PFAS, Phthalates, & BPA: What they are and what you need to know.
You may have seen a product advertised as “BPA Free!” or “No phthalates!” You may have heard about PFAS and your pans. You may have heard to not leave your plastic water bottle in the car on a warm day because it causes cancer. Like many, you may have ignored those marketing tactics or brushed them aside.
As one who cares a lot about the environment, I have to admit it took me a while to learn what these things are. I had heard of BPA for a long time but just kind of ignored it. It wasn’t until my sister told me to switch out the kids’ plastic cups every couple of years to avoid BPA, that I decided to actually do some research. She does not have the same passion for the earth I have, which, sadly to admit, is the reason why I decided to look into it. If she cares about BPA, then certainly I should care about BPA. Learning about these toxic chemicals was very eye-opening to me. Today we are going to go over what these chemicals are, where to find them, and how to avoid them. I have included hyperlinks if you want to learn more about them.
Let’s start with PFAS. This is straight from the CDC:
“The per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of chemicals used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. Fluoropolymer coatings can be in a variety of products. These include clothing, furniture, adhesives, food packaging, heat-resistant non-stick cooking surfaces, and the insulation of electrical wire. Many PFAS, including perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are a concern because they:
do not break down in the environment,
can move through soils and contaminate drinking water sources,
build up (bioaccumulate) in fish and wildlife.
PFAS are found in rivers and lakes and in many types of animals on land and in the water.”
Studies have shown that PFAS cause many health problems to animals. Humans have not been studied as carefully, but evidence shows that exposure to PFAs may increase cholesterol, lower antibody responses to some vaccines, change liver enzymes, decrease birth weight, cause kidney and testicular cancer, increase problems with fertility, decrease sperm count, decrease thyroid function, and increase chances of pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia.
Because it does not break down in the environment, we are exposed to it from contaminated water, fish caught in the contaminated water, contaminated soil or dust, eating food packaged in material that contains PFAS, and eating food that was produced near places where PFAS were used or made. PFAS can be found in many places like some diaper brands, some brands of plastic sandwich bags, and sadly in breast milk.
Some other ways to be exposed to PFAS are through stain-resistant material fabrics and carpets, cleaning products, personal care products, cosmetics, paints, varnishes, and sealants. Non-stick cooking and baking pans are coated with a type of PFA called PTFE. PTFE is commonly known as Teflon. These types of pans are causing an alarming amount of pollution all over the globe. Manufacturing, cooking with, and recycling these pans release PFAS into the environment.
So how do we minimize our exposure to PFAS, PTFES, PFOAS? One thing is to avoid non-stick cook and bakeware. This website tests popular brands to see if they are toxic or not. Use glass or ceramic for baking. Use cast-iron or stainless for cooking. Check with your local health department to see if your water has been contaminated. If so, find an alternate source for water you use to drink, prepare food, brush teeth, and cook. Use clean diapers for your baby. You most likely can’t escape it completely, but it’s worth making these swaps to minimize exposure.
Next let’s talk about phthalates (pronounced thal-8s). Definition from the CDC:
“Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more durable. They are often called plasticizers. Some phthalates are used to help dissolve other materials. Phthalates are in hundreds of products, such as vinyl flooring, lubricating oils, and personal-care products (soaps, shampoos, hair sprays).
Some phthalates are in polyvinyl chloride plastics, which are used to make products such as plastic packaging, garden hoses, and medical tubing.”
Phthalates are found in food packaging, makeup, nail polish, products with fragrances, and much more. Phthalates leach into food, spread across the food chain, and can cause reproductive harm. They are commonly believed to be “endocrine disruptors.” Meaning that it can mess up your hormones, causing reproductive and developmental issues. Unfortunately, most of the research has been done on animals, so scientists can’t say what direct causes it has on human health. In my opinion, if it’s negatively affecting animals - it’s most likely going to affect humans negatively. As much as we try to deny it, we’re animals too.
A Harvard study found links that phthalates increase the chances of miscarriage and gestational diabetes. Another Harvard team found evidence that phthalates can cause sperm damage in adult males. The Environmental Protection Agency lists DEHP (a common phthalate) as a probable carcinogen.
So how can you avoid phthalates? Avoid plastic, use glass. Never, ever, ever heat plastic in the microwave!!! Read labels. Avoid soaps and shampoos with fragrances. Download the “Think Dirty” app to check if your cosmetics and personal hygiene products are approved. Eat whole, unprocessed foods and make things from scratch. It’s unlikely to completely escape it, but you can certainly minimize exposure.
Last but not least, BPA. What is it:
“Bisphenol A (BPA) is used to manufacture polycarbonate plastics. This type of plastic is used to make some types of beverage containers, compact disks, plastic dinnerware, impact-resistant safety equipment, automobile parts, and toys. BPA epoxy resins are used in the protective linings of food cans, in dental sealants, and in other products.”
Like phthalates, the CDC is going to say that effects on human health are “unknown,” but then say it affects the reproductive system in animals. Once again, I’m not willing to risk it. If it’s bad for animals, it’s most likely bad for us. It’s everywhere too. 93% of 2517 urine samples were positive for BPA. It is also known as an endocrine disruptor because it mimics estrogen. BPA may also affect the thyroid and cause infertility. It has been linked to obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other health problems.
BPA is commonly found in:
Plastic
Items packaged in plastic containers
Canned foods
Toiletries
Menstrual products
Thermal printer receipts
CDs and DVDs
Household electronics
Eyeglass lenses
Sports equipment
You can avoid BPA by avoiding plastics. Avoiding all plastics would be the best-case scenario, but especially plastics marked with recycling numbers 3 and 7. Just because it says it’s microwavable doesn’t mean it is. BPA alternatives like BPS and BPF are no better than BPA. Drink your water from a glass cup or stainless steel water bottle. Buy your Coke in a can or glass bottle instead of a plastic one. Never heat plastic in the microwave! Heating plastic leaches BPA into your food. Always use glass or ceramic for the microwave. Avoid canned foods when possible, and look for cans that say “BPA Free Lining” when you do. If the canned goods you are looking for come in glass, go with that instead. Skip the receipt. Wal-Mart’s self-checkout allows you to text instead of print. Make sure any plastic toys you buy for your kids are BPA-free. Check what materials your workout clothes are made from. Look for cotton, wool, bamboo, or other natural fibers. The list goes on.
BOTTOM LINE
Unfortunately, we can’t escape these toxins completely. However, it’s worth the effort to minimize exposure. We recommend:
Avoiding plastics in general. Get rid of your kids’ plastic cups and replace them with glass or stainless steel
Never, ever, ever, ever, ever heat plastic in the microwave
Buy food in glass containers instead of canned or plastic
Make sure your little one’s diapers are clean and safe
Eat more whole, fresh, unprocessed foods
Cook from scratch more often
Read labels
Download the “Think Dirty” app to make sure your makeup, shampoo, soap, etc is clean from toxins
Buy fragrance-free soap and lotions
Check what your clothes are made out of. If necessary, start by replacing clothing for sensitive areas (underwear and socks) with ones made from natural fibers
Start with what you can
