Why to Avoid Phthalates

Phthalates are a key ingredient that is missing from all products Essentials carries. But why is that important and what exactly are phthalates?

Phthalates are mainly used as plasticizers which are substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, durability and longevity. They are used primarily to soften polyvinl chloride (PVC). Phthalates are used in a large variety of products inclulding personal care items such as lotions, shampoos, make-up, nail polish, soap and hair spray. In general, children's exposure to phthalates is higher than adults. These are commonly found in infant lotion, infant powder, and infant shampoo. Phthalate exposure is also high in fatty foods including butter and meats.

So why should we avoid them? Research has shown that women are at a higher risk for potential adverse health effects of phthalates due to increased cosmetic use. Diethyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate are especially ubiquitous in cosmetics and personal care products. There is an association between phthalate exposure and endocrine disruption leading to development of breast cancer. Though the number of studies on phthalate and breast cancer is limited, this should not be reason enough to allow their use in personal care products. In studies of rodents exposed to certain phthalates, high doses have been shown to change hormone levels and cause birth defects. In addition, large amounts of specific phthalates fed to rodents have been shown to damage their liver.

So how do we avoid phthalates?

Read the ingredients. According to the organization Pollution in People, you can identify phthalates in some products by their chemical names, or abbreviations:

• DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) and DEP (diethyl phthalate) are often found in personal care products, including nail polishes, deodorants, perfumes and cologne, aftershave lotions, shampoos, hair gels and hand lotions. (BzBP, see below, is also in some personal care products.)
• DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) is used in PVC plastics, including some medical devices.
• BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate) is used in some flooring, car products and personal care products.
• DMP (dimethyl phthalate) is used in insect repellent and some plastics (as well as rocket propellant).

Be wary of the term "fragrance," which is used to denote a combination of compounds, possibly including phthatates, which are a subject of recent concern because of studies showing they can mimic certain hormones.

Choose plastics with the recycling code 1, 2 or 5. Recycling codes 3 and 7 are more likely to contain bisphenol A or phthalates

Sources: www.thedailygreen.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phthalate