‘Phthalates’ is a Dirty Word
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 … Continue reading
