tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/personal-care-products-7280/articlesPersonal care products – The Conversation2023-05-11T20:28:14Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2011372023-05-11T20:28:14Z2023-05-11T20:28:14ZToxic chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products remain in our bodies and environments for a very, very long time<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523554/original/file-20230501-22-rxhhxq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C122%2C5472%2C2916&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Better labelling of personal care products is necessary to inform consumers of 'forever chemicals.'</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Cosmetics and personal care products enhance the way we look and feel. During the pandemic, I started a self-care facial routine. It helped me cope with lockdown orders, while simultaneously adjusting to my new identity as a mom. I applied toner, serum and cream to brighten mornings and relax evenings. </p>
<p>But many of these products contain chemicals called <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00240">per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)</a>, also known as ‘forever chemicals.’ They are used as ingredients that can make products waterproof, long-lasting and help them spread smoothly across skin. </p>
<p>European data indicates there are about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1039/D2EM00123C">170 PFAS ingredients for use in cosmetics and personal care products</a>. Each year, upwards of 80,000 kg of PFAS may be released after product use to wastewater and solid waste streams, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1039/D2EM00123C">a significant source of PFAS to the environment</a>.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523559/original/file-20230501-24-ewcv53.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="a table covered in makeup" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523559/original/file-20230501-24-ewcv53.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523559/original/file-20230501-24-ewcv53.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523559/original/file-20230501-24-ewcv53.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523559/original/file-20230501-24-ewcv53.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523559/original/file-20230501-24-ewcv53.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523559/original/file-20230501-24-ewcv53.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523559/original/file-20230501-24-ewcv53.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">PFAS can be found in makeup and personal care products.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Jessica Johnston/Unsplash)</span></span>
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<h2>Persistent contaminants</h2>
<p>PFAS are persistent environmental contaminants. The properties that make them commercially useful, particularly their stability, also means that there is no environmental mechanism to degrade them, and so they accumulate. PFAS have been found across the globe, <a href="https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-5045-2018">including remote regions like the Arctic</a>.</p>
<p>PFAS also accumulate in the body. The Canadian Health Measures survey sampled <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/reports-publications/environmental-contaminants/fifth-report-human-biomonitoring.html">blood from thousands of people and found several PFAS in all participants</a>. </p>
<p>Major sources of PFAS exposure to people are through diet, from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP4093">drinking contaminated water</a> or ingesting food, such as fish or meat. Agricultural fields can contain PFAS from biosolids used as fertilizer, as wastewater treatment plants cannot remove them. </p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/toxic-long-lasting-contaminants-detected-in-people-living-in-northern-canada-141256">Toxic, long-lasting contaminants detected in people living in northern Canada</a>
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<p>Therefore, PFAS are transported via biosolids to crops and animals. Similarly, PFAS are added to personal care products, applied, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1039/D2EM00123C">then washed off to enter wastewater treatment plants</a>, contributing to a global environmental problem.</p>
<h2>PFAS in personal care products</h2>
<p>In our study, we measured PFAS in cosmetics and personal care products purchased in Canada. Products included bronzers, concealers, foundations, shaving creams, sunscreens and moisturizers. </p>
<p>PFAS were extracted from each product and measured using mass spectrometry instrumentation. These instruments identify individual PFAS present in the products, at high milligram amounts or down to a trillionth of a gram. </p>
<p>Particularly high levels stemmed from products containing the following ingredients: C6-16 perfluoroalkyl ethyl phosphates, perfluorooctyl triethoxysilane, and perfluorobutyl ethers. The Canadian government has prohibited some PFAS from products, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), <a href="https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2016/2016-10-05/html/sor-dors252-eng.html">and any chemical that degrades to produce PFOA</a>.</p>
<p>New proposed Canadian PFAS regulations will set a threshold level at one microgram per gram in products. This means that PFAS at or below this level would be incidental and <a href="https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2022/2022-05-14/html/reg2-eng.html">the prohibition would not apply</a>. Yet we found that some products contained PFAS — including those prohibited from use — at levels a thousand times higher than the incidental level — pointing towards a lack of oversight <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c02660">when it comes to managing PFAS in the personal care product industry</a>.</p>
<h2>Higher PFAS levels</h2>
<p>Epidemiological studies are showing that PFAS levels in the body are related to regular use of cosmetic and personal care products. One study in the United States noted <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110445">higher blood levels of PFAS in women that typically wore foundation</a>. A study from Korea linked <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2016.04.017">application of cosmetics and personal care products to higher PFAS levels in breast milk</a>.</p>
