Kids' post


Isn’t This Cream Supposed To Help Us?


Every day you are getting exposed to chemicals. When you brush your teeth, put on skin cream, wash your hair with shampoo, and the like. If you microwave food in plastic, then you get exposed to the chemicals in that too. What’s so bad about that, you might ask? Well, many of these chemicals are not approved by the Food & Drug Administration, and can be extremely harmful. In this article I’ll be focusing on two chemicals: Bisphenol A, and Phthalates. These chemicals are especially dangerous because they are endocrine disruptors. That means they inhibit or alter your normal endocrine and hormone function. Let’s start with Bisphenol A.


Bisphenol A—also known as BPA for short—is used in plastic products such as electronics, sports equipment, and some kinds of water bottles. It’s never on the label (Thanks a lot, US Government) but if you look at the recycling symbol on the product, and if you see a seven in the middle of the chasing arrows, it probably contains BPA. Being contaminated with BPA can lead to autism, ADHD, and many kinds of cancer; not only in you, but in your child. Oh, by the way, have you ever seen those numbers on the recycling symbol on products, and have no idea what it meant? I sure have. Well it turns out, after some research, that each number represents a different kind of plastic. Some are harder to recycle that others. So the American Government only recycles the easiest and least expensive ones. (Numbers 1 and 2) That’s right: the vast majority of what you recycle, doesn’t actually get recycled!


Anyway, we’ll now be moving on to phthalates. Phthalates are more often found in air freshener, shampoo, and, children’s toys. Phthalates are actually a family of chemicals. They are found in almost anything vinyl as well. (Number 3 on the chasing arrow, for Poly Vinyl Chloride Plastic) Exposure to phthalates can lead to cancer, human immune virus, ADHD, autism, and obesity. Think about it. Phthalates are in a rubber ducky, a toy for an infant. Do you want a infant getting exposed to those chemicals? You probably don’t, so the next time your buying shampoo for your child, check the label. If it says Fragrance (Parfum), then most likely it has phthalates in it. Sadly, many shampoos and things as such have “Fragrance” in it.


Well, that is the end of my article. I hoped I have convinced you to be a little bit more careful of what you are buying at stores. Thank you for reading.


~By Oliver Wolf