Photo By Baekken Via Flickr

A lot of people these days have the impression that dangerous chemicals have for the most part been removed from household products in America.  But unlike the European Union, where a chemical must be proven safe before it is allowed to be used, we still cling to the big business endorsed concept that a chemical is safe until proven otherwise.

This leads to dozens of new chemical compounds being introduced with little to no scientific research in regards to their safety.  Even worse, in many cases,  lobbyists and corporations have forced the hand of the EPA into not banning chemicals that are without doubt,  proven to be a health hazard that is bio accumulating in every man, women and child.  This leaves the job of keeping yourself  free of these chemicals up to you.  To help you in that quest,  here are a list of some of the most prevalent chemicals one would find in your own home.

Polytetrafloureothylene
Polytetrafluoroethylene, also known as Teflon, that magical nonstick coating so many have come to depend on contains perfluorooctanoic acid, which the EPA declared to be a “likely carcinogen.” And while this chemical is mostly stable when at room temperature, when it is heated, it starts to deteriorate,  and release its toxic properties at increased rates. In other words, this product is most dangerous when used for its intended purpose of nonstick cooking.  You will also find Teflon used in some carpets, clothing, and in many microwave popcorn bags. The maker of Teflon, DuPont, knowing how toxic these chemicals are,  settled for $300 million in a lawsuit in 2004 with residents near its manufacturing facility over ground water pollution.

Bisphenol A(BPA)
I doubt anyone reading this didn’t hear about the controversy surrounding this chemical last year when Canada banned it, and stores around the US started pulling Nalgene Brand water bottles from the shelves. What most people are not aware of, is that BPA is still used in hundreds of other household items, and that  testing has shown that BPA is in 95% of adults bodies. Other products that BPA is still used in include the plastic lining in some canned foods, plastic soda bottles, and PVC pipes  just to name a few.  Avoiding plastic food or liquid containers is the best method to remove BPA from your house.

Phthalates
This family of chemicals is used in everything from plastics, cosmetics, shampoo and conditioner, pill coatings, lubricants, detergents, paints, inks, the  list is almost endless. Over 800 million pounds is produced each year, and is found in almost every creature on the planet. Due to  its broad use, the only real way to avoid this chemical  is to become an avid label reader. When i decided to remove all Phthalates from my household last year, i found over 50 products with them listed on the label. The good news is that for every product you own containing them, you can find an environmentally friendly version that is phthalate free.

By Mark Johnson