<p>Another study illustrated this trend more directly. PFOA was purposefully added to a sunscreen to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107549">determine whether blood levels in one person would increase after application</a>. Within three weeks, the PFOA from the sunscreen application equalled about 10 per cent of the total amount of PFOA in his body. This suggests that the daily application of a PFAS-containing sunscreen during summer months — and frequent application of other PFAS-containing cosmetics and personal care products — would result in high blood levels.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523561/original/file-20230501-18-j5x0c8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="someone in a striped grey long-sleeved t-shirt applying sunscreen onto their forearm" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523561/original/file-20230501-18-j5x0c8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/523561/original/file-20230501-18-j5x0c8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523561/original/file-20230501-18-j5x0c8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523561/original/file-20230501-18-j5x0c8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523561/original/file-20230501-18-j5x0c8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523561/original/file-20230501-18-j5x0c8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/523561/original/file-20230501-18-j5x0c8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Chemicals in sunscreen can be absorbed through the skin, leading to a build-up of PFAS or PFOA in the body.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<p>Unlike other chemicals, certain PFAS like PFOA are persistent. This means that human exposure to even low amounts of PFAS can accumulate over time. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2022.105185">half-life of PFOA in humans is about two years</a>. </p>
<p>Even after this point, half the amount of PFOA remains and it takes even more years for it to be eliminated. However, continuous exposure from multiple sources, including the use of cosmetics and personal care products, guarantee that PFOA and similar PFAS, are never eliminated.</p>
<h2>Health implications</h2>
<p>In Canada, the PFAS frequently measured in the environment with adverse health implications <a href="https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2016/2016-10-05/html/sor-dors252-eng.html">are prohibited from use</a>. These include PFOA and PFOS, long-chain PFCAs, and any compound that degrades to produce them. This is a broader regulatory approach compared to other regions, including the U.S., <a href="https://www.epa.gov/pfas/key-epa-actions-address-pfas">which restricts individual PFAS</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-blanket-ban-on-toxic-forever-chemicals-is-good-for-people-and-animals-127879">A blanket ban on toxic 'forever chemicals' is good for people and animals</a>
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<p>But other regions are taking an even broader approach. The European Union’s <a href="https://cen.acs.org/environment/persistent-pollutants/EU-proposal-ban-10000-PFAS/101/i6">proposed ban</a> would eliminate thousands of PFAS. California is planning to <a href="https://cen.acs.org/environment/persistent-pollutants/California-bans-cosmetics-apparel-PFAS/100/web/2022/09">effectively eliminate any PFAS ingredient used in cosmetics and apparel by 2025</a>.</p>
<p>Canada should consider a similar approach, as a solution to protect people from exposure to these chemicals when applying cosmetics and personal care products, and eliminate their transfer to the environment after use.</p>
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<span class="caption">Some cosmetic retailers like Sephora indicate when PFAS chemicals are present in a product.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<h2>Regulation and information</h2>
<p>There is a solution: ban PFAS from cosmetics and personal care products. Some cosmetic retailers like <a href="https://toxicfreefuture.org/blog/four-ways-sephora-is-cleaning-up-cosmetics/">Sephora do not include PFAS on their “clean” cosmetic lists</a> so that consumers can avoid their use. But PFAS-containing cosmetics and personal care products are still readily available to Canadians. </p>
<p>PFAS are absent from the <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredient-hotlist-prohibited-restricted-ingredients/hotlist.html">Canadian Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist</a>, the list that contains ingredients prohibited from use in cosmetics and personal care products sold in Canada. </p>
<p>Environmental groups, managers, and industry should work together to stop using PFAS in cosmetics and personal care products, and instead use other ingredients that serve the same purpose. </p>
<p>At the very least, people should be aware of the PFAS in these products through clear labelling so that they can make informed decisions. Since completing this study, I have screened the ingredients in my products, only to find that a couple contained PFAS. I switched to other products.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201137/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amy Rand receives funding from a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Discovery Grant (RGPIN-2018-05330) and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund (37944). </span></em></p>PFAS are chemicals used in cosmetics and personal care products that can persist in the environment for a very long time. New regulations seek to ban PFAS, but Canada needs to take further actions.Amy Rand, Assistant professor, Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology, Carleton UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1880892022-10-13T08:16:14Z2022-10-13T08:16:14ZJust how safe are cosmetics on the European market?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/482014/original/file-20220831-26-pzawkk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C9%2C2048%2C1352&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Regulations in the US and EU are intended to ensure that cosmetics and other personal-care products are safe, but the two continents approach the issue in different ways.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/50301489872">Marco Verch/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When was the last time you read the ingredient label on a bottle of shampoo? Have you ever sneezed when applying face powder? As you lay on the beach this summer, did you wonder what it was in your sunscreen that blocked the sun’s UV light and protected your skin?</p>
<p>A large number of chemical substances are used in many such products. The HBO documentary series <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDcs6N44Aok"><em>Not So Pretty</em></a> investigates harmful chemicals used in the beauty industry and centres, in particular, on the experiences of consumers and workers who say that they were exposed to harmful substances in personal-hygiene products. Above all, it is a chilling exposé of the lack of regulation of cosmetics in the United States.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/prohibited-restricted-ingredients-cosmetics">US Food & Drug Administration</a> (FDA), the United States has only banned 11 harmful substances in cosmetic products. By comparison, the European Union (EU), prohibits more than 1,300 substances, and restricts more than 250 with a concentration threshold.</p>
