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Reducing Personal Exposure to Toxic ChemicalsReducing Personal Exposure to Toxic Chemicalsat Home and in the Environmentat Home and in the Environment

Presentation to GreenTown Los Altos, March 16, 2010by Laurel Standley, Ph.D.

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Overview: Exposure to Toxic SubstancesOverview: Exposure to Toxic Substances

•What are we exposed to?•new and old environmental contaminants•ingredients and byproducts

•Why reduce exposure?•associations with disease

•Where do the exposures come from?•food, consumer products, environment

•How to reduce your exposure?

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What are we exposed to?What are we exposed to?Human monitoring:•CDC 3rd report (148 chemicals)•EWG reports Body Burden & umbilical corddata >200 chemicals•News organizations

Toxic chemicals detected in blood, fat, breast milk and/or urine:•Heavy metals: lead, mercury, cadmium•Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)•Polychlorinated dioxins and furans•Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)•Pesticides: ‘legacy’ - DDT/DDE, new - organophosphate•Plasticizers: phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA)•Perfluorinated chemicals - ‘non-stick’•Flame retardants: polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)

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Diseases Associated With EnvironmentalDiseases Associated With Environmentaland Household Toxic Exposuresand Household Toxic Exposures

Strength of evidence:•human studies with controls (no exposure)•large numbers•animal studies demonstrating link between exposure anddisease

Strongest associations:•smoking - heart/lung disease•accidental or occupational exposure - Minamata disease (Hg),microwave popcorn and impaired lung function

Epidemiological:•higher disinfection byproducts in drinking water and bladder cancer

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CancerCancerBladder cancer:

•disinfection byproducts•older dark hair dyes

Breast cancer:•xenoestrogens•light at night

Leukemia: children of women exposed to pesticides during pregnancyPancreatic: pesticide use

Timing: DDT exposure before age 15 elevates risk of breast cancer riskmore than later exposures

Gene-environment interactions: PAH exposure + geneticpredisposition to breast cancer much greater risk than either alone

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Reproduction and DevelopmentReproduction and Development

Decreasing sperm count:•U.S. and Europe 50% lower than men born in pre-synthetic chemical era (World War II)•China 60% lower than 1980s

Shorter anogenital index (AGI):associated with mother’sphthalate exposure. (Swan2005)

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Reproduction & Development, cont.Reproduction & Development, cont.

Neurological development:mercury, lead

Low birth weight:air pollution

Lower boy to girl birth ratio:PCBs, dioxin

Birth defects:pesticides, phthalates

Longer time to pregnancy: perfluorochemicalsGynecomastia (breast development in boys):

lavender and tea tree oil

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Heart Disease and StrokeHeart Disease and Stroke

Air pollution:Harvard Six Cities Study

Cities that reduced airpollution documented lowerlevels of pollution-relatedmortality (heart disease andstroke) than those that did not.

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AsthmaAsthma

Harsh household cleaners: bleach and ammonia

Air pollution: Atlanta Olympics study

Plasticizers: vinyl (shower curtains, toys)

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Lowering Your BodyLowering Your BodyBurden of Toxic ChemicalsBurden of Toxic Chemicals

Residence time in your body:•Hours to days

•phthalates, bisphenol-A, mercury, OP pesticides•Years

•‘non-stick’ fluorinated chemicals, flame retardants•Decades

•DDT/DDE, PCBs, dioxins

Intervention studies critical but rare

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Food Web: BioaccumulationFood Web: Bioaccumulation

Fat soluble contaminantsaccumulate through thefood web, thousands tomillions times moreconcentrated at the top ofthe food web

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Sources of Contaminants in FoodSources of Contaminants in Food

Accumulated by animals:•Air pollution•Pesticides in grass/food

Food packaging/storage/preparation:•Phthalates: tubing/plastic wrap•BPA: polycarbonate/can liners•Pans: nonstick/perfluorinated•Fast food wrappers, grease-proof

Pesticides used during farming/transport

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Organic Organic vs vs Conventional DietConventional Diet

(Lu et al. 2005)

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Personal Care and HouseholdPersonal Care and HouseholdProductsProducts

Selecting safer products: www.GoodGuide.com and www.CosmeticsDatabase.com

Ingredients to avoid/minimize use of:•Antimicrobials: triclosan/triclocarban/microban•Fragrances•Petroleum-based vs bio-based•Parabens

Many, if not most ingredients labels incomplete

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Consumer Products: PhthalatesConsumer Products: Phthalates

(Duty et al. 2005)

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‘‘SaferSafer’’ Plastics Plastics

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Consumer Products: Consumer Products: ‘‘Non-StickNon-Stick’’ PFCsPFCs

Sources to food:•Fast food packaging•Non-stick pans•Microwave popcorn bags

Household sources:•Stain-resistant carpets/furniture•Waterproof fabrics•Ski-wax

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Consumer Products: Flame RetardantsConsumer Products: Flame Retardants

Household sources:•Electronics •Furniture, mattresses•Carpet pads•Clothing

CA regulations = 2x body burdens(Zota et al. 2008)

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Combustion: Combustion: PAHs PAHs & Other Chemicals& Other Chemicals

Heat sources: natural gas < petroleum < wood smoke

Whatever you burn or ignite, createstoxic gases, PAHs, and particles:•Gas appliances•Wood stoves or fireplaces•Candles: soy/beeswax < paraffin < incense

Including food:•Barbecue•Charred toast

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Environment: Air PollutionEnvironment: Air Pollution

Improving indoor air quality:•House plants•HEPA/carbon filters (vacuum, heater)•Vent: garage, all gas appliances

Sources:•Diesel exhaust particularly toxic•Proximity of major highways•Shift time of your commute/exercise•Enact ordinances to reduce truck idling

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Environment: WaterEnvironment: WaterWater contaminants:•Lead•Pharmaceuticals•Pesticides•Nitrates•Volatile Organics•Disinfection byproducts (DBPs)

DBPs also in:•Swimming pools•Shower spray

Solution: filtration- depends on contaminants

but best general hometreatment is carbon block

filter

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Bottom Line: What Can You Control?Bottom Line: What Can You Control?

What we know << what we don’t know•>100,000 chemicals in commerce•EPA estimates we are exposed to ~6,000•Only 200 tested for health issues

Differences in body burdens = opportunityConsumer pressureRegulation

•TSCA vs REACH•CA Prop 65 and Green Chemistry Initiative

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ResourcesResources

Daniel MarsulaPittsburgh Post Gazette

Websites:•GoodGuide•Environmental Working Group •Cosmetics Database•NRDC•National Geographic Green Guide

Download ‘Twelve Tips for Reducing Personal Exposure’:www.clear-current.com/publications.html

Support the Household Intervention Study:www.SilentSpring.org/support-our-work