Toxic Skinny

Bisphenol A in your teeth

2008-04-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

As usual, Canada is way ahead on the ever-dynamic bisphenol-A plastics story. Since it banned BPA from baby bottles and labeled it an official "toxic" last week, the country has been pushing the envelope (or should I say chomping the bit?) on the science and reporting fronts. Here's the latest from the Toronto Globe and Mail on dental fillings:

Some studies have found detectable levels of BPA in the saliva of patients after they received sealants or fillings, but experts are divided as to whether this low exposure constitutes a health risk.

Dental associations are rushing to defend the use of the materials, saying patients' exposure to BPA appears to be low and limited to the period immediately after treatment.

Docs say the fillings appear safe, but some dentists are preferring to be cautious.

See here for another good story from the same paper on how to dispose of all the now-illegal bottles.

And finally, from the New York Times, a business piece about companies making or selling alternatives to BPA. These include Tritan, Sigg, Camelbak and Born Free.

The Skinny: We recommend dropping the extra buck for BPA-free water bottles (ditto the baby bottles, which cost even more). As to dentistry, why not go for non-toxic if you can? When we raised the BPA issue with our dentist last year, he looked at us like we needed to be permanently hooked up to laughing gas. However, the tide is turning, as the Canadian dentists at least now realize...

Sunscreen's Oxybenzone in All of Us

2008-03-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

The Centers for Disease Control has determined that 97 percent of us have a sunscreen chemical, oxybenzone, coursing through our blood and perhaps monkeying with our hormones and causing low-birthweight babies. For a list of the hundreds of sunscreens that contain this chemical, see this Skin Deep database. The Environmental Working Group has a comprehensive statement here.

An excellent summary of the statement and CDC study can be found on Rachel's Democracy newsletter # 952.

The Food and Drug Administration has failed miserably in its duty to
protect the public from toxic chemicals like oxybenzone in personal
care products. At the request of industry lobbyists, including Supreme
Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who represented the Cosmetic
Toiletry and Fragrance Association, the agency has delayed final
sunscreen safety standards for nearly 30 years. FDA issued a new draft
of the standards last October under pressure from EWG, but continues
to delay finalizing them at the behest of the regulated industry.

The Skinny:
Sunscreen works and it does help prevent skin cancer, but so do protective clothing and shade. Also, most of us don't get enough Vitamin D, so you don't always want sunscreen on every inch of you all the time. Check your sunscreen labels for oxybenzone, as well as PABA, also a nasty one. Be especially cautious if you are pregnant. And don't forget the healing effects of a pina colada while on the beach. Cheers.

Pharmaceuticals in Tap Water

2008-03-13T21:39:00.000-07:00

Kudos to the Associated Press, who this week published an outstanding series on Big Pharma showing up in the drinking water supplies of 41 million Americans. So far. AP reporters combed the results of over 50 metropolitan water tests. Among the findings:

Officials in Philadelphia said testing there discovered 56 pharmaceuticals or byproducts in treated drinking water, including medicines for pain, infection, high cholesterol, asthma, epilepsy, mental illness and heart problems. Sixty-three pharmaceuticals or byproducts were found in the city's watersheds.

Anti-epileptic and anti-anxiety medications were detected in a portion of the treated drinking water for 18.5 million people in Southern California.

Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey analyzed a Passaic Valley Water Commission drinking water treatment plant, which serves 850,000 people in Northern New Jersey, and found a metabolized angina medicine and the mood-stabilizing carbamazepine in drinking water.

A sex hormone was detected in San Francisco's drinking water.

So what does it all mean for our health? The AP used a sobering kicker:

...some experts say medications may pose a unique danger because, unlike most pollutants, they were crafted to act on the human body.

"These are chemicals that are designed to have very specific effects at very low concentrations. That's what pharmaceuticals do. So when they get out to the environment, it should not be a shock to people that they have effects," says zoologist John Sumpter at Brunel University in London, who has studied trace hormones, heart medicine and other drugs.

And while drugs are tested to be safe for humans, the timeframe is usually over a matter of months, not a lifetime. Pharmaceuticals also can produce side effects and interact with other drugs at normal medical doses. That's why aside from therapeutic doses of fluoride injected into potable water supplies pharmaceuticals are prescribed to people who need them, not delivered to everyone in their drinking water.

The Skinny: We've heard that reverse-osmosis filters, and even relatively inexpensive carbon filters like Brita, do a decent job of filtering some of these compounds out. If you think bottled water is a viable alternative, think again: the plastics that leach into the water from the bottle, not to mention the carbon-footprint of transporting and bottling water, make tap water a better option. Wouldn't it be nice if we kept it clean?