<p>The United States is one of the world’s largest markets of the cosmetics industry. Studies conducted <a href="https://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/handle/1903/26403/Article.pdf">there</a>, in <a href="https://repository.ubn.ru.nl/bitstream/handle/2066/157068/157068.pdf;PDF#page=22">Europe</a>, and in <a href="https://www-nature-com.proxy.bnl.lu/articles/jes201720">Asia</a> have confirmed that women tend to consume cosmetics and personal-hygiene products much more than men and tend to account for the vast majority of workers (90%) in professional beauty services such as hair and nail salons.</p>
<p>Some interviewed in the series claim to have contracted <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mesothelioma/symptoms-causes/syc-20375022">mesothelioma</a>, a cancer that affects tissue surrounding bodily organs, due to asbestos detected in talc and make-up. Others explain they have suffered fertility problems and even miscarriages as a result of exposure to “everyday chemicals” upsetting hormones, formally known as endocrine disruptors. These include bisphenol A (BPA), which can be found in eye make-up and nail varnish, or phthalates, which keep nail polish from cracking and help the scent of perfumes linger.</p>
<h2>The differences between the continents</h2>
<p>Despite the parallels, the continents fundamentally differ over how they regulate substances in cosmetics and other personal-hygiene products.</p>
<p>The FDA has <a href="https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/fda-authority-over-cosmetics-how-cosmetics-are-not-fda-approved-are-fda-regulated">little power</a> when it comes to demanding manufacturers disclose their products’ ingredients and safety data. In the absence of such critical information, the agency must nevertheless bear the burden of proof and show that a certain substance is harmful in its intended use in order to withdraw it from circulation.</p>
<p>By contrast, in the EU the <a href="https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/cosmetics/legislation_en">Cosmetic Products Regulation</a> framework sets the rules for placing substances on the market on the basis of their human health impacts. The <a href="https://www.coslaw.eu/what-is-the-scientific-committee-on-consumer-safety-sccs/">Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety</a> (SCCS) also advises the European Commission on the health and safety risks of cosmetic products and their ingredients. Lastly, and contrary to the US, the burden of proof of safety is on the manufacturer, which must add data on cosmetic products to the <a href="https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/cosmetics/cosmetic-product-notification-portal_en">Cosmetic Products Notification Portal</a> (CPNP) available to competent authorities, SCCS, and poison centres.</p>
<h2>Keeping make-up users safe in Europe</h2>
<p>In Europe, the manufacturer is always responsible for the safety of the products it places on the market, and each product must have undergone a safety assessment before it is sold. The rule of thumb is that substances that are classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR) of category 1 or 2 are prohibited from cosmetics. Following a mandatory safety assessment by the SCCS, certain exceptions may be granted. Other EU chemicals regulations complement the safety provisions based on a classification procedure for hazardous substances such as CMR, as well as providing a safety net for environmental risks posed by cosmetics after they’re washed off.</p>
<p>A quick glance over the <a href="https://echa.europa.eu/fr/cosmetics-prohibited-substances">prohibited substances list</a> of the European Cosmetics Products Regulation reveals that asbestos is banned from all cosmetic products. Moreover, the production and marketing of asbestos is completely prohibited, except in the case of its use for the production of <a href="https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/ea9dc42d-7656-8afd-09e4-d8b41fae2c9c">chlorine and sodium hydroxide</a>, two chemicals found in household cleaners, according to the regulator. Asbestos is thus a clear and strict “no go” on the European cosmetics market.</p>
<p>Similarly, BPA and phthalates are also prohibited in cosmetics. BPA is officially classified in the EU as toxic for reproduction, an endocrine disruptor and included in the candidate list of <a href="https://echa.europa.eu/candidate-list-table">substances of very high concern</a> (SVHC). This means the consumer can request that manufacturers inform them of the presence of the chemical in their articles starting from 0.1% by weight in the article, as specified under the EU’s <a href="https://echa.europa.eu/regulations/reach/understanding-reach">REACH regulation</a>.</p>
<p>What about titanium dioxide? A white and opaque powder, the chemical has been used for almost a century as a white pigment and can be found in colour cosmetics such as eye shadow and blush, loose and pressed powders. Its resistance to ultra-violent light also make it a key ingredient in many sunscreens. The EU classifies it as a category 2 carcinogen by inhalation, which means this substance is suspected to cause cancer when inhaled. Certain restrictions on its use in cosmetic products are in place and these are especially prevalent in products that are sprayed. For example, a limit threshold of 1.1% is set in professional hair aerosol spray products and in colourants. Powder applications that “may lead to exposure of the user’s lungs by inhalation” are prohibited.</p>
<h2>How confident can EU consumers be?</h2>
<p>When it comes to the legal frameworks around chemicals and cosmetic products, the European market has extensive safety provisions.</p>
<p>However, regulation may be challenging to enforce within the realm of international trade and online sales. <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/safety-gate-alerts/screen/webReport">EU reports</a> have highlighted the presence of some harmful substances in cosmetics and other personal-care products circulating on the European market. In 2018, one brand of make-up, including some items made in China destined for children, was found to contain asbestos in Czech Republic and the Netherlands.</p>
<p>The European enforcement authorities collaborate to avoid such products on the EU market, and the <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/safety-gate-alerts/screen/webReport">Safety Gate platform</a> alerts consumers to non-compliant goods within the EU. Furthermore, the 2020 <a href="https://echa.europa.eu/hot-topics/chemicals-strategy-for-sustainability">European Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability</a> aims at an even higher level of consumer and environmental protection with its various actions such as the consideration of “cocktail effects” of chemicals.</p>
<h2>Reducing your exposure to harmful chemicals: a checklist</h2>
<p>For European consumers seeking to reduce their potential exposure to harmful chemicals, here are some safety guidelines and resources:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>If you are sensitive to common allergens, seek out unscented cosmetics whose labels do not contain the words <em>fragrance</em> or <em>perfume</em>.</p></li>
<li><p>For the sake of the environment and personal health, try to limit the dosage used. Be it a shampoo or a cleaning agent, usually small amounts are enough for the purpose of getting your hair or a surface cleaned.</p></li>
