The list of endocrine disruptors is very extensive, but here are some of the most common ones to avoid:
Bisphenol A (BPA)
- BPA is used to make polycarbonate plastics and resins, which are commonly found in many plastic products including food storage containers, the lining of canned foods and other food-packaging materials, certain polycarbonate plastic bottles, and cash register receipts. In fact, we are surrounded by plastic. Even if the plastic and cans are labelled as “BPA-free”, it means that a similar chemical may have been used that has not been proved to be any safer.
- BPA has been linked to breast and other cancers, reproductive and fertility issues, obesity, and early puberty. Even trace amounts of BPA can be a problem for a growing body.
- Given the lack of transparency in the market, it is nearly impossible to know where BPA and other similarly concerning replacement chemicals are being used. You cannot eliminate all plastic, but you can take some easy steps to reduce your plastic use. Here is how:
- Swap plastic food storage containers with glass or stainless steel. If you do keep plastic ones, never heat food in them. (Transfer it to a pot or pan for stove-top cooking or a glass container for microwaving.)
- Say no to receipts, since thermal paper is often coated with BPA.
- Avoid plastics marked with a “PC,” for polycarbonate, or recycling label #7. (Most of these plastics contain BPA)
- Substitute any canned food you may use with fresh, frozen, or dried food.
- Replace plastic lunch bags with reusable bags, and plastic cling wrap with beeswax-coated cloth.
- In short, anytime you are in the market for something plastic, research whether safer alternatives exist.
Phthalates
- Phthalates are used to make plastics more flexible. They are also found in some food packaging, cosmetics (fragrance), PVC plastic, children’s toys, plastic wraps, and medical devices.
- Studies have linked phthalates to birth defects in the male reproductive system, lower sperm count, lower sperm motility, miscarriages, and gestational diabetes.
- How to reduce your exposure to phthalates:
- Avoid plastic food containers, plastic children’s toys (some phthalates are already banned in kid’s products), and plastic wrap with the recycling label #3.
- Read ingredient labels. Avoid products that list phthalates as an ingredient as well as those that list “fragrance.” Keep in mind that fragrance can show up in unexpected places, like diapers and garbage bags.
- Choose hard wood blocks and cotton baby dolls over plastic ones.
- Rethink kids’ cosmetics: limit lotions, bubbles, glosses, and glitters.
- For lotions, sunscreens, and soap, the fewer products you use, with the least amount of ingredients (and definitely without fragrances), the better.
PFAS chemicals (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)
- PFAS is a family of fluorinated compounds that includes more than 4,700 chemicals used widely in industrial applications, such as firefighting foams, non-stick pans, paper, waterproofing, food packaging, and textile coatings 9coatings on upholstered furniture and carpeting0. Drinking water is also one of the most common sources of exposure to these chemicals.
- PFAS chemicals has been linked to cancer, thyroid disease, weakened immunity, and developmental defects, and others whose health effects are unknown.
- Here is how to avoid PFAS chemicals:
- Buy a water filter to remove or reduce PFAS chemicals from your tap water.
- Do not use non-stick pans and kitchen utensils that are manufactured with PFAS chemicals.
- Cut back on fast food, which often comes in PFAS-treated wrappers and food packaging.
- Pop your popcorn on a stovetop. Microwaveable popcorn bags are usually coated with PFAS chemicals on the inside.
- Skip the optional stain-repellent treatment on new carpets and furniture. Many of these coatings are made with PFAS chemicals.
Phytoestrogens
- Phytoestrogens are a naturally occurring substances in plants and plant-based foods. It has a hormone-like activity which imitates estrogen (as its chemical structure is very similar to that of estrogen), however it does not bind to estrogen receptors as firmly as estrogen produced by the body, so their effects may be weaker. When phytoestrogens enter the body, the body’s estrogen receptors treat them as if they were estrogen, but they disrupt normal hormonal function. It may provide similar benefits to the synthetic estrogen used in hormone replacement therapy, but also carry the same risks of obesity, cancer, and problems with reproduction.
- The list of foods that contain phytoestrogens includes soybeans, tofu, tempeh, soy beverages, linseed (flax), sesame seeds, wheat, berries, oats, barley, dried beans, lentils, rice, alfalfa, mung beans, apples, carrots, wheat germ, rice bran, and soy linseed bread.
Flame retardants
- In the past people have been exposed to flame retardants in mattresses, upholstered furniture, foam cushions, baby car seats, insulation, and electronics. Flame retardants migrate from products to indoor air and house dust. You can inhale them, ingest them, and absorb them through your skin.
- These chemicals have been linked to hormone disruption, cancer, and attention and IQ deficits in children.
- You can reduce your exposure to flame retardants by doing the following:
- Check item labels, often located under cushions or on the bottom of the piece of furniture, to make sure it was made without flame retardants.
- Wash your hands frequently using soap and water. This is especially important before meals and for babies and young children who put their fingers in their mouths.
- Vacuum with a HEPA filter and dust with a wet rag frequently to prevent flame retardants and other harmful chemicals from building up in your home.
- Take proper precautions when replacing old carpet as the padding underneath may contain fire retardants. Keep children away from the area where the work is being done, and keep the dust contained.
Perchlorate
- Perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel, is an endocrine disruptor that interferes with the thyroid gland. When perchlorate gets into your body, it competes with the nutrient iodine, which the thyroid gland needs to make thyroid hormones.
Perchlorate contaminates the drinking water and food. During a study, this chemical was detected in three quarters of the twenty-seven types of food sampled and the greatest sources of perchlorate were dairy products (as cows, like breastfeeding mothers, accumulate perchlorate in their milk). - These hormones regulate metabolism in adults and are critical for proper brain and organ development in infants and young children.
- Here are ways to avoid perchlorate:
- Get a filter to reduce perchlorate in drinking water.
- It is nearly impossible to avoid perchlorate in food because contamination is so pervasive. But you can reduce its potential effects by making sure you are getting enough iodine in your diet.
- Turn up your nose at fragrances (the word fragrance on a label signifies a mix of potentially hundreds of ingredients, and phthalates are typically found in fragrance). Fortunately, fragrance is not necessary for a product to function well or be effective, therefore rather choose fragrance-free creams, cleaning products, and laundry detergents.
- Be careful about air fresheners and rather open your windows, use fans, and empty stinky trash cans regularly. You can also turn to natural odour-busters like fresh flowers on the kitchen counter, citrus peels in the garbage disposal, or an open box of baking soda in the fridge.
- To encourage transparency and safer products, buy from companies that voluntarily disclose their ingredients and look for the safer choices. You can also easily make your own cleaners from safe household staples like vinegar and baking soda.