Hormone Replacement Therapy and Cancer

2008-03-05T19:43:00.000-08:00

Even five years after women in a landmark study stopped taking hormone replacement pills, they have an increased risk of lung and breast cancer, according to new research published by the American Medical Association. The AP reports today:

The authors said the new results send the same message they've been advocating ever since the study ended: Health risks from estrogen-progestin pills outweigh their benefits, and they should only be used to relieve hot flashes and other menopause symptoms, in the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible duration.

It's yet another example of how artificial hormones can mess up our health. The much-touted promises of replacement hormones, once thought to be a sort of fountain of youth to protect us against heart diseases and other ravages of aging, turned out to be a whole lot of hype, and worse. In fact, the study of women taking the pills was halted early because of elevated health risks.

The Skinny: A few hot flashes are better than cancer. Don't take HRT.

Mercury in lightbulbs

2008-02-27T09:39:00.000-08:00

According to a new report cited in The Boston Globe says CFC lightbulbs may pose a risk to infants if not used and disposed of properly:

"Using compact fluorescent bulbs is still the brightest idea out there," said Michael Bender, director of the Mercury Policy Project, a nonprofit organization that works to eliminate mercury use. "The message is: People should not be afraid but informed and prepared and learn how to dispose of them properly."

Nanotechnology

2008-02-21T08:31:00.000-08:00

On the event of a new article published in Environmental Science & Technology, Toxic Skinny is eager to have this opportunity to talk about nanotechnology. Using tiny particles in new molecular configurations has amazing potential to deliver drugs to diseased human cells, purify water, lighten vehicles to make them more fuel efficient, and other cool things. However, some nanotechnology applications may also allow these tiny particles to clog arteries, damage organs and wreak all sorts of unintended havoc. The problem, the long and excellent article states, is that there is no uniform or convincing set of standards for testing these materials for potential toxicological effects:

...the scientific community has yet to determine which nanomaterials are hazardous to the environment or humans, because of a lack of methodology, metrology, and other basics, including how to actually monitor nanoparticles in air, for example. The diversity of nanomaterials, both existing ones and those to come, also presents a challenge.

So how do we know which everyday products and technologies contain nanomaterials? You might be surprised to learn they are already approved for use in sunscreens, anti-microbial socks and other clothing, Chanel's Moisture Mist and on and on. The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, an effort funded by the Woodrow Wilson Center and the Pew Charitable Trusts, offers a relatively user-friendly database. Check it out here.

The Skinny:
For now, we must recommend avoiding purchasing products that you know contain nanotechnology and that come into contact with skin, like suntan lotions and clothing, especially for children, until the product-safety glitches get worked out. That snazzy carbon-fiber bike you've been eying? We say go for it. It'll keep you off the couch.

From Frogs to Humans?

2008-02-20T16:16:00.000-08:00

The local ABC affiliate in San Francisco has a piece out about UC Berkeley frog researcher Tyrone Hayes and his provocative theories linking pesticides to the disappearance of the African Clawed Frog. Despite repeatedly misspelling "atrazine," the piece has some interesting quotes from government and independent researchers about this ubiquitous and nasty herbicide that the EPA can't seem to find the balls to regulate. For more on atrazine, go here.

"If you are a male frog exposed to attrazine at very low ecologically relevant levels you become a hermaphrodite," said Professor Hayes.

And because frogs share some similar genes with humans, he worries attrazine may have an affect on humans as well.

PVC might come out of toys

2008-02-13T08:55:00.000-08:00

According to today's Wall Street Journal, toy manufacturers are facing increased pressure to remove a vinyl composite, the nasty PVC, from toys. A well-balanced piece, it says Wal-Mart and Target are trying to find alternatives, including some made by veggie resins by a company called I Play:

After recalling millions of toys to protect consumers from lead paint, toy makers face growing pressure over another material, a plastic found in myriad playthings, from balls to dolls.

Depending on how it is made, PVC frequently contains lead or other toxic metals. Vinyl chloride, used to make PVC, has been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a carcinogen. Certain chemicals in the phthalate family, which often are used to soften PVC in toys and other products, have been linked by researchers to developmental and other health problems in children.

The Skinny: Europe has already apparently banned PVC for toys and California is planning to ban pthalates, a family of hormone-mimicking chemicals used to soften PVC, next year. For an excellent editorial on pthalates and California's new Green Chemistry Initiative, see last week's LA Times.

Toxic Toys Unpacked

2008-02-11T16:08:00.000-08:00

Toxic Toys were the parenting story in 2007, reaching a crescendo just before Christmas. In its current issue, Environmental Health Perspectives offers an excellent overview of the issue, particularly with respect to lead and pthalates, and offers a regulatory update.