<li><p>Be wary of less-expensive imported cosmetic and hygiene products. The consumer could look at the label and check the country where the product has been manufactured. Manufacturers outside the EU are not necessarily aware of EU regulations and may pay less attention to product safety.</p></li>
<li><p>Tell your medical professional about any unwanted side effects following the use of a product. Keep the product packaging and label for further reference.</p></li>
<li><p>Use the help of European apps detecting chemicals in products, such as <a href="https://incibeauty.com/en">INCI Beauty</a> (for cosmetics), <a href="https://www.bund-naturschutz.de/oekologisch-leben/einkaufen/toxfox">ToxFox</a> (for cosmetics and articles), and <a href="https://www.ineris.fr/fr/risques/dossiers-thematiques/substances-chimiques-consommation-scan4chem-accompagne/scan4chem">Scan4Chem</a> (for everyday articles such as clothing, kitchenware, sports equipment, electronics, etc.)</p></li>
<li><p>Use your right to know about SVHCs in articles by requesting information from suppliers.</p></li>
</ul>
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<p><em>Created in 2007 to help accelerate and share scientific knowledge on key societal issues, the AXA Research Fund has supported nearly 700 projects around the world conducted by researchers in 38 countries. To learn more, visit the site of the AXA Research Fund or follow on Twitter @AXAResearchFund.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188089/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Oona Freudenthal a reçu des financements d'AXA Research Fund. Elle est membre de Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis de l'Agence Europeenne des Produits Chimiques (ECHA).</span></em></p>From miscarriages to cancer, poor regulation of cosmetics in the US have taken a devastating toll on consumers’ lives. Are European consumers any safer?Oona Freudenthal, R&T Associate, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1327312020-03-20T12:07:54Z2020-03-20T12:07:54ZCoronavirus spotlights the link between clean water and health<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/321430/original/file-20200318-1926-1plb0nn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=50%2C0%2C5587%2C3705&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Collecting water from a street pump in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Jan. 13, 2020.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/bangladeshi-people-collecting-drinking-water-from-a-water-news-photo/1193639864?adppopup=true">Mehedi Hasan/NurPhoto via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As the world confronts the coronavirus pandemic, experts say that a key way to minimize the odds of getting sick is by <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public">washing your hands thoroughly and frequently</a>.</p>
<p>But what if you don’t have access to clean water?</p>
<p>Over the past 40 years, many nations have <a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/">made great progress</a> in treating wastewater, providing residents with clean drinking water and enhancing water supplies to grow needed food and fiber. But as a researcher focusing on <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zRUW2ksAAAAJ&hl=en">water resources management and policy</a>, I know there is still far to go. </p>
<p>More than 40% of the world’s population lives in regions where water is becoming increasingly scarce, and that figure is likely to rise. Every day, nearly 1,000 children die from <a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/">preventable water- and sanitation-related diseases</a>.</p>
<h2>Life without clean water</h2>
<p>Water use has increased worldwide by about 1% annually since the 1980s, driven by population growth, economic development and <a href="https://www.unwater.org/publications/world-water-development-report-2019/">changing consumption patterns</a>. At the same time, water supplies are increasingly threatened by climate change, overuse and pollution. </p>
<p>For example, in 2019 residents of Chennai, India, had to queue up for water delivered by tanker trucks because the city’s reservoirs were empty. Persistent drought, worsened by climate change, had virtually exhausted local supplies. The city, which is home to 7 million people, still faces severe shortages, and <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2019/08/chennais-man-made-water-crisis/">may exhaust its available groundwater within a few years</a>. </p>
<p>In rural Mexico, some 5 million people <a href="https://www.sdgfund.org/case-study/water-and-sanitation-management-gender-perspective-mexico">lack access to clean water</a>. Women and children are tasked with collecting water, taking time that could be spent in school or on political engagement. Meanwhile, men decide how water rights are allocated. </p>
<p>Residents of Flint, Michigan, whose trust in the safety of their drinking water has been gradually restored after a <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-science-behind-the-flint-water-crisis-corrosion-of-pipes-erosion-of-trust-53776">notorious case of lead contamination</a>, were advised in August 2019 to boil water as a precaution against impurities after a pipeline rupture <a href="https://www.abc12.com/content/news/Boil-filtered-water-advisory-issued-for-all-Flint-city-customers-527899411.html">reduced pressure in the city’s water lines</a>. The advisory ended after sampling indicated that there was no danger of contamination, but the city is still replacing lead and galvanized steel water delivery pipes to prevent further lead exposure.</p>
<p>Today, with coronavirus present on <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-wuhan-novel-coronavirus-outbreak/?cmpid=BBD031920_CORONAVIRUS&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=200319&utm_campaign=coronavirus">every continent except Antarctica</a>, washing hands is a difficult challenge in many developing countries. Clean water and soap are often in short supply, and many slum dwellers <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51929598">live in homes without running water</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k4c3xtQwcJQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">According to development experts, the world’s water crisis is not so much an issue of scarcity as it is of poor management and inequitable distribution.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Systems under stress</h2>
<p>According to the United Nations, rising demand for water in the industrial, domestic and agricultural sectors signals that people are starting to live better, thanks to progress in harnessing fresh water for <a href="https://www.unwater.org/publications/world-water-development-report-2019/">growing food and fiber and for public consumption</a>. However, experts note three areas where progress is lagging. </p>
<p>First, more than 2 billion people live in countries experiencing high water stress, and about 4 billion people experience severe water scarcity during <a href="https://www.unwater.org/publications/world-water-development-report-2019/">at least one month of the year</a>. These problems are directly attributable to rising water demands and the <a href="https://www.unwater.org/publications/un-water-policy-brief-on-climate-change-and-water/">intensifying effects of climate change</a>. They also worsen mistreatment of women, who <a href="https://theconversation.com/women-still-carry-most-of-the-worlds-water-81054">bear much of the burden</a> of providing scarce water to families.</p>
