Soap Box Saturday a.k.a. "Phthalates, continued"

Oooooh, how I love to be right!! :) I've been on the "phthalate-free" bandwagon for a looong time (I ride on a LOT of bandwagons, by the way). It's so nice when research and news hit the mainstream media about stuff I've known about for years--and have told people about, only to get the "Huh?? You're so weird," reaction.
Well, there's more and more controvery surrounding the issue of phthalates in the products we use, especially body care products and especially the effect on infants. I love it!! The fact that it's being publicized, I mean!
I just picked up my latest issue of Body+Soul magazine and there's an article about artificial fragrance in the products we use--which is where a lot of phthalates are "hidden," mostly to make the scent "stick" or last longer.
The chemical industry asserts that there are no conclusive studies in humans to suggest that phthalates are dangerous in the amounts to which we're currently exposed--DUH! Of course they do!! But some consumer advocacy, environmental, and medical experts disagree. My main thing is that there are SO many products that contain it, and we use SO many, EVERY DAY--especially women! Think about it: skin care, make-up, nail polish, perfume, household cleaners, dryer sheets, etc. etc. It must add up. My concern is also for pregnant women ingesting and absorbing it, then passing it on to their unborn child.
Here's a quote from the article:
"We found that infant exposure to phthalates is widespread, and that exposure to personal care products applied onto the skin may be an important source," says Sheela Sathyanarayana, an acting assistant professor in the University of Washington's Department of Pediatrics. This is disturbing because the safety of phthalates has been in question, with studies over the years raising more and more red flags. And, as Sathyanarayana points out, "Babies may be more at risk than children or adults because their reproductive, endocrine, and immune systems are still developing."
Here's where it gets scary:
"The animal studies suggest there is a potential for phthalates to impact birth outcomes, including gestational age and birth weight, fertility (lower sperm production), and anatomical abnormalities related to the male genitalia," says Maida Galvez, a pediatrician and director of the Mount Sinai Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit in New York City. "Human studies are now looking at the relationship between phthalates and asthma. There are also studies examining whether phthalates influence the timing of puberty or the risk for childhood obesity." (While phthalates have been shown to cause kidney and liver cancers in animal studies, the mechanism involved isn't likely to be relevant to humans, says Galvez.)"
WOW.
So...what can you do???
"While the news is alarming, there are concrete steps parents can take to reduce their baby's exposure to phthalates:

• Limit the amount of baby care products you use on your baby, especially if he's 8 months or younger. Sathyanarayana recommends using these products only if "medically indicated" — in the case of diaper rash or eczema, for example. (Researchers found that diaper creams did not cause an increase in phthalates. Santhyanarayana suggests this may be because they're designed to sit on top of the skin and act as a barrier rather than be absorbed, like lotions.)

• When you do use baby care products, choose products that are phthalate-free. Unfortunately it's not always easy to tell from the list of ingredients. Manufacturers aren't required to list phthalates separately, so they may be included under the term "fragrance." To find out whether a product contains phthalates or other potentially harmful chemicals, call the manufacturer or visit the company's website, or use the Environmental Working Group's Safety Guide to Cosmetics and Personal Care Products and search by product, ingredient, or company.

• Because phthalates are also added to containers to make them more flexible and more durable, and because the chemical can leach from the container into a product, you'll also want to determine whether a product's container is phthalate-free. Many — but not all — "natural" body care manufacturers are conscientious about this, but you'll need to find out specifically from the company.

Sathyanarayana cautions that some products labeled phthalate-free were tested and shown to have phthalates in them, though at much lower concentrations than products not labeled phthalate-free. "I think it's really difficult to know what is in any of these products," she warns. Still, Sathyanarayana says, if you're concerned about phthalate exposure, products labeled "phthalate-free" would certainly be preferable."
There ya go, folks. Look for "phthalate-free." And look for me to post more about this--we're just getting started! :)
Here's where you can get more good information:
Products with and without phthalates:
http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/92/phthalates
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is talking about it, too:
http://www.safecosmetics.org
Skin Deep cosmetics database is also really cool:
http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com