Soap and Bubble, originally uploaded by SoapChickAsh.

Another great reason to use (our) soap: the environment. I just read a great article in Country Living Magazine called the Country Living Eco-Challenge. According to it, if each American household used bar soap rather than liquid soap, 2.5 million pounds of plastic would be kept OUT of landfills. Most liquid soaps come in bottles made of un-recyclable plastic. Who knew?

So now that you are feeling greener, are you ready to raise the bar…(OK, bad pun), check out Serendipity Bath Co. for great handmade soaps!

bird and berries 2, originally uploaded by SoapChickAsh.

Looking for something fun and easy to do with your kids this February? On February 13th though February 16th the annual Great Backyard Bird Count will be held across the country. This event has bird experts and bird watchers alike helping to track bird populations. Anyone can get involved in this and can actually help scientists get an idea of how bird populations are thriving.

All you (and or your little budding scientists) have to do is take a few minutes per day and count the numbers and types of birds that you see during that time. You can track the birds that visit your backyard or even go to a favorite spot like a park and take the count there. Go to this website:

www.birdcount.org

and read more about this fun event. There is an online tally sheet for you to fill out each day. You can even go online and see the birdcount report for your area. For those of you obsessed with photography as Tiff and I are, you can snap photos of the birds and upload them to the website, too.

So, go forth and count! And know that you are doing something great for our feathered friends and the community.

Camelbak plastic bottles finally made it to my local REI store!

This is great timing, as I am about to whisk my family away to Mt. Rushmore/Devils Tower for some serious hiking and camping. By hiking, I mean ‘walking leisurely around flat, marked trails’, and by camping I mean ’sleeping under electric blankets in cozy KOA cabins’. Either way, we’ll need to drink lots of water and I’m happy to take along my BPA/Phthalate free Camelbak plastic bottles.

I chose the classic cap for myself, just because they only had that in a nice tangerine color. The kids and hubby each are trying the spill proof bottle in various shades of cool. Interesting, my classic cap bottle has no recycle code on the bottom. When I contacted the company, they said it was due mainly to all the confusion that the #7 is causing ‘the public’. Meaning, that enough people were freaking out and avoiding #7 plastics, CamelBak removed the number altogether since the bottle is meant to be reused, not recycled. But eventually, these bottles will need to be discarded, and with a 7 code (even if it’s not imprinted on the bottom!) they cannot be processed or recycled–and will end up in a landfill. Boo!

But that’s just a dark cloud in the sky on an otherwise wonderfully empowering change. Sitting back and watching the overwhelming response from companies like Walmart, Toys ‘R us, Rubbermaid, Camelbak and Playtex regarding their BPA policies has been absolutely exciteriffic! It’s been so fun, I’ve started making up words that combine two different states of joy in one!

These changes show just how powerful consumer choice and behavior are to a big business industry.

So, thank you CamelBak! I may be without cable, kitchens, and bathrooms that I don’t share with an entire campgrounds…but I’ll have my trusty CamelBak by my side!

Bisphenol A (or, BPA) is used in the production of polycarbonate plastics (aka, certain water bottles, baby bottles, pacifiers, plastic food containers) and epoxy resins (inside your canned food jar) and can be found in food and drink packaging as well as compact discs and some medical devices. Some dental sealants or composites contain it as well.

It’s getting ugly out there for the last remnants of scientists (like those employed by or lobbying our Government) who still insist that BPA’s are not harmful to humans. For instance:

The FDA in November said there is “no reason at this time to ban or otherwise restrict its use.”

and they still stand by that claim, based largely on studies funded by the American Plastics Council. Yes, that’s right. The firm hired to perform the study were also being bankrolled by the chemical industry (which is documented in some Congressional report that I can’t track down).

However, The National Toxicology Program–an interagency collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration and the Institutes of Health–has issued a report stating, in part:

“There is some concern for neural and behavioral effects in fetuses, infants and children at current human exposures.” The findings expressed concern about exposure in these populations, “based on effects in the prostate gland, mammary gland, and an earlier age for puberty in females. The possibility that bisphenol A may impact human development cannot be dismissed. More research is needed”

Many groups like the International Formula Council, which represents baby food makers counter back:

“the overwhelming scientific evidence supports the safety” of bisphenol, adding that no foreign governments have restricted or banned its use.