<p>Second, while many countries are spending money on improving access to water – often by privatizing supplies, which enriches global engineering firms that build infrastructure – access to clean water remains inadequate. Nearly 800 million people worldwide lack updated sanitation. In many instances primitive latrines release human wastes directly to the environment, contaminating streams and rivers. Worldwide, over 80% of wastewater from human activities <a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/">remains untreated</a>. </p>
<p>Third, in every country water infrastructure is deteriorating, and people are disposing of <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-a-new-generation-of-water-pollutants-in-your-medicine-cabinet-71260">drugs, personal care products</a> and other common household goods into public water systems. These combined trends add persistent, hard-to-treat contaminants to water supplies and threaten public health worldwide.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/321439/original/file-20200318-1926-k89gg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/321439/original/file-20200318-1926-k89gg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/321439/original/file-20200318-1926-k89gg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321439/original/file-20200318-1926-k89gg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321439/original/file-20200318-1926-k89gg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321439/original/file-20200318-1926-k89gg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321439/original/file-20200318-1926-k89gg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/321439/original/file-20200318-1926-k89gg6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Aging lead pipe removed from a home in Flint, Mich., in 2018.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Michigan-Budget-Water/171fb3ae78414b7991b4841e85f73be0/28/0">AP Photo/Paul Sancya</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Water as a leadership test</h2>
<p>These problems are daunting, but progress is possible if water agencies and government officials engage the public, heed evidence-based advice from experts and exercise political leadership.</p>
<p>As a first step, governments need to focus on long-term planning and coordinated responses. The problems facing Chennai, rural Mexico, Flint and countless other places usually generate early warning signs, which public officials often ignore due to a lack of political will or sense of urgency. </p>
<p>In Cape Town, South Africa, where residents faced a water shortage in 2017 similar to Chennai’s, it had been clear for years that the city’s water infrastructure could not handle growing demands. A government-sponsored study published in 1998 had recommended building a wastewater reuse plant as a hedge against future drought, but the plant was never constructed. Flint’s water crisis escalated over some 18 months while public officials closed their ears to residents’ frequent complaints about the <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/09/30/flint-water-woes-seep-city-state-politics/73129478/">smell and taste of their water</a>. </p>
<p>The good news is that many large cities, including Los Angeles and Sao Paulo, Brazil, have begun to heed climate change warning signs. In response, public officials are initiating innovative water alternatives that <a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-rainwater-lost-wet-winter-california-20190220-story.html">conserve water</a>, reuse wastewater and <a href="https://transitionnetwork.org/stories/rainwater-harvesting-sao-paulo-brazil/">harvest rainwater</a>.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1239525534146560004"}"></div></p>
<p>Second, it is important to recognize water problems as <a href="https://theconversation.com/flints-water-crisis-is-a-blatant-example-of-environmental-injustice-53553">environmental justice challenges</a>. The U.N.’s <a href="https://en.unesco.org/themes/water-security/hydrology">International Hydrological Program</a> now promotes water equity, recognizing that the burdens of protracted drought, water stress and contaminated supplies fall disproportionately on women, the very young, the frail and destitute, and oppressed indigenous minorities, who often are forced to <a href="https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/climate-change-and-disasters.html">migrate elsewhere</a> when conditions become intolerable. Here in the United States, cities and states are pledging <a href="https://news.bloombergenvironment.com/environment-and-energy/states-utilities-pledge-to-keep-water-flowing-amid-coronavirus">not to cut off water supplies</a> to households that fail to pay their bills during the coronavirus crisis.</p>
<p>Finally, I believe that building or restoring public trust is critical for addressing these problems. The experience of cities that have weathered drought, such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-drought-is-affecting-water-supply-in-australias-capital-cities-127909">Melbourne, Australia</a>, shows that governments need to weigh and address community concerns, and to foster trust and confidence in the agencies charged with implementing solutions. In my view, the best way to build that kind of trust is by courageously meeting today’s water crises head-on.</p>
<p>[<em>Get facts about coronavirus and the latest research.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=upper-coronavirus-facts">Sign up for our newsletter.</a>]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/132731/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Feldman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Water is essential for health, economic well-being and social equity, but too many people around the world still don’t have access to clean drinking water and sanitation.David Feldman, Professor Urban Planning & Public Policy and Political Science, Director of Water UCI, University of California, IrvineLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1321592020-02-28T14:10:45Z2020-02-28T14:10:45ZBlack women prefer hair products marketed with them in mind<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316962/original/file-20200224-24701-hyyu7c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=15%2C0%2C5097%2C3403&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Black female consumers outpace other consumer groups in a number of spending categories, notably personal care and hair products, but feel unappreciated by top brands.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/mixed-race-hairstylist-using-digital-tablet-in-salon-picture-id601798841">Peathegee Inc/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.</em></p>
