It may be good to remember, though, that the recent laboratory studies show 1,4-Dioxane is
nonexistent in the variety of products produced and certified under the USDA National Organic
Program, because the regulations disallow ethoxylation and any other synthetic petrochemical
modification, as currently outlined in the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances of the
United States National Organic Program. For your peace of mind, look out for this label—but only if
it refers to the whole product, not one of its ingredients. We will discuss organic labeling more in
Chapter 4.
Phthalates: Hormonal Disharmony
A study by the Women’s Environmental Network, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, and
Health Care Without Harm found phthalates in almost 80 percent of the popular cosmetic products
tested, none of which listed these chemicals on the labels.
About 1 billion pounds of phthalates per year are produced and sold worldwide. Phthalates are
widely used industrial compounds known technically as dialkyl or alkyl aryl esters of 1,2-
benzenedicarboxylic acid. Phthalates are all around us: in shower curtains, rubber ducks, PVC
furniture and clothes, sex toys, fragrances, MP3 players (including earphones and cords), perfumes,
hair sprays, and nail polishes. Some of the bestselling fragrances contain phthalates, a group of
dangerous toxic chemicals that is linked to reproductive birth defects and other illnesses, according to
the FDA, National Toxicology Program, and other governmental agencies. The majority of Americans
tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have metabolites of multiple phthalates in
their urine at any given time. Phthalates are so ubiquitous it is impossible to completely avoid them,
but you can distance yourself from a great deal of them.
Phthalates are known reproductive toxins, and while these chemicals may be safe in extremely low
levels, women are exposed to phthalates from many sources that join forces to create dangerously
high levels of phthalates in the body. That new car smell, which becomes especially noticeable after
the car has been standing in the sun for a few hours, is mainly the toxic brew of phthalates emitting
from a hot plastic dashboard and seats. This is why some doctors recommend that pregnant women do
not buy new cars or even ride in them, especially during the first crucial weeks of pregnancy.
“All synthetically scented products, such as shampoos [and] deodorants, contain phthalates, but
perfumes contain the highest levels of phthalates,” says Stacy Malkan, cofounder of the Campaign for
Safe Cosmetics.
The chemicals in question include di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP, commonly found in nail polish) and
di(2-ehtylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP, found in perfumes). Most often, they are hiding under the word
“fragrance” in the ingredient list. Even though the amounts of these toxic chemicals in beauty products
are minuscule, scientists warn that their combined effect could pose health problems. While cosmetic
manufacturers insist that phthalates are “safe as currently used,” and phthalate manufacturers produce
websites praising phthalates for making our lives better and safer, recent medical data contradict this
notion. There is nothing good or safe about phthalates.
what
science
says