How awkward for them that Canada is expected (tomorrow!) to declare BPA’s a dangerous substance (per the Globe and Mail). I anticipate that if Canada has the balls to stand up against BPA use, it won’t take long for the US and the EU to fall in line behind them.

There are a few people who’ve emailed and suggested this is just a big overreaction with little basis in scientific fact. We Soapchix respectfully (or not, depending on how mean your emails were) disagree. This is “one of the most widely used synthetic chemicals in modern industry.” (Globe and Mail)

A recent study showed that BPA’s have been detected in the urine of over 93% of the American population of people over 6 years old. Which makes sense, due to the fact that it’s been in use since the 50’s.

That’s the bad news. That’s the news that’s freaking us Soapchix out a little bit. But, it’s not the worst news in the world, because there are simple ways to limit exposure to BPA’s and we’re here to share them with you!

Really, to limit exposure there’s just one main thing to look for on whatever item you are buying…CHECK THE RESIN (or recycle) CODE!

Repeat this poem (it is April, poetry month!):

2,4,5…live a good life!
7,6,3 & 1…put it back, it’s a bad omen!

SafeMama has a wonderful blog with fancy schmancy BPA cheat sheets that lists BPA free products for Mom and Baby, and The Soft Landing has a great blog of information as well as a store full of BPA free products.

3 years ago, Ash and I made sure to find BPA free packaging for all the Serendipity Bath Co. products…and we must say it’s really exciting to see how savvy the public is becoming about what chemicals are being allowed into their consumable goods. Change is good…and in this case, changing the current lax laws on BPA’s would be GREAT!

Articles Used:
Plastic bottle chemical may be harmful: agency

Gov’t raises safety questions about chemical in plastics

A very nerdily technical report over at Environmental Health News.

Canada first to label bisphenol A as officially dangerous

“Safety of Water Bottles, Baby Bottles questioned”

U.S. Cites Fears on Chemical In Plastics

Gov’t raises safety questions about chemical in plastics

I’ve been thinking lately that we should rename our blog to the Soap Box with all of the preaching about parabens and phthalates and the rest of the oh-my-gosh-that’s-in-my-soap list of chemicals we’ve been reporting on. But alas, I must preach some more (and then Tiff and I’ll write more on our fun trip).

I read some more about triclosan today that has me pretty miffed. Triclosan is a chemical used in antibacterial soaps and handwashes. It is used because it is non-drying to your skin, unlike alcohol which is extremely effective in killing germs but can dry your skin. According to the article, when triclosan mixes with chlorine, which is used in most municipal water treatment system as a disinfectant, it forms chloroform. That’s right, chloroform. Chloroform is considered a potential carcinogen. This is what I found on Wikipedia about chloroform:

“Chloroform once appeared in toothpastes, cough syrups, ointments, and other pharmaceuticals, but it has been banned in consumer products in the United States since 1976.[10] The National Toxicology Program’s eleventh report on carcinogens implicates it as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, a designation equivalent to International Agency for Research on Cancer class 2A. It has been most readily associated with hepatocellular carcinoma.”

If you look up chloroform on the Governments ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry) website, it has these bullet points about what happens to chloroform when it enters the environment:

*Chloroform evaporates easily into the air.
*Most of the chloroform in air breaks down eventually, but it is a slow process.
*The breakdown products in air include phosgene and hydrogen chloride, which are both toxic.
*It doesn’t stick to soil very well and can travel through soil to groundwater.
*Chloroform dissolves easily in water and some of it may break down to other chemicals.
*Chloroform lasts a long time in groundwater.
*Chloroform doesn’t appear to build up in great amounts in plants and animals.

I’m guessing that if you are inadvertantly creating chloroform when using a product containing triclosan (and mixing with chlorinated water), you are in effect releasing chloroform into the environment. More specifically, you are releasing it into YOUR environment, your home. So, I’m honestly wondering why anyone would choose to use this stuff. But I think the answer is that most of us simply don’t know about it and that is distressing.

According to another article I came upon in Environmental Science & Technology online, scientists at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute tested products (soaps, lotions) containing triclosan and products without it. They found that those products containing triclosan could help increase a person’s exposure to levels above the EPA’s safe limit for chloroform (or trihalomethanes, the class of chemicals chloroform belongs to) in drinking water.