<h2>The big idea</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/black-women-nielsen-report_n_59c3fec2e4b06f93538d3a05">Marketing reports</a> indicate that black consumers long to feel authentically represented in advertising campaigns, especially black women. Black female consumers outpace other consumer groups in a number of spending categories, notably personal care and hair products, but <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/black-women-nielsen-report_n_59c3fec2e4b06f93538d3a05">feel unappreciated by top brands</a>.</p>
<p>This line of thinking raised several questions <a href="https://www.jou.ufl.edu/staff/yewande-addie/">for me</a>: With the fairly recent launch of an ethnic corporate product line, Pantene’s Gold Series Collection, are black women feeling the love? When faced with choosing between this new corporate option and Shea Moisture, a brand perceived to be black-owned, where does their allegiance lie? And <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcr/pages/self_identity_and_consumer_behavior">if what people buy is an expression of their identity</a>, then which brand best reflects black female consumers’ truest sense of self? Our study builds on a conceptual model to test these questions.</p>
<h2>Why it matters</h2>
<p>Academic literature on black consumer identity is pretty sparse, or more often focused on highlighting important but troubling research insights – such as the relationship between <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29755932">targeted, high caloric food marketing and health disparities</a>. There is a deeply rooted relationship between how black women <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00497870903238463">style their hair</a>, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0021934716653350">their personal identity, their self-esteem</a> and <a href="https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301675">their health</a>. This is especially significant considering the ways <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J015V06N01_07?journalCode=wwat20">black hair is politicized</a> and <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315605753">policed in public spaces</a>. </p>
<p>For black women, hair is linked to <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4317206?seq=1">racial and gendered psychological traumas</a> and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0021934716653350">joys</a>. It is also particularly important to note that recent scientific findings revealed black women are at an <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/hair-products-popular-with-black-women-may-contain-harmful-chemicals/">increased risk for a number of illnesses</a> due to toxic chemicals commonly found in black hair care products. </p>
<h2>How we do our work</h2>
<p>Under the guidance of <a href="https://www.jou.ufl.edu/staff/sylvia-chan-olmsted/">Sylvia Chan-Olmsted</a>, director of Media Consumer Research at the University of Florida, my colleagues <a href="https://www.jou.ufl.edu/tag/brett-ball/">Brett Ball</a>, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kelsy_Ann_Adams">Kelsy-Ann Adams</a> and I developed a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10646175.2019.1697399">conceptual model</a>, which is a visual representation of a social or physical process. Ours was intended to explain a specific consumer experience. </p>
<p>We began with the idea that individuals and brands have unique identities that build on each other. This means that people buy products or services that <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/02634500110408286/full/html">appeal to their values and beliefs</a>, while brands <a href="https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/joinma/v25y2011i3p169-177.html">attract consumers that support the identity</a> they aim to project to the public. Literature uses the term “consumer-brand identity,” or CBI, to define that harmonious relationship. We believed strong CBI would lead to positive attitudes toward the brand, increasing the likelihood of purchasing a brand’s products. We collected data to test our model.</p>
<p>Because a great deal of advertising research that is focused on black women is influenced by disparities – such as lack of visibility in ads, gender and racial bias, etc. – our approach engaged black women as participants in order to prioritize their voices and preferences. More than 300 women who self-identify as black answered questions about culture and their personal attachment to products from each of the two brands. The women in our study <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10646175.2019.1697399">overwhelmingly preferred products from Shea Moisture</a>. We concluded their preference is linked to strong CBI. </p>
<h2>What still isn’t known</h2>
<p>We don’t yet know how a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1014256417010">multicultural focus in advertising</a> is affecting marketing investments for black consumers, or whether diverse leadership in brand management can increase identity-based connections for broad audiences. Interestingly enough, these findings emerged in concert with <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/shea-moisture-ad-falls-flat-after-backlash-n750421">controversial backlash from a Shea Moisture campaign</a> about self-acceptance that dominantly featured white and mixed-raced models. We’re unsure how our participants made sense of this faux pas or how black consumers generally are negotiating their identity in a more multicultural marketplace. Also, Pantene has been around for ages, but we don’t know if our participants were as aware of the Gold Series products compared to Shea Moisture products, which have been around longer. </p>
<h2>What else is happening</h2>
<p>Although our research was very specific, <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-changing-style-of-hair-or-dress-help-black-people-avoid-stigma-76138">reactions to black hair</a> are broad and deeply mixed. <a href="https://theconversation.com/kinky-curly-hair-a-tool-of-resistance-across-the-african-diaspora-65692">Identity-affirming</a>, artistic representations like the Oscar-winning film <a href="http://www.matthewacherry.com/hair-love">“Hair Love”</a> exist in stark contrast to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/01/24/black-texas-teen-barred-high-school-after-graduation-not-cutting-dreadlocks/4562210002/">discriminatory hair policies</a>. And despite <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTtrnDbOQAU">Solange’s melodic appeal</a>, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2020/01/08/stop-asking-black-people-if-you-can-touch-their-hair/#3d67d7e450a7">uninvited hands</a> are still making their way atop the heads of black women, as witnessed in this <a href="https://twitter.com/trey_forde/status/1213352254566207488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1213352254566207488&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmadamenoire.com%2F1123798%2Fwhy-are-white-people-are-still-touching-black-womens-hair-without-consent-in-2020%2F">viral encounter</a>. </p>
