Sometimes, real life can be scarier than any movie. It doesn’t matter if you live in a house or apartment; these chemicals may be lurking in all parts of your living space. Here are a few to keep an eye out for.
Chemicals Hiding In Your Home
In Your Utensils and Tableware
- Bisphenol-A (BPA)and Bisphenol-S (BPS)
Used to make transparent, hard plastic known as polycarbonate, used for baby bottles and linings of metal cans. BPS is a common substitute for BPA since public outcry reduced use of BPA in plastics. Studies are showing the chemicals are similarly toxic. BPA/BPS are endocrine disruptors, and exposure may cause obesity, reproductive cancers, and infertility. - DEHP
A common class of phthalate, a liquid plasticizer used in hydraulic fluids and PVC plastic. It may leach into food and water through plastic and could cause damage to reproductive organs, lungs, kidneys, liver, and fetuses. - Endocrine disruptors
The endocrine system regulates hormones and the glands that secrete those hormones in the body. Endocrine disruptors (a.k.a. endocrine modifiers or hormone disrupters) are chemicals that interfere with the endocrine system by mimicking or inhibiting natural hormones. They can cause reproductive damage and have been implicated in cancers of the reproductive system. - Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs)
PFCs repel grease and water, and are heat-resistant, so they’re popular in many products from fast food containers to paints, flooring, and furniture. Studies have linked them to cancer, thyroid issues, damage to the immune and reproductive systems, high cholesterol, hypertension, and birth defects.
In Your Lawn
- Formaldehyde
(A.k.a. methanal, methyl aldehyde, or methylene oxide) A smelly, colorless, flammable gas used in pesticides, building materials, textiles, cosmetics, and home goods. The “new” smell of a mattress, piece of clothing, or car comes from formaldehyde. It is a carcinogen and suspected gastrointestinal, immune, nerve, reproductive, respiratory, and skin toxicant.
In Your Walls
- Lead
An abundant metal that may be found in a home in the form of old paint on toys or walls, in pipes, or in makeup. Lead is a neurotoxin that accumulates in the body and can cause brain damage and behavioral issues, and is especially harmful to children. There is no safe dose of lead. - Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)
Used as fire retardants in foam furniture, carpet padding, electronics, plastics, textiles, and building materials. PBDEs build up in people’s bodies over time and have been associated with tumors, delayed brain development, and thyroid issues. - Asbestos
A mineral that is resistant to heat and chemical corrosion and can be mixed with other materials to strengthen them. Though asbestos use has declined, it has not been banned in the US. Building materials still legally may be up to one percent asbestos, and old buildings are more likely to contain higher percentages. Homes should be checked for asbestos before any renovation—check roof and floor tiles especially. Asbestos fibers can be inhaled and accumulate in the body and cause inflammation, scarring, respiratory diseases, and cancer.
In Your Bathroom
- Parabens
A preservative in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, parabens are used in toothpaste, shampoo, moisturizers, and shaving gels. Parabens are endocrine disruptors that can be absorbed through the skin, and they have been linked to cancer. - Phthalates
A softening agent used in plastics and in a variety of beauty and skincare products. Studies have identified phthalates as endocrine disruptors. They may also cause liver and kidney lesions, lead to a higher risk of certain cancer, and exacerbate asthma and allergies in some children. - Benzyl benzoate
A common insecticide that is used medically to kill lice or scabies. It is also used as a food additive for flavor, in fragrances, and in plastics. It is a suspected neurotoxin.
In Your Kitchen
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs)
PFAs are a class of chemicals including PFOA, PFOs, and GenX. They repel water and grease, so they’re used in the manufacturing of nonstick cookware, stain-resistant clothes and carpet, and even the inside of microwave popcorn bags. PFAs accumulate in the body over time and can lead to cancer, heart disease, and immune system damage. - Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
A category of chemicals that evaporate into the air and react with sunlight, which pollutes indoor air. The word “organic” means that these chemicals contain the element carbon. Formaldehyde is an example of a VOC that’s likely to be in your home. Some VOCs can be lumped under the term “fragrance” (though not all fragrances are VOCs). VOCs may cause eye, nose and throat irriation in the short term, and cancer, liver damage, kidney damage, and nervous system problems in the long term. VOCs pose a particular risk to infants and fetuses.
Chemicals In Your Couch
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Researchers tested 102 couches and found that 85 percent of them were treated with chemical flame retardants that are known to be toxic or lack adequate information about their health effects.
Forty-one percent of the couches contained chlorinated Tris (TDCPP), a cancer-causing flame retardant removed from baby pajamas in the 1970s, and 17 percent contained the worldwide-banned chemical pentaBDE, the Duke University and University of California, Berkeley, researchers said.
They noted that many of the flame retardants found in the sofas are associated with hormone disruption, neurological and reproductive damage, and cancer in hundreds of animal studies and a number of human studies.
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The chemicals continuously move out of furniture foam into house dust, which can then be consumed by pets and people, especially small children who are near floors and put their hands in their mouths, the researchers explained.
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“Hard to believe, 35 years after our research contributed to removing Tris from children’s sleepwear, our current study suggests that more than a third of Americans’ couches contain the same toxic flame retardant,” study co-author Dr. Arlene Blum, executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute, said in a UC Berkeley news release. “And sadly enough, many Americans could now have increased cancer risks from the Tris in their furniture.”
The Berkeley-based institute provides unbiased scientific data to government, industry and non-governmental organizations.
In related news, another study published the same day found that most homes have levels of flame retardants that are above federal health guidelines. The study was conducted by researchers at the Massachusetts-based Silent Spring Institute, which identifies links between chemicals and women’s health, especially breast cancer.
“Our study of flame retardants in homes found two different cancer-causing Tris flame retardants in the dust insideall of the homes we studied,” study first author Robin Dodson said in the news release.
In a statement, a group representing furniture makers said the industry has been caught between legislative demands to make products both fire-resistant and at the same time free of hazardous chemicals.
“In 1978, the industry established the Upholstered Furniture Action Council (UFAC) and released voluntary upholstery construction guidelines that . . . combine to make an upholstered piece resistant to ignition by a smoldering cigarette,” the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) said in the statement. And, it added, “over the past 25 years, the incidence of household fires involving upholstered furniture in the United States has been reduced by more than 85 percent.”
However, part of that success has been based on the incorporation of flame-retardant chemicals in upholstery, AHFA said.
“Throughout nearly four decades of debate over how best to reduce the number of residential fires that involve upholstered furniture, AHFA has steadfastly maintained the position that product modifications should be made only as they are proven safe, effective and affordable for the greatest number of consumers,” the group said in the statement.
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Reducing your exposure
In addition to your couch flame retardant chemicals can be found in:
- Changing table pads
- Car seats
- Baby carriers
- High chair pads
The easiest way to reduce exposure to TDCPP, according to Toxic-Free Future is to avoid furniture and baby products with polyurethane foam, and seek alternatives containing cotton, wool or polyester. If you are seeking a product that contains foam, ask the manufacturer whether it contains added flame retardants such as TDCPP.
