Endocrine Disruptors in Wall Decals

I still often find myself saying I had no idea. Then sometimes I find myself saying, I wish I had no idea. But, once you know, it is hard to go back.

I know you have seen some of the ridiculously cute wall decals out there for a child's room. They are all over Etsy and the options for customization are limitless. They seem like an easy and temporary decorating solution, but think again. Did you know most wall decals have polyvinyl chloride PVC in them?

Are you saying “so what?” to yourself?

I did too, until I knew about the effects that PVC can have on the body. There are several issues with PVC. For one thing, PVC contains phthalates, which are classified as endocrine disruptors. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), increased incidence of developmental abnormalities such as cleft palate, skeletal malformations, and increased fetal death has been reported with exposure to phthalates. Additionally, delayed puberty in both sexes, undescended testes, decreased testes weight and decreased anogential distance were observed in one study. In adult female rats, one type of phthalate exposure resulted in increased incidence of mononuclear cell leukemia and increased liver size.

On February 13, 2012, the EPA released a final rule on emissions for plants that produce PVC stating that, "Exposure to toxic air pollutants can cause respiratory problems and other serious health issues, and can increase the risk of developing cancer. In particular, children are known to be more sensitive to the cancer risks posed by inhaling vinyl chloride, one of the known carcinogens emitted by this source category.”

Unfortunately, phthalates are released from the PVC through the life of a product.

Ready for the good news?

 

There are some ridiculously cute fabric alternatives that are PVC-free!

Love Mae, an Australian company, has some great decals for your room or your child’s room.

Pop and Lolli, a US company, has some really whimisical designs that will keep your child’s imagination turning.

Chocovenyl, a UK company, has an array of fun designs sure to brighten up your child's room.

For more information on phthalates:

Research article from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences on prenatal exposure to phthalates as it relates to childhood behavior.

Research article linking childhood obesity with increased phthalate exposure.

Easy-to-read handout on phthalates and exposure.

Aren't they gross?!

This is what many people ask when they find out we cloth diaper. Well, to be honest, the idea seemed gross to me at first, too. Now I can just reply, aren’t disposables gross?

Seriously, though- do you know how many chemicals are in that disposable diaper that is on your baby’s bum for 24-30 months of his/her life? People choose to cloth diaper (CD) for a variety of reasons. Some choose to CD to save money, and boy will it save you money! Some choose to CD because it is better for the environment, and some (like me) choose to CD to keep so many toxins away from baby’s new skin.

We have officially been cloth diapering since day one, and haven’t had to use a disposable once. I feel like after almost 12 weeks of changing and buying (and selling) cloth diapers, I can finally write a post about it!

I had already decided that we would be using all second-hand or organic clothes, and when I went to look for organic disposable diapers, I realized they didn’t exist, and so the decision to do cloth was easy!

So let’s talk about the chemicals for a minute.

Dioxin

This organic compound is created when paper products are bleached, so there are small amounts present in almost all disposable diapers. It is thought that the amounts present won’t affect the baby, but they bioaccumulate in the body, they are a known human carcinogen, and can increase one’s risk of cancer, so why take the risk? You will likely accumulate more dioxin exposure by eating animal products, but that is completely off-topic.

Sodium Polyacrlate

This is the gel that absorbs 200-300 times its weight found in disposable diapers. It was also removed from tampons because of a possible link with toxic shock syndrome. True story.

Tributyl-tin (TBT)

TBT is a highly toxic chemical for marine animals, causing endocrine disruptions. The chemical does not break down, and is correlated with increased fat cell growth for fetuses in the womb, and also in frogs and mice.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) – we talk about these all the time, but again, according to EPA, the following are health effects: “eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system. Some organics can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans. Key signs or symptoms associated with exposure to VOCs include conjunctival irritation, nose and throat discomfort, headache, allergic skin reaction, dyspnea, declines in serum cholinesterase levels, nausea, emesis, epistaxis, fatigue, dizziness.”

There are also fragrances and dyes used in disposable diapers that have the ability to cause skin irritations.

So there you have the health reasons why I chose to cloth diaper – we can talk about the environmental effect of disposable and cloth diapers in another post!

Second-Hand Smoke and Mental Disorders in Children

Second-hand smoke is not only bad for your child’s physical health, but a new study shows that it has negative effects on their mental health as well. A study published April 4, 2011 in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine shows that there is a possible correlation between second-hand smoke and mental disorders in children aged 8-15. The researchers examined cotinine – a biomarker produced when the body metabolizes nicotine- levels in children and adolescents aged 8-15 years and found that levels were positively associated with several symptoms of major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and conduct disorder. Second-hand smoke exposure has already linked to physical health effects including sudden infant death syndrome, respiratory complications, dental decay, metabolic syndrome, otitis media, and asthma. However, this is the first study to examine a nationally representative sample and mental disorder symptoms. Just one more reason not to light up around children!

For more information, see the Los Angeles Times article.

For more information on smoking and the facts, see the CDC website.