<p>However, there’s hope with legislation like the <a href="https://www.thecrownact.com/">CROWN Act</a> and states making the move toward <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/09/19/more-states-are-trying-protect-black-employees-who-want-wear-natural-hairstyles-work/">enacting hair-protective policies</a> to combat <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1548051819848998">workplace bias</a>.</p>
<h2>What’s next for you</h2>
<p>Our hope is that <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10646175.2019.1697399">our work</a> will help spark more inquiry on black consumers that leads to the creation of more desirable messaging, content, products, policies and programming. </p>
<p>[<em>Deep knowledge, daily.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=deepknowledge">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/132159/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Yewande O. Addie does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>With the fairly recent launch of an ethnic corporate product line, Pantene’s Gold Series Collection, are black women feeling the love?Yewande O. Addie, Doctoral Candidate, College of Journalism and Communication, University of FloridaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1288382020-01-03T13:49:14Z2020-01-03T13:49:14ZBuyers should beware of organic labels on nonfood products<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/308336/original/file-20200101-11951-6ipelk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=71%2C44%2C5910%2C2389&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Be skeptical of organic claims on cleaning products and other nonfood goods.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/eco-blank-design-packaging-natural-bottles-1432036151">Pinkasevich/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Product labels offer valuable information to consumers, but <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-has-ceded-control-of-its-site-the-result-thousands-of-banned-unsafe-or-mislabeled-products-11566564990">manufacturers can misuse them</a> to increase profits. This is particularly true for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s <a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/labeling">organic label</a>. </p>
<p>Two recent decisions by the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/">U.S. Federal Trade Commission</a>, which protects consumers from unfair and deceptive business practices, signal that the agency is paying more attention to misuse of the word “organic” on nonfood items, such as clothing and personal care products. In my <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=nvnsqIoAAAAJ&hl=en">research on food and environmental policy</a>, I have found that federal authority in this area is less clear than it is for food products. In my view, the FTC’s interest is long overdue.</p>
<h2>The rules are mostly for foods</h2>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/308335/original/file-20200101-11909-111h1xh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/308335/original/file-20200101-11909-111h1xh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/308335/original/file-20200101-11909-111h1xh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/308335/original/file-20200101-11909-111h1xh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/308335/original/file-20200101-11909-111h1xh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/308335/original/file-20200101-11909-111h1xh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/308335/original/file-20200101-11909-111h1xh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/308335/original/file-20200101-11909-111h1xh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The USDA organic seal.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Organic4colorsealJPG.jpg">USDA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Unlike other marketing claims such as “healthy” or “natural,” “organic” is defined and regulated by the federal government. Organic food products undergo a rigorous certification process to comply with the <a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/about-ams/programs-offices/national-organic-program">National Organic Program</a>, or NOP, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. </p>
<p>Only agricultural products that contain at least 95% certified organic ingredients meet these standards and can display the USDA organic seal or use the phrase “made with organic products.” USDA organic certification is considered the gold standard among food labels, and has significant cachet in the marketplace. In 2018 the U.S. organic food market was <a href="https://ota.com/news/press-releases/20699">valued at US$49.9 billion</a> and accounted for <a href="https://ota.com/news/press-releases/20699">almost 6% of nationwide food sales</a>.</p>
<p>All sorts of nonfood products also make organic claims, including textiles, household cleaners, personal care products and services such as house cleaning and dry cleaning. Nonfood products are a much smaller market, but their sales jumped by 10.6% to <a href="https://ota.com/news/press-releases/20699">$4.6 billion</a> in 2018. While they may appear to promote healthy lifestyles, the word “organic” is less meaningful when used on nonfood products and more subject to abuse.</p>
<h2>Organic nonfood products with agricultural ingredients</h2>
<p>While the NOP regulates organic claims for agricultural food products, its authority over nonfood products is limited. Textiles, for example, are made from agricultural products like cotton, wool or flax. Textiles made from agricultural ingredients that are “produced in full compliance with the NOP regulations” <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_events/975753/nop-pm-11-14-labelingoftextiles.pdf">may be labeled as NOP certified organic</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/308334/original/file-20200101-11939-at3xxn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/308334/original/file-20200101-11939-at3xxn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/308334/original/file-20200101-11939-at3xxn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/308334/original/file-20200101-11939-at3xxn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/308334/original/file-20200101-11939-at3xxn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/308334/original/file-20200101-11939-at3xxn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/308334/original/file-20200101-11939-at3xxn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/308334/original/file-20200101-11939-at3xxn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">USDA regulates organic claims for goods made with plant materials such as cotton.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://flic.kr/p/ajWAz">Scoobyfoo/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Personal care products can also be made from agricultural ingredients, such as flower or fruit extracts and oils. USDA allows personal care products that contain agricultural ingredients and meet the USDA/NOP organic standards to be <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_events/975753/nop_organiccosmeticsfactsheet.pdf">certified organic</a>. As a result, you can find mosquito repellent, shampoo and face cream bearing the USDA certified organic seal.</p>
<h2>Consumer confusion</h2>
