Photo credit: erix

Newsweek Magazine recently published an article on how to avoid household toxins.  Nena Baker, author of  The Body Toxic: How the Hazardous Chemistry of Everyday Things Threatens Our Health and Well-being
the EPA and the  Environmental Working Group, has listed nine ways you can avoid household toxins:

1. Filter your water.  In addition to what the article suggests, staying away from plastic bottled water is beneficial to the Earth and body.

2.  Know whats in your grooming products. The Cosmetics Database website is highly recommended when researching common ingredients in personal care products.

3.  Don’t Eat Microwave Popcorn.  “The inside of a microwave popcorn bag is usually coated with a perfluorinated chemical (PFC) called a fluorotelomer that can break down to form perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Designed to prevent oil from seeping through the bag, PFOA can migrate into the food when heated. It has been linked to cancer and birth defects in animals and preliminary epidemiological studies suggest that a pregnant woman’s exposure to PFOA may reduce her baby’s birth weight….”

4.  Don’t Get Stain-Protective Treatment.  This recommendation is talking about the “extras” or add ons you can get when you buy furniture, clothes and shoes.

5.  Limit Use of Canned Food and Plastic Containers. Speaks about the risk of  Bisphenol-A (BPA) that is not only found in plastic containers, but also used to line the inside of canned foods as well (Previous post: Plastics and its health risks)

6.  Use PBDE-Free Electronics. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) is in the same family flame redardants.  They are mostly found in TVs and computer monitores.  “…is stirred into the equipment’s plastic and can heat up over time, causing the material to break away and settle into the dust. Many manufactures have stopped using PBDEs for electronics, but not all have….” The Environmental Working Group has a list of PBDE-free electronics.

7.  Don ‘ t Use Paint Made With Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). Fortunately, VOC-free paints can be found at most paint and home improvement stores now. (See links below for resources)

8.  Patronize a Perc-Free Dry Cleaner. “Perchloroethylene (perc) is also a VOC and is most commonly used in dry cleaning. The EPA identifies perc as a known human toxin and “a precursor to ground-level ozone (smog).” It usually enters the body through inhalation and remains stored in fat tissue….”

9.  Dust and Vacuum Weekly. “Baker says that toxins like PBDE can settle into the dust in your house, so to be extra safe, it’s best to keep your house clean through regular dusting and vacuuming.”

Read the full article here: Newsweek – October 1, 2008

Green dry cleaner directory

Non-Toxic Paint

Affordable Low-Voc Paint

The Body Toxic: How the Hazardous Chemistry of Everyday Things Threatens Our Health and Well-being