More Problems With Plastics
Like BPA, chemicals called phthalates raise some concerns
The urethra is supposed to emerge at the tip of the penis, but in 1 out of every 300 baby boys, its opening is elsewhere—sometimes just underneath the head, or midway down the shaft, or even at the base of the scrotum. No one knows what causes the defect, called hypospadias, but studies have shown that widespread chemicals called phthalates can reproduce it in rodents. Phthalates are used widely as softening agents in certain plastics, notably PVC, and are also found in some cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and a wide range of other products.
Scientists classify these chemicals among the "endocrine disruptors," so known for their ability to alter the proper balance of hormones, which play a central role during development. "It's not just bisphenol A that we're concerned about," says Ted Schettler, the lead scientist at the Iowa-based advocacy group called the Science and Environmental Health Network, referring to another endocrine disruptor that has made headlines this spring.
Widespread problem. Human exposure to hormone-disrupting synthetic chemicals, which can leach from a slew of consumer products, is continuous and widespread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in 2005 that most Americans have traces of hormone-disrupting chemicals in their body. An analysis of the data by the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., concluded that 84 percent of Americans have at least six different phthalates in their urine.
Toxicologists have been studying the effects of various phthalates in animals for decades. Three in particular—diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), and dibutyl phthalate (DBP)—cause a constellation of reproductive defects that includes hypospadias, testicular cancer, reduced sperm quality, diminished penis size, and undescended testicles. The effects, in some cases, seem to extend beyond the male reproductive system. Studies in animals have linked allergic skin lesions and lung malformations to DEHP, which is the most widely produced of the phthalates. And pregnant rodents given high daily doses of DBP tend to lose their fetuses. Not everyone, however, thinks such adverse effects in animals justify concern among people. "Most of the exposures are at doses far higher than what we see in humans," says Marian Stanley, a spokesperson for the Phthalate Esters Panel, an industry group that represents phthalate manufacturers. Major scientific reviews from the National Toxicology Program have concluded the risk the chemicals pose to humans is minimal. Yet, the most concerned scientists counter that emerging evidence does suggest phthalates harm humans. Shanna Swan, an epidemiologist at the University of Rochester, has shown that baby boys born to women with elevated DBP and BBP levels tend to have somewhat demasculinized and slightly smaller genitals. Recent studies in adults have linked high exposure to certain phthalates to low sperm quality and abdominal obesity.
Though these studies don't prove cause and effect, some people find the existing evidence alarming enough to act. Many European countries have banned phthalates in certain toys, and a number of American states are considering similar restrictions. Meanwhile, "phthalate-free" products are popping up in stores and on the Internet—just as bisphenol A (BPA)-free baby bottles and water bottles have. Industry groups say that many of the products people worry most about—including plastic wrap, water bottles, and food containers—do not contain any phthalates.
Still, avoiding phthalates altogether is more difficult than avoiding BPA, since it's not clear which of the panoply of products containing them contribute most to exposure. The chemicals easily move from sources such as vinyl tiles or shower curtains, so phthalates routinely end up in the air, water, and dust.
Pregnant women, children, and couples trying to conceive may have the most to gain from trying to avoid phthalates, scientists say. "The primary risk appears to be to the developing fetus," says Swan.
Reader Comments
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Enjoy and be sure to pass along to your friends
http://www.esnips.com/doc/79c22395-7bd6-4299-92db-cf392e381698/kutiman---this-is-what-it-became
L8R
Plastics are no good
I "love" when they say the amount of chemical or toxins injested in not enough to cause concern. Ok so for that one product there is no concern, but...if we start adding up all the other toxic onslaughts in our system from other prodcuts that are also labeled minutia in the larger scheme of things, we have a build up that equals an overload in our systems. Lets see...if I have only one piece of pie it probably won't hurt my weight loss, but now lets start adding a very veyr small piece of pie to each meal and every day of the week. well then now we have too much. But oh....excuse me....that's right one piece isn't enough to do any harm. Get the picture?
Here's my other concern. Not all people react to the same toxins. Some for whatever reason may be more suseptible to chemicals than others and thus can develop cancers, or other problems from these toxins.
My solution: keep things as close to nature as possible. Avoid the ingestable stuff called "food" that comes in any sort of container. Eat organic, demand organic. Now they do sell organics in packaged foods lines, but avoid those too...the processing they have gone through has just destroyed all the goodness in the raw ingredients so the point becomes mute.
Water comes from the ground, not the grocery store. Use a reverse osmosis filter in your house to remove all inground chemcials that are no good. Of course if we would all demand organic farming processes and elminate plastic use in all areas of our lives as much as possible our ground wouldn't be so contaminated either!!!
Could go on and on.....
Water From Air - It's Always There! Innovative!
Logan, Utah, September 18, 2008 — Single mother of three, self proclaimed Supermompreneur Nicolee Castiglione, is smiling ear to ear. She says, “I am helping others with the most important emergency preparedness item available, as well as providing a living for myself and my three children. Does it get any better than that? Just this summer, we relocated to Logan after searching for an affordable new place with a great sense of community, to call home. This is heaven on earth,” she adds.
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Americans went through about 50,000,000,000 plastic water bottles last year; 167 plastic bottles for each person. Our recycling rate for these bottles is only 23%, which means we pitch 38,000,000,000 bottles per year into landfills. Plastic water bottles are not biodegradable and nobody knows how long it takes for a plastic bottle to degrade, but estimates seem to vary between a thousand years and forever. These bottles are filling up our landfills. After water is drunk from plastic bottles and they are disposed of plastic bottles become responsible for the production of toxic compounds such as chloric acids, heavy metals and dioxins in the atmosphere. More than one third in weight of the plastic waste remains in form of ash, which still contains these harmful toxins.
The XZIEX Atmospheric Water Generator is similar to a 5-gallon water cooler, but all similarities stop there. XZIEX offers two different types of machines; the XZIEX Elite and the XZIEX Pro. which filter the water using uv light killing germs and bacteria that is in the water. The water is then sent through two solid carbon block water filters, which removes the volatile organic chemicals that could be in the water. It is then filtered through a UF membrane to remove any remaining bacteria and common viruses. The end result is safe, clean, drinking water directly from the air. It needs no water lines, runs on 110v and can plug into any generator. Commercial and portable units are also available. Solar units are coming! www.newglobalwater.com
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