OK, so what does this all mean. We don’t know exactly how the study was performed, and my scientist hubby recommends finding that out before conclusions can be formed. What were the scientific controls? How many products were studied? Was the testing environment similar to that of a real consumer? How much chlorine was in the water that was used to perform the test?

But he is still against the use of antibacterials because of the potential to create antibiotic-resistant bugs (see my previous post here). That is enough reason for me. But if you also consider that we really don’t need to be adding any other chemicals to the environment AND that we have a responsibility to be conscious consumers, you have a very good reason to avoid using triclosan altogether.

The people over at Beyond Pesticides have put together a list of products they’ve found that use triclosan. It’s apparent that this stuff isn’t just in antibacterial soaps, but in many common household items. We haven’t personally looked at the ingredients of each of these items listed, so can’t vouch for the accuracy of the list…however, it reinforces our habit of looking at labels before we buy something.

The following products all contain triclosan. Caveat emptor!

Soaps:
Dial® Liquid Soap
Softsoap® Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap
Tea Tree Therapy™ Liquid Soap
Provon® Soap
Clearasil® Daily Face Wash
Dermatologica® Skin Purifying Wipes
Clean & Clear Foaming Facial Cleanser
DermaKleen™ Antibacterial Lotion Soap
Naturade Aloe Vera 80® Antibacterial Soap
CVS Antibacterial Soap
pHisoderm Antibacterial Skin Cleanser

Dental Care:
Colgate Total®; Breeze™ Triclosan Mouthwash
Reach® Antibacterial Toothbrush
Janina Diamond Whitening Toothpaste

Cosmetics:
Supre® Café Bronzer™
TotalSkinCare Makeup Kit
Garden Botanika® Powder Foundation
Mavala Lip Base
Jason Natural Cosmetics
Blemish Cover Stick
Movate® Skin Litening Cream HQ
Paul Mitchell Detangler Comb
Revlon ColorStay LipSHINE Lipcolor Plus Gloss
Dazzle

Deodorant:
Old Spice High Endurance Stick Deodorant
Right Guard Sport Deodorant
Queen Helene® Tea Trea Oil Deodorant and Aloe Deodorant
Nature De France Le Stick Natural Stick Deodorant
DeCleor Deodorant Stick
Epoch® Deodorant with Citrisomes
X Air Maximum Strength Deodorant

Other Personal Care Products:
Gillette® Complete Skin Care MultiGel Aerosol Shave Gel
Murad Acne Complex® Kit®
Diabet-x™ Cream
T.Taio™ sponges and wipes
Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel

First Aid:
SyDERMA® Skin Protectant plus First Aid Antiseptic
Solarcaine®
First Aid Medicated Spray;
Nexcare™ First Aid
Skin Crack Care
First Aid/Burn Cream
HealWell® Night Splint
11-1X1: Universal Cervical Collar with Microban

Clothes:
Teva® Sandals
Merrell Shoes
Sabatier Chef’s Apron
Dickies Socks
Fruit of the Loom Socks
Biofresh® Socks

Childrens Toys:
Playskool® :
Stack ‘n Scoop Whale
Rockin’ Radio
Hourglass
Sounds Around Driver
Roll ‘n’ Rattle Ball
Animal Sounds Phone
Busy Beads Pal
Pop ‘n’ Spin Top
Lights ‘n’ Surprise Laptop

— Beyond Pesticides

Helpful Articles:
FDA: No Advantage to Antibacterial Soap
Howstuffworks: “Is Antibacterial Soap Any Better?”
PhysOrg: “Plain Soap As Effective As Antibacterial Soap But Without The Risk.”
EST&C: Household Antibacterial Products Generate Chloroform

People have a hard time wrapping their mind around the fact that Johnson’s Baby Products are not as gentle as they thought. But I brought my camera back to Target and snapped a picture of the Baby Cream to post another pictorial highlighting all the unnecessary chemical additives in it. Parabens? Check. Phthalates? Check. Possible carcinogens? Check.

