Personal care products toxic chemicals

In the year 2000, poison centers in the United States responded to nearly two and half million incidents, mosdy home exposures to chemical products, animal bites, and poisonous plants. Over 50% involved children under the age of six. In all, 24,024 incidents resulted in medical outcomes deemed major , and there were 1711 deaths. Almost half (46%) stemmed from exposure to pharmaceutical products. Of the remaining exposures, the largest groups resulted from cosmetics and personal care products and household cleaners. Although the large number of incidents says more about the ubiquity of potentially hazardous products in the home than about their toxicity, the numbers also point out the extent of the potential dangers if products are toxic or if medical aid is not rapidly received. Many more deaths and serious injuries would occur if not for the rapid intervention of poison centers. 

This site provides information about dangerous chemicals found in cosmetics and personal care products, in common cleansers we use at home and at work, and in toxic products we may expose ourselves to every day . 

Sodium hydroxide is the most widely used strong base in the chemical industry. It exists as a white, odorless, crystalline solid at room temperature. Sodium hydroxide is a highly corrosive and toxic substance and is called caustic soda or lye. Sodium hydroxide is used as an alkali in the production of numerous products including detergents, paper, synthetic fabrics, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. It is the ingredient in many common cleaners, degreasers, drain cleaners, and personal care products. 

My husband and I decided to make major changes in our home to reduce my exposure to chemicals. We also went through the usual MCS routine of changing over to less-toxic cleaning products, laundry detergent, and personal care products. I am grateful to my husband, who never questioned the reality of my chemical sensitivity. Like me, he was ready to look for cause and effect. When I had a reaction, the question was what I had eaten or been exposed to, not whether I had had a stressful day. 

A large number of chemicals have been shown to precipitate MCS. The sources of these chemicals include industrial chemicals, off-gassing in tightly sealed buildings, polluted air and water in areas contaminated by industrial discharges, and toxic waste site releases, and those from the use of consumer products, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, paints, adhesives, pesticides, and other chemical products used around the home. Table 26.2 lists some of the individual compounds that have been associated with MCSJ12 161... 

In addition to these regulations, the state of California requires that warning labels inform users of any chemical in the product known to cause cancer or be a developmental and reproductive toxicant. California also has a cosmetics disclosure law that requires the disclosure of all toxic chemicals contained in cosmetics and personal care products. ... 

Hazardous chemical exposures can occur from aerosols, gases, and skin contaminants. Exposures can occur on an acute basis or result from chronic long-term exposures. Some substances, commonly used in the healthcare setting, can cause asthma or trigger attacks. Studies indicate scientific evidence linking cleaners and disinfectants, sterilants, latex, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and pharmaceuticals to asthma. Many medications and compounds used in personal care products have known toxic effects. Although many medications pose hazards to workers. 

Other applications of alcohol alkoxylates also include textile lubricants, agricultural chemicals, rinse aid formulations, and personal care products. Polyoxyethylene block copolymers exhibit properties similar to surfactants, such as the presence of micelles in aqueous solutions, micelle structure, and association number, and are therefore termed polymeric surfactants. These diverse subsets of nonionic surfactants are unique and offer several advantages in manufacturing, and they could be designed for specific uses and applications. A complete Surfactant Science Series volume dedicated to the chemistry, physicochemical properties, applications, and toxicity was published in 1996. Because of these beneficial attributes, alcohol ethoxylates and alcohol alkoxylates are the most important nonionic surfactants in terms of volume usage in consumer products. 

The similarity between humans and other animals is useful not only for developing model organisms for medical research, but also when attempting to determine the adverse impacts of chemicals released into the environment. As will be discussed in a later chapter, human pharmaceuticals and personal care products are entering the environment, very often in complex mixtures. Given that many of these compounds have not been considered as environmental toxicants, and that the concentrations of the compounds in the environment are very low, the environmental risk is difficult to ascertain. 

The effects of hidden chemicals are excluded. Many of the regulations allow for proprietary formulation information to be excluded. So called inert ingredients are not required to be listed for proprietary purposes, even though these are added, for example, to increase activity of pesticides or improve the esthetics of cosmetics and personal care products, and are known to alter the toxicological effects of such products. In the United States, toxic chemicals in foods are not required to be listed if they are contained on the EAFUS and GRAS lists [16]. 

What has helped me more than anything else is minimizing my exposure to chemicals in food, air and water. I ve started eating organic foods and replaced all of my personal care and cleaning products with less-toxic, unscented products. 

Many personal care and cosmetic products contain toxic chemicals. Categories of products containing toxicants are listed in Table 11.9. 

Table 11.9 Personal Care and Cosmetic Products Containing Toxic Chemicals...

Table 11.10 Partial List of Toxic Chemicals Contained in Personal Care and Cosmetic Products...

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