Toxics in Everyday Life

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Toxics in Everyday Life
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What are Toxic Chemicals?

• Toxicity is a physical characteristic of a
  chemical.
• Toxicity is a measure of the biological potency
  of a substance.
• Among chemicals there is a wide difference in the
  amount or dose that will result in health
  problems.

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Types of Toxic Effects from Exposure

• Short Term (acute)
• Allergic reaction
• Skin irritation
• Eye irritation

• Long-term (chronic- delayed)
• Cancer
• Reproductive
• Developmental
• Neurological
• Immune system
• Organ damage (lung, kidney, liver, brain)
• Occupational asthma

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How Do Chemicals Get into Your Body? Routes of
Exposure

• Breathing (Inhalation)
• Swallowing (Ingestion)
• Piercing of skin (Injection)
• Skin Absorption
• Eye Absorption

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Factors determining health effect of chemical
exposure

• Toxicity
• Exposure
• The dose makes the poison.
  Yes but.dose is timing, duration, pattern, as
  well as amount

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Children are not Young Adults

• Children are highly vulnerable to toxics

• Children absorb more toxics
• they play close to the ground
• hand-to-mouth behavior
• unique dietary patterns

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Children are not Young Adults

• They are under-going rapid growth and development
  of their vital organ systems
• They have a decreased ability to detoxify and
  excrete toxics

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Body Burden Results

• In total, nine subjects had
• 76 Chemicals linked to cancer in humans or
  animals
• 94 chemicals that are toxic to the brain and
  nervous system
• 86 chemicals interfere with hormone systems
• 79 chemicals associated with birth defects or
  abnormal development
• 77 chemicals toxic to reproductive system
• 77 chemicals toxic to the immune system

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Body Burden Results

• 167/210 chemicals detected
• 48 PCBs
• 15 dioxins and furans
• 10 organochlorine pesticides and metabolites
• 6 phthalates
• 77 semivolatile and volatile chemicals
• 4 metals

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Cleaning Products-

• Disinfectants (Bleach)
• Sterilizing solutions
• Floor strippers
• Floor spot removers
• Solvent cleaners
• Others?

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Cleaning chemicals- Health Effects

• Disinfectantsoccupational asthma, irritants
• Floor stripping/polishing chemicalsheadaches,
  eye irritation, asthma, coughing, dizziness,
  nausea
• Scented chemicals asthma, dizziness, confusion
  (assoc with MCS)

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Pressure Treated Wood Products
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Chromated-Copper Arsenate (CCA)

• (CCA) is a chemical mixture consisting of three
  pesticidal compounds (arsenic, chromium, and
  copper) registered for wood preservative uses
• Arsenic is a known human carcinogen and is
  acutely toxic.

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Mercury

• Thermometers
• Switches/
• Thermostats
• Fish in all Massachusetts Lakes
• Combustion
• Fluorescent lights

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Mercury Health Effects

• Mercury (Hg), a heavy metal, is widespread and
  persistent in the environment.
• Exposure to hazardous Hg levels can cause
  permanent neurologic and kidney impairment
• The U.S. population primarily is exposed to
  methylmercury by eating fish.
• Methylmercury exposures to women of childbearing
  age are of great concern because a fetus is
  highly susceptible to adverse effects.

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Pesticides

• Insecticides
• Herbicides
• Rodenticides
• Bacteriacides (soaps)

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Phase-out of common pesticides
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What are the health risks?

• Many pesticides are known carcinogens, mutagens,
  neurotoxins, endocrine/hormone disruptors and
  teratogens (birth defects)
• Damage to reproductive, nervous, immune,
  endocrine, and metabolic systems
• Exposure in humans is widespread and involuntary
• Children are particularly vulnerable

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Lead

• Locations
• Lead paint (chips, dust, old toys)
• Lead pipes or solder
• Soil surrounding home
• Hobbies (refinishing furniture, stained glass,
  pottery)
• Food or liquids store in lead glazed pottery,
  lead crystal, porcelain)

• Health Effects
• Children with high lead levels can suffer from
• Brain and nervous system damage
• Behavioral and learning problems
• Slowed growth
• Hearing problems
• Headaches

• Locations
• Lead paint (chips, dust, old toys)
• Lead pipes or solder
• Soil surrounding home
• Hobbies (refinishing furniture, stained glass,
  pottery)
• Food or liquids store in lead glazed pottery,
  lead crystal, porcelain)

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Toxics Use Reduction (TUR)

• TUR is a method used to examine any system to
  determine opportunities for chemical reduction or
  elimination.
• It has been used in Massachusetts to examine
  industrial processes.
• TUR emphasizes reducing or preventing
  pollution before it is generated.