I’ve highlighted in red all the additives that are a high hazard to humans, according to Cosmetic Safety Database. In Johnson’s Baby Cream, these are:

FRAGRANCE.
Ah, our old nemesis. We meet again. Unless otherwise noted, fragrance=phthalates, which are an endocrine disruptor, among other things.

according to the American Academy of Dermatology, fragrance is the number one cause of allergic cosmetic reactions. Phthalates are added to help fragrances last longer, according the American Chemistry Council.

CETEARETH 6.
Otherwise known as 1,4 Dioxane. SafeMama has a great blog as to why this is a no-no in cosmetic products, here:

Dioxane is a known eye and respiratory irritant and is suspected of causing damage to the central nervous system, liver and kidneys. Accidental exposure to people working with it has been known to cause deaths. Dioxane is classified by the IARC as a Group 2B carcinogen: possibly carcinogenic to humans due to the fact that it is a known carcinogen in animals.

BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE.
Restricted in Japan and Canada, this is linked to immunetoxicity and is a skin allergen.

*****
I’ve highlighted in yellow all the things that are a moderate hazard to humans, according to the Safe Cosmetic Database.

ALL THE THINGS ENDING IN -PARABEN.
So Organic has this to say about parabens:

Parabens are antimicrobials; preservatives used to give products an extended shelf life and to prevent them going bad.

Parabens are everywhere; they are not only used as a preservative in cosmetic products, but also in food. A 1995 study showed that they were present in 99% of leave on cosmetic products, and 77% of rinse off products. (Rastogi et al., 1995 cited in Darbre et al 2004) (1). Parabens are easily absorbed through the skin.

There is debate as to the carcinogenic effects of parabens in humans. Parabens have been found in breast cancer cells, and regardless of if it caused cancer or not, this indicates that they can easily get into skin cells and remain intact for a long period of time. Ash and I limit our exposure as much as possible, and because our Serendipity Bath products are made in the same month they are sold, we do not need or want to extend shelf life.

TETRASODIUM EDTA.
This actually is a low hazard in the database; however, I bumped it up as a moderate hazard because it is a penetration enhancer…it literally piledrives all the other additives deep into your skin. These are not things I really want deep in my skin, or in my baby’s skin either. We shun this ingredient.

****
I’ve highlighted in purple all the things that are Ashley and my pet peeves. Ingredients that we see and cringe at.

MINERAL OIL.

This is a by-product in the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline. It is a substance of relatively low value, and it is produced in very large quantities. Mineral oil is a commonly-found ingredient in baby lotions, cold creams, ointments and low-grade cosmetics as an alternative to more expensive oils.

This is the reason cosmetics can be sold so cheaply. The commercial cosmetic companies use mineral oil as a filler to take the place of other natural, moisturizing, skin friendly oils that we use exclusively in our soaps and other bath products. It’s the difference between eating a piece of fruit versus eating a processed fruit snack.

CETYL/STEARYL ALCOHOL.
These may be animal byproducts, which we stear away from. And, speaking of animals, did you know Johnson & Johnson still tests on animals? Yeah. Nice. No thanks.

RED & YELLOW DYE.
Ash and I personally don’t like to eat this stuff, and we don’t like to put it on our skin either.
****

So, there you have it. Johnson’s Baby Cream is not so good for baby. In fact, a whopping 85% of the baby moisturizers listed on Cosmetic Database have lower hazard concerns than this lotion. 100% of our Wild Child Baby products are better than Johnson’s products, for sure!

Other Helpful Articles:
Clean Up Your Soap! A link to our other blogs about what other things the FDA approves in commercial soaps.

I live with a research scientist in molecular biology and am constantly amazed by the things he knows before the general public does. When all the hype about antibacterial soaps started years ago, his response was downright annoying, but wise. He simply told me not to use it at all if I could help it. His reasoning was that he did not believe that it was truly effective, for one. Now, darn it, a study has shown that he (as always!) is probably right.

I got this information from the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition (CHEC) Healthehouse website, a great resource for parents. This is what they wrote:

“Antibacterial soaps are no better than plain soap in preventing infectious disease, according to a recent study from Columbia University. Researchers found that there is virtually no difference in the rate of symptoms between those using antibacterial products and those who do not.

The researchers followed 238 Manhattan households with at least one child of preschool age for one year and compared how often occupants had either runny nose, cough, sore throat, fever, vomiting, diarrhea or skin infections like boils or conjunctivitis.

