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March 9th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) — Tests of more than 200
common household products found that the products contain chemicals that
research suggests may be linked to asthma and hormone disruption,
researchers report.
Products tested included a wide range of household products, such as
soaps, lotions, detergents, cleaners, sunscreens, air fresheners, kitty
litter, shaving cream, vinyl shower curtains, pillow protectors, cosmetics
and perfumes.
Researchers identified 55 chemicals that studies have shown may have
health consequences. Among the chemicals detected were various types of
phthalates, which have been linked to reproductive abnormalities and
asthma; bisphenol A (BPA), which is being phased out of many baby bottles
and children’s toys because of concerns about the effect on fetuses and
young children; and parabens, which some research suggests may mimic
estrogen in the body and have been associated with breast cancer.
“This is the first large, peer-reviewed study looking at
hormone-disrupting and asthma-related chemicals in a wide range of
consumer products,” said study author Robin Dodson, a research scientist
at the Silent Spring Institute in Newton, Mass.
The chemicals, however, were not listed on the product labels, which
included major brand-name products as well as those marketed as
“alternative” products that are often described as fragrance-free, more
natural and safer than conventional products.
One or more of the chemicals turned up in all of the conventional
product samples tested, and in 32 of 43 alternative products, according to
the report.
For each of the categories of conventional products, researchers
included several brands. For example, the floor cleaner sample included
Spic and Span, Swiffer WetJet Multi-Purpose Cleaner and Stop Shop
Pine Oil Cleaner Disinfectant, while the laundry detergent category
included several brands sold by Procter Gamble, Unilever, Foodhold
USA and Church Dwight, the study authors said.
The study highlights the need for more complete labeling so that
consumers know what they’re being exposed to, Dodson said.
“These results show we are exposed to a wide range of chemicals of
concern in everyday products, and the chemicals aren’t always listed on
the labels,” she said. “That can be a basis for modernizing our chemical
policy in the United States. It seems these chemicals are not being
adequately tested before being put on the shelf.”
The study, titled “Endocrine Disruptors and Asthma-Associated Chemicals
in Consumer Products,” is published in the March 8 online edition of
Environmental Health Perspectives.
Two industry groups, however, took issue with the study conclusions.
The research implies that the “mere presence” of the chemicals means the
products have safety risks, they said.
“They are alarming consumers unnecessarily,” said Brian Sansoni,
spokesman for the American Cleaning Institute, an industry association for
cleaning product manufacturers. Researchers haven’t uncovered evidence
that typical use of various household products are contributing to health
or safety issues, he said.
“We are disappointed at the research. It wrongly insinuates safety
concerns over cleaning products and ignores enhanced efforts to
communicate with consumers over ingredients,” Sansoni added.
Another industry representative said the research linking certain
chemicals with endocrine disruption and asthma is not conclusive.
“It is unfortunate and misleading that the title of this report implies
that there is a well-defined link between consumer products and endocrine
disruption and asthma, when the study of this issue continues and
scientific questions remain unresolved,” said Steven Bennett, director of
scientific affairs for the Consumer Specialty Products Association.
Manufacturers and others are also taking steps to keep consumers
informed about what’s in household products, Bennett added. That includes
the Consumer Product Ingredient Communication Initiative, a voluntary
industry program that took effect in 2010. Participating companies are
listing product ingredients on the product label, on websites, or making
information available via a toll-free telephone number.
Matt Perzanowski, an associate professor of environmental health
science at Columbia University in New York City, said the study will help
to raise awareness about how little consumers may know about what’s in
products they use everyday.
“They’re identifying exposures to chemicals that a consumer wouldn’t be
able to identify, and also showing there is a broad spectrum of these
exposures to these chemicals that people use,” Perzanowski said.
He noted, however, that research on chemicals and their link to health
problems is not conclusive. Most of the studies have been observational,
meaning researchers have found associations between certain exposures and
health effects, but have not proven causality.
Of all of the chemicals, the association between BPA and endocrine
disruption seems to be the strongest, Perzanowski added.
Because of the ubiquity of the consumer products and the chemicals,
it’s difficult to try to stay away from them, Dodson said. But Silent
Spring offers some tips, including:
- choosing products that are plant-based,
- using water, baking soda and vinegar for cleaning,
- wearing hats and cover-ups instead of relying only on sunscreen for
sun protection, - steering clear of cleaning and other products that contain
fragrance, - avoiding vinyl pillow and mattress protectors,
- choosing lotions, deodorants and shampoos that are
paraben-free.
Antimicrobial soaps also contain chemicals such as triclosan and
triclocarban, which are also chemicals of concern regarding asthma and
endocrine disruption, Dodson noted.
More information
To see the list of products tested, visit the
Silent
Spring Institute.
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