Now, the St. Petersburg Times is reporting even our pets may face peril from lead in their toys, and no one is regulating Fido's shopping cart.

The Skinny: For a list of safe toys, see Healthytoys.org.

The Plastics War Continues

2008-02-11T15:33:00.001-08:00

The Ottawa Citizen today carries an excellent report on the ongoing controversy surrounding Bisphenol-A, or BPA, a common compound found in tin-food linings, dental sealants, Nalgene water bottles and many baby bottles and sippy cups. The article lobs a major criticism of its competitor, the Toronto Star:

In the continuing battle over public opinion, it's easy to be fooled. The Toronto Star was duped last month: It published a 10-part article listing various health scares that it said were "unfounded."

The Star was actually reprinting material written by the American Council on Science
and Health. This group is paid by the U.S. chemical industry and advances its views aggressively .

Laboratory experiments with animals show that exposure to level of bisphenol A that leaches out of these bottles causes a range of adverse effects. For more on BPA's tendency to leach out of popular baby bottles, especially at high temperature, see this report, published last week by the Center for Health, Environment & Justice.

The Skinny: While the science on this chemical is getting reviewed and re-reviewed and counter reviewed, follow these prudent advisories from the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health:

- Don't microwave polycarbonate plastic food containers. BPA is strong and durable, but over time it may break down from overuse at high temperatures.

- Avoid plastic containers with the number "7" on the bottom.

- Don't wash polycarbonate plastic containers in the dishwasher with harsh detergents.

- Reduce your use of canned foods. Eat fresh or frozen foods.

- When possible, opt for glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers, particularly for hot food or liquids.

- Consider alternatives to products that contain BPA, such as PETE (polyethylene terephthalate, ID code #1).

- Use infant formula bottles that are BPA-free and look for toys that are labeled BPA-free. (For an excellent buying guide, see the Environmental Working Group.)

- The highest potential for human exposure to bisphenol A is through products that directly contact food, such as food and beverage containers with internal epoxy resin coatings, and through the use of polycarbonate tableware and bottles, such as those used to feed infants.

We might soon be breathing less mercury

2008-02-08T21:01:00.000-08:00

The air might get a little cleaner downwind of coal-burning power plants, according to a report from today's Reuters:

In a victory for environmentalists and a setback for big U.S. coal-burning utilities, a federal court ruled on Friday that the Environmental Protection Agency must fundamentally rework its mercury rules for utilities.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that the EPA violated the Clean Air Act in 2005 when it exempted coal plants from the strictest emission controls for mercury and other toxic substances like arsenic, lead and nickel.

Cell Phones and Sperm Counts

2008-02-07T21:49:00.000-08:00

This one just in from Reuters about a new Cleveland Clinic study:

Spending hours on a mobile phone each day may affect the quality of a man's sperm, preliminary US research suggests. In a study of 361 men seen at their infertility clinic, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic found an association between the patients' mobile phone use and their sperm quality.

The study found that men using a cell phone for more than four hours a day had the lowest sperm counts, not to mention a pretty sore ear. The theory is that the EMF waves may be damaging DNA and that sperm may be uniquely susceptible. The jury is still out on cell phone use and brain tumors, since past studies exonerating the technology were flawed (small sample sizes and short time horizons). Larger scale studies are still underway.

The Skinny: Plug in to the wire, guys. If you have to use a cell, use it with an earpiece and don't keep the phone close to your groin either if you can help it.

Toxic Turf?

2008-02-07T21:40:00.001-08:00

ToxicSkinny doesn't necessarily put a lot of stock in Fox news, but they have captured the essence the controversy surrounding AstroTurf:

"...fake turf is composed of polyethylene fibers made to look like grass, which are in turn anchored by rubber pellets made from chopped-up automotive tires...
Environmentalists say that heat also may unlock a lot of nasty fumes from the ground-up tires underneath, which would be inhaled wholesale by hard-breathing athletes.

The Skinny: This is a tough one. What are you going to do? Keep Junior from batting practice, where at least he's probably outside running around and getting some natural Vitamin D? If anything, lobby your local sports' scene to take a closer look at the stuff and consider replacing it with REAL GRASS, dudes. It's easier on the knees.

Bisphenol A in Baby Bottles

2008-02-07T21:24:00.001-08:00

From today's Montreal Post Gazette:

A study to be made public this morning on health risks posed by some of the most popular baby bottles sold in Canada is expected to add another ominous chime to the steady chorus of alarm bells that researchers have sounded recently about bisphenol A.

The Skinny: Avoid BPA when possible, especially if you're pregnant or are a wee one. Buy BPA-free baby bottles and sippy cups, don't microwave plastic containers or store food in #7 plastics.

For more on BPA, see TK