Are These 7 Hidden Chemicals in Your Home Secretly Undermining Your Health?
Phthalates
Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics more flexible. They are added to various products from nail polish to fast-food wrappers to commercial piping and tubing. Phthalates are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that have been linked to an increased risk of fibroids, usually benign tumors composed of smooth muscle cells and fibrous connective tissue in the uterus.
A study published in 2022 from Northwestern University found that women exposed to PFAS had an increased risk of developing fibroids, which represent the most common tumor in reproductive-age women. Another study conducted by researchers from New York University and the University of Iowa found that phthalate exposure increased the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and all causes.
Mercury
Heavy metals such as mercury are found in Earth’s crust, but they become problematic when they enter the environment—such as in marine animals—through agricultural, industrial, and noncommercial processes. Mercury is a neurotoxin, and its effects on humans can be subtle or severe, depending on a person’s age and how long exposure lasts. While no data ties mercury to cancer, information is limited, and high doses have been found to increase several types of tumors in rodents.
Mercury’s effects are most salient in children. Unborn children could be exposed to mercury when their mother consumes fish or shellfish during pregnancy. Exposure to mercury in utero can affect young children’s thinking skills, memory, attention, and language development. The EPA is trying to limit mercury exposure through many avenues. It has established a limit of two parts per billion mercury in drinking water, implemented standards to reduce toxic emissions, and banned mercury from use in paint, among other measures.
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