visit:
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)