Half the households were given general purpose cleaners, laundry detergents and handwashing soap with antibacterial ingredients, while the other half were given the same items without the antibacterial ingredients. All of the products used were commercially available. None of the participants or the researchers knew which type of product the families had received.

The study concluded that the use of antibacterial products does not reduce the risk for symptoms of infectious diseases among generally healthy people. One likely reason: Many of the symptoms studied are usually caused by viruses, which are not killed by antibacterial ingredients. “

If that weren’t enough reason not to use it, this one definitely is, and an argument my hubby has been making for years. Many scientists feel that antibacterial soaps could be contributing to the growing problem with of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which happens to be an area that he is extremely familiar with as he is working on a MRSA-related study. MRSA is the “killer staph bacteria” or superbug that people used to only contract in hospitals. Now it is being found in schools and other public areas. The chances of contracting it are still low, so don’t call me an alarmist, but there is growing concern in the scientific community about it. My hubby has a job because of it.

The CHEC Healthehouse website, also had this to say (again, this is a direct quote):

“The active ingredient in antibacterial products is often triclosan, which is also used to fight Staph infections that are resistant to multiple antibiotics. Some scientists fear that overuse of and resistance to triclosan could make this Staph more difficult to fight. Another reason to stay clear of antibacterial personal care products: The FDA doesn’t have a policy on antibacterial ingredients in personal care products yet. (Antibacterial ingredients in cleaners are considered pesticides and are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.) Soap and water work perfectly well for loosening dirt and germs so that they can be rinsed away.”

You can see the CHEC’s article here.

from: http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/education/articles-detail.asp?Main_ID=780

One more thing. Stealing a cue from Soap Chix Tiff I went and checked out some antibacterial products at the grocery store. It is alarming how many are out there! Stay away from Vick’s Early Defense Foaming Hand Sanitizer. It uses triclosan as it’s active ingredient. Triclosan is touted as a great thing because unlike alcohol-based santizers, it does not dry out your skin. (Neither does handmade soap!)

Triclosan is also known as Irgasan and Microban.

You can read more about triclosan here:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no3_supp/levy.htm
http://cosmeticdatabase.com

As far as I’m concerned, this is actually one less thing to worry about. Just grab a bar of soap, preferrably handmade by two amazing Soap Chix, and don’t worry that the soap isn’t anti-bacterial. By choosing a bar of soap (again, handmade, of course) you are actually doing a good thing for yourself short-term and long-term.

As The Associated Press documented in a five-month investigation, drinking water provided to at least 41 million people living in 24 major metropolitan areas has tested positive for trace amounts of pharmaceuticals. When water providers find pharmaceuticals in drinking water, they rarely tell the public. When researchers make the same discoveries, they usually don’t identify the cities involved.

Why aren’t we being informed? Because apparently, we the public are prone to freaking out and being unreasonable.

Philadelphia Water Department spokeswoman Laura Copeland said, “It would be irresponsible to communicate to the public about this issue, as doing so would only generate questions that scientific research has not yet answered. We don’t want to create the perception where people would be alarmed.”

(Translation: “You want the truth? YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!”)

So, why are we talking about pharmaceuticals in drinking and runoff water? Because a large portion of contaminants in this water is coming from cosmetics and personal care products like soap, shampoo, body wash, etc. As we’ve written before (here and here) currently the FDA does not regulate the use of phthalates and BPA’s in cosmetic products, even though there is a causal connection showing these chemicals are endocrine disruptors.

Some quotes:

*

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), are groups of emerging drinking water contaminants that have been detected in waters around the world.

*

So, what is the true risk assessment of pharmaceuticals and the like in water? Do they present a health threat to humans and/or wildlife exposed? The truth is, no one knows. Some scientists believe the exposure levels are so low theyﾒre ineffective. Others are concerned about long-term, chronic and combined exposures to agents designed to cause a physiological effect in humans. Many more scientists agree we should be concerned about aquatic ecosystems where sperm levels and spawning patterns in aquatic organisms have been clearly altered in environments heavily polluted with a class of hormone-altering pharmaceuticals known as endocrine disrupters.

