PHTHALATES: n. a group of industrial chemicals mainly used as plasticizers (substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility and resilience)
While phthalates have been lurking in everything from our shampoo and detergents to food packaging and that new car smell for decades, they have come under fire more recently as their use has become more pervasive. In 2008, U.S. Congress banned six phthalates from being used in toys and cosmetics, and major retailers like Wal-Mart, Toys-R-Us and Gerber have committed to phasing out phthalate-laden toys.
What’s the big deal?
According to one case study, “Phthalates cause a wide range of adverse health problems including liver, kidney and lung damage as well as reproductive system and sexual developmental abnormalities.” Some phthalates — such as diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), the most widely used plasticizer — have even been classified as a ‘probable human carcinogen’ by the EPA.
While there are many types of phthalates found in various forms, it seems that the riskiest exposures include intravenous medical equipment, cosmetics (transmitted to fetuses from pregnant women) and soft plastic toys.
Just what a mother wants to hear.
I can recall too easily Sofie’s perpetual chewing on various plastic teethers, no doubt teeming with those nasty carcinogens. And while I thought I was being so green by acquiring most of her toys from yard sales and hand-me-downs, who knows what toxins they contain?
I suppose I can kill myself with worry over the possibility of having already damaged my daughter’s internal organs. Or I can take a proactive stance from this point forward. While it’s just not reasonable for me to toss every piece of plastic we own, I can look into replacing those plastics that tend to be absorbed into the body (lotions, shampoos and eating utensils, to start.)
It certainly helps that Sofie is past the “putting everything into her mouth” stage. However, I did recently buy my first phthalate-free toy for her: a vet kit.
Seeking to avoid these chemicals is quite the challenge, since the word “phthalate” is often not used on product labels. Instead, you must learn to recognize the chemical abbreviations.
Frustrating, I know. But here’s something easy you can do: Keep apprised of toxic chemical actions in your state, or tell Congress to keep the chemicals out of our kids!
A Little More
- Buying Guide for Safe Products
- Less Toxic Product Choices
