M9.2 Blog: Six Chemical Classes

Highly Fluorinated Chemical Products

Are water proof products work it? High fluorinated products are known to block the water off. It is known to be a manufactured material that can not be disposed properly. It is known to get caught in landfills and create clogs in waterway systems. It also has many health concerns such as increasing cholesterol levels and kidneys and testicular cancers. The chemical is known to reduce the health protection provided by vaccines in young children. Thus chemical can be found in makeup, carpet cleaners, sealants, and even in firefighting foam. 

Antimicrobials

We all know this is found in hand sanitizer, causing us to want to use it all the time. These chemicals are supposed to kill microorganisms growth. They often do more harm than help. We often see them added into lotions, home cleaning supplies, and even our laundry, Tricolasn is proven to provide no benefits with soap and water. They are known to disrupt the hormones functioning and increase allergies. These are also rocks to our ocean life and algae, causing them to die.

Flame Retardants

These are known to stop fires, but they can be very toxic to our bodies. These chemicals are added into buildings to meet fire requirements. Research has shown that these chemicals can cause fires more dangerous by delaying the ignition add. The flame retardants are known to get trapped in the human body through dust particles and causing many health issues. It is known to cause organ failure and slowing down the mental growth in babies. Flame retardants also end up in the ocean, causing harm to many species. 

Bisphenols+ Phthalates

These hormone disrupts are exposing us everyday. This chemical can be found in water-bottles,  boots, glasses, and even our shower curtains. Hormones are the chemical messengers that help our bodies function properly. Small effects of these chemicals can greatly shift our hormonal clock. Young children are the most vulnerable because this is when they are still growing and shaping their brain and organs. When people stop being exposed to this chemical, they are suddenly lowering their hormone levels back to natural. It is known to also cause mental changes in your brain, causing you to be anxious or depressed more. 

Solvents

Solvents are known to dissolve in the air. These are found in consumer products, building materials, makeups, and house cleaning products  and are known to be absorbed through skin and air. Some solvents can be released in the air causing smog, and polluting our drinking water. Paint solvents can damage nerves as well as cause cancer from over using them. Some ways to prevent us from these chemicals is opt to hand wash our laundry rather than dry cleaning, use water-based paints and avoid oil-based, and try to always purchase products problematic solvents free.  

Certain Metals
Mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and lead are elements that are found naturally in the crust of Earth. Unfortunately, exposure to these metals while a baby is in the womb can lead to brain development and learning problems. In adulthood, each of the metals is linked to cancer and effects on the cardiovascular systems. We can be exposed to these metals through contaminated foods and waters, while a baby can be exposed through the placenta. Somethings we can do to reduce the risk exposure for ourselves can be to properly dispose chemical products, keep children away from paint dustings, and make sure we are consuming purified water.