The Toxic Terrors Lurking In Your Home

Recently we launched a special research report on the dangers of environmental toxins,’Toxic Free Zone: 99 ways to stop your body becoming a toxic waste dump’. In this special health expose, we give the lowdown on how harmful chemicals and toxic pollutants are the single biggest health threat we face today. This must read report contains essential information on how to minimise our exposure to these toxic threats.

The truth is, many of us remain unaware of the numerous dangers lurking in our homes, and don’t realise that the cheap poisons that are used in our toiletries, cosmetics and even our furniture are linked to a diverse range of chronic health problems from cancer to chronic fatigue syndrome.

It’s real and it’s everywhere

A case in point is a recent study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, which found that pregnant mothers exposed to chemicals such as butyl benzyl phthalate are up to 50 per cent more likely to have children who suffer from eczema. Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP), also called n-butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) or benzyl butyl phthalate, is widely used in vinyl flooring, artificial leather and other materials, and can slowly be released into the air in our homes.

The study, conducted at the Columbia Centre for Children’s Environmental Health at the Mailman School of Public Health, looked at 407 non-smoking mothers and their children. Exposure to BBzB was measured through urine testing during the third trimester of pregnancy. Following birth, the mothers were asked if their child had been diagnosed with eczema. The results showed that the onset of eczema by age 2 was 52 per cent more likely in children whose mothers had been exposed to higher concentrations of BBzP, compared with those children whose mothers had been exposed to lower concentrations. All but one of the women in the study showed some level of exposure to the chemical.

Lead researcher, Dr. Allan C. Just said: “While hereditary factors, allergens, and exposure to tobacco smoke are known to contribute to the condition [eczema], our study is the first to show that prenatal exposure to BBzB is a risk factor.”

Eczema, which is characterized by dry, itchy red skin on the face, scalp, or extremities, is common in early childhood and often allergies lie behind the condition. In order to find out how BBzB induces eczema, the researchers looked at allergies as a possible mechanism. Children were tested for three common indoor allergens: cockroaches, dust mites, and mice, as well as for total IgE – a biomarker for an immune response to all allergens. But they found no evidence of a link between BBzP exposure and allergies.

Dr. Rachel Miller, another researcher involved with the study, said that these results are important, given that eczema is a very common and uncomfortable disease of early childhood. These findings add to previous research results which found that exposure to BBzP and other phthalates can delay motor skill development in young children and increase the risk of behavioural problems. Phthalates are also known to disrupt the body’s endocrine system.

Reading this, I can’t help but wonder: Why is this stuff still around? It’s shocking that a pregnant woman, doing something as harmless as relaxing on her faux leather sofa, could actually be setting her unborn child up for future health problems.

BBzB is classified as toxic by the European Chemical Bureau (ECB) and its use has declined rapidly in the last decade. There are only two producers remaining in the EU. Canadian Authorities have also restricted the usage of phthalates including BBP.

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Disclaimer: Bear in mind the material contained in this article is provided for information purposes only. We are not addressing anyone’s personal situation. Please consult with your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained herein.

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Sources:

Prenatal exposure to common household chemical increases risk for childhood eczema, study, published online 26.06.12, sciencecodex.com