Have you heard of phthalates (pronounced “thalates”)? Did you know that, though linked to kidney, liver, and reproductive system damage and restricted in the European Union, phthalates are widely used to make everyday consumer and hospital products, from teething rings and hospital IV bags to nail polish and sex toys? Though studies are inconclusive about how much exposure is too much, little is known about the cumulative effects of phthalate exposure over time.
So reports our own Worldchanging NYC editor, Emily Gertz. For the past few years, Emily has been researching phthalates, chemical additives commonly used to make plastics (like PVC) and other synthetics pliable. And her latest article, “Plastic Oh-No,” appears in the April/May issue of Plenty magazine.
Despite worrying studies and a recent voluntary phase-out, phthalates are still found in loads of American consumer products. This is because, shockingly, “there is no government requirement to demonstrate safety before chemicals are used in products,” according to Joel Tickner, Sc.D. at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, who spoke to Emily for her article. The feds only step in to ban a chemical if it is found to be so harmful that “the benefits of regulating it significantly outweigh the costs of the regulation to industry,” according to Tickner.
Phthalates reach into the world of crafts, as well -- my world. Besides some bottle nipples, beach chairs, plastic food containers, and car dashboards, phthalates are also used to make polymer clay, those colorful little blocks common to preschools, art classrooms, and even professional artist’s studios. Emily didn't mention this in her article, but New Hampshire potter Kit Cornell has been working to raise awareness of this problem for years. As Kit has written, handling this material allows phthalates to be absorbed through the skin, and when “fired” in the toaster oven, their hazardous fumes enter the air (heating speeds the off-gassing of phthalates). Maybe polymer clay is not so kid-friendly after all.
As green-minded as we all are, it is likely that all of us have phthalates lurking in our homes. For example, I’ve been buying cheap clear vinyl shower curtains for years. They’re my favorite $3 solution to cleaning up for houseguests. But given the possibility that my shower curtain could be setting me and my husband up for producing sons with genital irregularities, not to mention liver and kidney damage, I’m ready to go for a greener solution.
Fortunately, as Emily points out in her Plenty article, we can make choices in what we buy to protect ourselves from phthalates. First, we can opt out of purchasing PVC products (coded #3 for recycling), anything with “DBP” as an ingredient, or products with synthetic fragrance. Next, we can look up the cosmetics and beauty products we use in the Skin Deep Database to see whether or not they’re phthalate-free. And we can spread the word.
The bottom line is that we have to confront these ubiquitous issues and make more mindful, educated choices. At the end of the day, our health is far more beautiful and economical than a polymer clay necklace, the latest shade of pink on our nails, or a clear vinyl shower curtain.
Image: New vinyl shower curtain, sharynmorrow/flickr