*

Along with pharmaceuticals, personal care products also are showing up in water. Generally these chemicals are the active ingredients or preservatives in cosmetics, toiletries or fragrances…Researchers Christian G. Daughton and Thomas A. Ternes reported in the December issue of “Environmental Health Perspectives” that the amount of pharmaceuticals and personal care products entering the environment annually is about equal to the amount of pesticides used each year.

Soapchix Ash experienced this back when she worked cleaning up toxic environments for the government. This was BK (before kids), so a good 8 years ago, and even then she was finding phthalates in the groundwater of very remote places. She is the force behind educating me about these things, and the reason why our Simply Soaps and Wild Child Soaps are chemical, phthalate, and paraben free. (We’re working on changing over our Wildly and Heavenly Soaps, too!)

Ash and I have a more optimistic view of the average public than Laura Copeland or the entire EPA has. Now that there are so many reports indicating that our chemical exposure is increasing exponentially and from places that have been previously unknown (and unregulated), we believe that responsible people will demand accountability and change. We’ve read some great blogs from moms and dads who understand that consumerism comes with a price, and have a great influence on funneling other conscientious buyers towards natural, responsible products. We have networked with people who are dedicated to creating a natural, responsible product. And we are proud to be one of those companies.

Our focus is on getting endocrine disruptors like phthalates, BPA’s, parabens, and other chemicals out of the cosmetic industry by first getting them out of our products. We hope the Senate Hearings that are being demanded by State Representatives will highlight many of our concerns and start the ball rolling with the FDA, EPA, and catch our laws up with those in the EU. In the meantime, we’ll keep making our soap and bath products, happy that the only thing rinsing down the drain is dirt…not endocrine disruptors and other chemicals making their way into our drinking water.

Articles Quoted:
Popular Science: “Tainted Tap Wate r”
Popular Science: “Your Sewer On Drugs”
USA Today: “Cities rarely release water test results”
WCP Online: “Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water Supply”

On cans and jars, there is a little triangle made of arrows, and in the middle of the triangle there is a number. The triangle of arrows is the recycle symbol, and the number inside it is the resin code for the plastic. Up until I started packaging my own products, I paid very little attention to these numbers. I simply assumed plastic was….well, plastic, and tossed it into the recycle bin without further thought.

Then I started researching what bottles and jars our scrubs, shea, and oils would be packaged into. I was overwhelmed with all the different kinds of plastic there are out there: PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP, PVC and PS just to name a few. Each type of plastic is labeled with it’s own resin code inside the recycle symbol. Each number is sorted into same resin codes and then recycled together–the different numbers cannot be recycled together or with anything else. Here is a list of what the numbers mean:

According to The Straight Dope, Types 1 and 2 are commonly recycled (27% and 7% respectively). Types 3-6 have a 1% recycle rate, and because it is a mix of different types of plastic, NONE of Type 7 is recycled and it all ends up going straight in a landfill. In fact, many people feel that putting a recycle symbol around the numbers leads people to believe it’s all being recycled, when in fact a very little is.

In addition to having recycling implications, the resin code also can imply what chemicals are used to form the plastic. Choose plastics with the recycling code 1, 2 or 5, because recycling (resin) codes 3 and 7 are more likely to contain phthalates and bisphenol-a (another known endocrine disruptor).

Because I’m in the habit of checking labels for my cosmetics, I’ve also started looking at my food bottles to see what resin code things are made out of. SafeMama checked and found resin number 7 on her Gerber baby food container. In her case, it ended up being 7 because it was a mix of 1 & 2 resins, not because it contained BPA or phthalates.

I found something different when I looked on my plastic bottle of Dole Peaches. I found resin code 7, and when I emailed them for the reason it was that particular code they emailed me back a preemptive answer about BPA’s.

“Thank you for contacting us.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a substance used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics and the production of tin can epoxy resin sealants and coatings. These resins are inert materials used as protective liners in metal cans to maintain the quality of canned foods and beverages.

The use of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins in food packaging, including those made with BPA, has been and continues to be recognized as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Commission Scientific Committee on Foods, the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and other regulatory agencies throughout the world. These materials have been approved by the U.S. FDA and for more than 40 years have been a part of food preservation. The FDA has found these materials to be safe and pose no risk to consumers.”