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Toxics Use Reduction TUR

• TUR examines a system and asks
• Why is this chemical being used?
• Is there another method that will negate the
  need for the chemical?
• If the activity truly requires chemical use, is
  there a safer alternative?
• If no alternatives exist, is the chemical being
  used efficiently?

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What can you do?

• Cleaning Products
• Pressure-treated wood
• Mercury
• Lead
• Pesticides
• Other

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What can you do?

• SMART PURCHASING
• Read Product Labels- Choose least toxic or
  non-toxic products
• Danger May be fatal on short exposure.
• Warning Corrosive or toxic. Avoid skin contact
  or inhalation, may be harmful if inhaled or
  absorbed
• Caution May be irritating No unusual hazard

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What can you do?

• Read Product Labels-
• Follow application instructions
• Wear protective gear
• Do not mix or put in unlabeled container
• Dispose of properly

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Read Cleaning Labels!

• Labels are important!
• Watch for
• Oven, toilet, drain
• cleaners
• Solvents
• Aerosol
• spray

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Aerosol Dangers

• Often Contain Toxic Materials
• Dispersed Beyond Target
• Can cause eye injury and skin irritation
• Small Particles Easily Inhaled into Lungs and
  absorbed into Bloodstream
• Active Ingredient and Propellant
• Propellant can be flammable

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How to Reduce Your Exposure?

• USE LESS TOXIC PRODUCTS
• Read label for signal words
• USE PRODUCTS PROPERLY
• If you use more toxic products, use as directed
  and only use what is necessary. MORE is not
  always BETTER or necessary. Follow precautions to
  limit breathing in vapors, contact with skin or
  eyes. Ventilate area.
• USE PREVENTION TECHNIQUES TO ELIMINATE THE NEED
  FOR MANY PRODUCTS

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LESS TOXIC CLEANING PRODUCTS

• Scrutinize non-toxic label
• Avoid Chlorine products
• Vegetable-based
• Pine or citrus based
• Pumps instead of Sprays
• Biodegradable
• Environmentally Friendly

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What you can do- Pressure treated lumber

• Always wash hands thoroughly after contact with
  any wood, especially prior to eating and
  drinking.
• Food should not come into direct contact with any
  treated wood.

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What you can do- Pressure treated lumber
alternatives

• December 2003 Residential phaseout
• Cedar and redwood natural rot resistant
• Nonwood alternatives- plastics, metal, and
  composite materials, are available.
• Seal existing structures

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What can you do?

• Replace Mercury thermometers with digital
  thermometers at local exchanges
• Follow fish advisories for mercury
• Test your children for lead paint poisoning
• Test your house paint and water for lead

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EPA Mercury Fish Advisory

• Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or
  Tilefish because they contain high levels of
  mercury.
• Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a
  variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in
  mercury.
• Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low
  in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon,
  pollock, and catfish.
• Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white")
  tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So,
  when choosing your two meals of fish and
  shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one
  average meal) of albacore tuna per week.
• Check local advisories about the safety of fish
  caught by family and friends in your local lakes,
  rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is
  available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal)
  per week of fish you catch from local waters, but
  don't consume any other fish during that week.
• Follow these same recommendations when feeding
  fish and shellfish to your young child, but serve
  smaller portions.

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Lead
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Pesticide Alternatives IPM Defined

• biological control - using beneficial organisms
  (predators, parasites, diseases) to suppress
  pests
• cultural control mowing high, using rotations,
  cultivation, sanitation that reduce persistent
  pests
• physical control - using barriers, traps,
  adjusting planting location to diminish pest
  pressure
• genetic control - choosing resistant plant
  materials ie. Endophytic grass seed
• chemical control - using conventional pesticides,
  biopesticides, pheromones and other chemicals to
  prevent or suppress a pest outbreak

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Examples of IPM
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Lower risk pest control products

• Boric acid and disodium octobrate tetrahydrate
• Silica gels
• Diatomaceous earth (kills worms, slugs)
• Nonvolatile insect and rodent baits in
  tamper-resistant containers or for crack and
  crevice treatment only
• Microbe-based insecticides
• Botanical insecticides (not including synthetic
  pyrethroids) without toxic synergists
• Biological, living control agents, such as
  parasites and predators
• Soap based products
• Natural products on FIFRA's 25(b) list (40 CFR
  part 152.25(g)(l))
• Cold treatment/use of liquid nitrogen, electronic
  products, heat, and lights

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www.turi.org/community

• Eileen Gunn
• Community Program Manager
• Toxics Use Reduction Institute
• UMASS Lowell
• 978-934-4343