141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

293660
Hormone disruptors and chemicals associated with asthma in consumer products

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 3:30 PM - 3:50 PM

Robin Dodson, Sc.D. , Silent Spring Institute, Newton, MA
Many everyday products contain hormone disruptors and chemicals associated with asthma. This study set out to learn more about chemicals in common products and whether consumers can avoid these exposures. The study tested 50 types of cleaning, personal care, and other household products for 66 hormone disruptors and chemicals associated with asthma. We found 55 of the chemicals, showing that people are exposed to a wide range of potentially harmful chemicals from common products. People who use multiple products can be exposed to mixtures of compounds, demonstrating the importance of considering the combined health effects of chemicals from different sources. Consumers can avoid some chemicals of concern—including antimicrobials and some fragrances-- in some products by reading labels. Other chemicals cannot be easily avoided, because they are not listed on labels or in online rating systems, which are based on product labels. More complete product labeling would enable consumers to avoid the rest of the target chemicals.

Learning Areas:
Environmental health sciences
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines

Learning Objectives:
Identify chemicals of concern in consumer products . Analyze consumer product labels to reduce exposures.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a research scientist for a non-profit research organization focusing on environmental health. Our research is funded by federal grants, foundation grants, and private donations. My specific research is on exposures to chemicals in consumer products and building materials in the indoor environment.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.