Well, with all due respect, here are dozens of articles that disagree with you, Dole. SafeMama also writes a lot of things about BPA as does the Soft Landing.

So, let’s look at those codes with the resin numbers highlighted that have the lowest risk of leaching chemicals into surrounding food/liquid/cosmetics. The numbers that aren’t highlighted have a greater leaching probability, with resin code 7 having the highest risk.
(Click to enlarge)

Not only is the resin/recycle code 7 not recycled, but it also has the highest risk of leaching endocrine disruptors. So, just like I avoid fragrance oils, I now also avoid resin/recycle codes 3,6 & 7 as much as possible. Not only for the chemical leaching, but also because they are not as recycled as number 1 & 2 are.

Here at Serendipity Bath Co. we use HDPE bottles (resin code 2) in all our packaging.

We also are loads of fun, all this doom and gloom about phthalates, endocrine disruptors, and recycle codes notwithstanding. In fact, we have some fun things in store for the upcoming weeks! Tutorials! Contest! Fun Pictures!

Related blogs:
Ch-ch-ch-changes

Since we have been writing about the whole phthalate problem, we have received lots of emails from concerned parents about phthalate-free products to use on their babies. It sure seems like the word is out that these dangerous chemicals can be avoided and that is good news.

But there is more good news. There are other ways to prevent exposure to phthalates and other chemicals. The Environmental Work Group provides a great newsletter that contains lots of information on how to become more “green” and how to discern what actually being “green” means. We just got a newsletter from them today with some great advice for avoiding phthalates. The article lists potential sources of the chemical and how to look for it. We have provided a portion of the article here:

“Nail polish: Dibutyl phthalate is often used to make nail polish chip-resistant. Look for it on the ingredients list, where it may be shortened to DBP. Here is a list of nail polishes that do not contain Phthalates, Toluene or Formaldehyde.

Plastics in the kitchen: Take a critical eye to your cupboards. Phthalates may be more likely to leach out of plastic when it’s heated, so avoid cooking or microwaving in plastic.

Vinyl toys: Phthalates are what make vinyl (PVC) toys soft, so don’t give them to children. Opt instead for wooden and other phthalate-free toys, especially during that age when they put everything in their mouths!

Paint: Paints and other hobby products may contain phthalates as solvents, so be sure to use them in a well-ventilated space.

Fragrance: Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is often used as part of the “fragrance” in some products. Since DEP won’t be listed separately, you’re better off choosing personal care products, detergents, and cleansers that don’t have the word “fragrance” on the ingredients list. Like our Simply product line or Wild Child product line. All essential oils, all the time!

Vinyl: Vinyl shows up in a lot of different products; lawn furniture, garden hoses, building materials, and items of clothing (like some raincoats) are often sources. Aside from carefully choosing materials when you’re making purchases, there is one easy change you can make: switch to a non-vinyl shower curtain. That “new shower curtain” smell (you know the one) is a result of chemical off-gassing, and it means your shower curtain is a source of phthalates in your home.

Air Fresheners: New research from the NRDC demonstrates that, just like fragrances in personal care products, most air fresheners contain phthalates. That even goes for the ones labeled “fragrance free.” NRDC suggests that you “open your windows and use fans to circulate air and keep it fresh.” I suspect that NRDC doesn’t have loads of kids and pets running around stashing half eaten food under the coffee table and peeing on their couches like us Soapchix do (why do you mock us, potty training?!). Open windows don’t even begin to cover it. Luckily, all this soapmaking really perks up the general scent, so we’re lucky like that. But for non soapmakers out there, here’s a great article about ‘green(er)’ room fresheners.

Thinking about of all the potential dangers in consumer products, not just phthalates but lead, mercury, and others, it is a bit depressing and overwhelming. But if we really look at it from a consumer standpoint, we have the power to make changes. If we don’t buy this junk, they can’t continue to make it. Believe me, Tiff and I have learned the lesson of supply and demand (Anyone remember Tomato Leaf soap? Anyone? People didn’t buy it, and now we don’t sell it. Simple economics. Well, not really simple. Tiff did almost fail Econ 101 in college, but that’s another blog).

I think that the best part of trying to be a concious consumer is that I am actually consuming less. And I am trying to teach my kids about being conscious consumers, too.