Five thousand toxic substances in more than 100 common products
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Shampoo, body lotions, detergents, mothballs, paint thinners can be very harmful to your health. Every year, more than 5,000 tons of hazardous chemicals come into contact with people through these and other commonly used products. Substances that can cause cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm. This is revealed by a new study conducted by the Silent Spring Institute and the University of California. Many of these products, the researchers say in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, contain toxic volatile organic compounds, chemicals that disperse as gases, accumulate in the air and cause a variety of health problems. Since most companies are not obligated to disclose what or how much their products contain, it is difficult to know what people may be exposed to and what the potential health effects are.
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‘This study is the first to reveal the extent to which toxic volatile organic compounds are used in products of all types,’ says lead author Kristin Knox, scientist at the Silent Spring Institute. For analysis, Knox and his colleagues turned to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) database, which has been monitoring volatile organic compounds for more than 30 years to keep smog under control.
The researchers analyzed the most recent CARB data, focusing on 33 volatile organic compounds listed in California’s Right-to-Know law, better known as Proposition 65. The law requires companies that sell products in California to notify users if their products could expose them to significant amounts of these harmful chemicals.
100 products examined
The team’s analysis found that more than 100 types of everyday products that contain volatile organic compounds are on the Proposition 65 list. Of these, the researchers specifically identified 30, including a dozen different types of products for personal care, which deserve special consideration because they often contain chemicals that are extremely harmful to health. According to the analysis, these types of combined products contain up to 9 different hazardous volatile organic compounds. In summary, of 33 volatile organic compounds listed in Prop 65, researchers identified the top 11 chemicals that companies should remove from products due to the chemicals’ high toxicity and widespread use.
Body products
Of the products used for the body, formaldehyde was the most common and was found in nail polish, shampoo, makeup and other types of personal care items. For products used in the home, general purpose cleaners, art materials and laundry detergents contained the majority of volatile organic compounds thought to be harmful. The stickers contained more than a dozen different volatile compounds, highlighting that workers can be exposed to many toxic chemicals using just one type of product.
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The chemicals
Finally, the team calculated the total amount of volatile organic compounds emitted by indoor consumer products and found that more than 5,000 tons of volatile chemicals were released from products in California in 2020. Of these, nearly 300 tons came from only from mothballs (1,4-dichlorobenzene). Based on their findings, the authors also suggest that the US Environmental Protection Agency consider regulating five additional chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). These chemicals include ethylene oxide, styrene, 1,3-dichloropropene, diethanolamine, and cumene.
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