<p>Beyond these limited categories, products with non-agricultural ingredients <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_events/975753/consumer_perception_of_recycled_content_and_organic_2016-08-10_-_published_on_ftc-gov.pdf">do not generally fall within the NOP program</a>, and the USDA does not regulate them. For example, the agency has no authority over cosmetics that do not contain agricultural ingredients or meet NOP organic standards. Cosmetics are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which has expressed little interest in policing organic claims. </p>
<p>The Federal Trade Commission can investigate and sue companies making false, misleading or deceptive organic claims, but until recently it has been <a href="https://www.ota.com/news/press-releases/19336">reluctant to do so</a>, partly to avoid duplicating the USDA’s efforts. This began to change in 2015 when the two agencies conducted a study on public understanding of organic claims for nonfood products. They found that consumers were confused about whether these claims meant the same thing as claims on food products, and did not understand that USDA had <a href="https://www.ota.com/news/press-releases/19336">limited authority</a> in this area. </p>
<p>When the agencies co-hosted a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/events-calendar/2016/10/consumer-perceptions-organic-claims-ftc-usda-roundtable">roundtable in 2016</a> on this issue and solicited public input, they received <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/policy/public-comments/2016/08/initiative-669">hundreds of comments</a> from individuals, trade associations and other interested groups. One individual wrote: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I am deeply concerned about the flagrant misuse of the term "organic” in the personal care products industry. The term “organic” should mean the same thing whether applied to personal care products or to food. I am also very troubled that companies that deliberately mislabel their products <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/policy/public-comments/2016/09/26/comment-14">seem to go unpunished</a>.“</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The nonprofit <a href="https://www.cornucopia.org/">Cornucopia Institute</a>, which acts as an organic industry watchdog, submitted results of a survey it conducted about the word organic. One question asked consumers whether a shampoo labeled organic was certified by the USDA. Approximately 27% of respondents said yes, 55% said no and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_comments/2016/10/00028-129259.pdf">the rest were unsure</a>. </p>
<p>The Institute urged the FTC to "harmonize label regulation
with the [NOP organic] standards in a simple way: Prevent the term ‘organic’ from being used on products and services that generally fall <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_comments/2016/10/00028-129260.pdf">outside the scope of the USDA’s National Organic Program</a>.” </p>
<p>In my view, this is unlikely to happen. But one useful step would be for the FTC to include information about organic claims in its <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/press-releases/ftc-issues-revised-green-guides/greenguides.pdf">Green Guide</a>, which is designed to help marketers avoid making misleading or deceptive environmental claims. </p>
<h2>Recent violations</h2>
<p>In 2017 the FTC stepped in for the first time to investigate deceptive organic claims on baby mattresses. According to a consent order filed with the agency, Moonlight Slumber, LLC made <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/1623128moonlightslumberorder.pdf">unsubstantiated representations</a> on its mattresses, including that the mattresses were “organic.” In fact, the company’s products were made of <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2017/09/illinois-firm-barred-making-misleading-baby-mattress-claims">a majority of non-organic materials</a>, mainly polyurethane, a plastic produced almost entirely from <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/1623128moonlightslumbercomplaint.pdf">petroleum-based raw materials</a>. </p>
<p>In October 2019 the FTC fined another company, Truly Organic, $1.76 million for falsely advertising its body washes, lotions, baby, hair care, bath and cleaning products as “<a href="https://www.natlawreview.com/article/truly-organic-not-really-says-ftc">certified organic,” “USDA certified organic,” and “Truly Organic</a>.” Despite having some ingredients that could be organically sourced, Truly Organic products either contained ingredients that were not approved by NOP or contained ingredients that were not organically sourced. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s6RMs7nDJhs?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The FTC charged Truly Organic with altering documents to make it appear that the company’s products were USDA-certified organic.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Nonetheless, the market for natural and organic personal care products continues to grow, as evidenced by the popularity of celebrity brands like Gwyneth Paltrow’s <a href="https://goop.com/">Goop</a> and Jessica Alba’s <a href="https://www.honest.com/">Honest Company</a>. Demand for this category of goods is projected to reach <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/11/16/p-gs-gillette-going-natural-with-pure-shave-gel.html">$17.6 billion by 2021</a>. </p>
<p>Consumers want clean, chemical-free and organic products, but they don’t always get them. Many personal care companies have been cited for <a href="https://www.ewg.org/news-and-analysis/2018/01/natural-or-organic-cosmetics-don-t-trust-marketing-claims">misleading claims</a>. As examples, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/09/07/645665387/gwyneth-paltrows-goop-agrees-to-pay-145-000-to-settle-false-advertising-lawsuit">Goop</a> and the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-honest-alba-settlement-idUSKBN18X2Y4">Honest Company</a> have settled lawsuits that accused them respectively of making misleading health claims and false advertising. </p>
<p>Instead of relying on consumers to bring these claims to court, I believe regulators should be more engaged, particularly the FTC. Without effective oversight, unscrupulous retailers have an incentive to continue cashing in on the organic seal.</p>
<p>[ <em>You’re smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversation’s authors and editors.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/weekly-highlights-61?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=weeklysmart">You can get our highlights each weekend</a>. ]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128838/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sarah Morath is a board member of the Citizens Environmental Coalition, a Houston non-profit whose mission is to foster dialogue, education, and collaboration on environmental issues in the Houston/Gulf Coast region. </span></em></p>What does it mean to call a nonfood product like lipstick organic? Federal regulators allow such claims, but have set few standards defining them.Sarah J. Morath, Clinical Associate Professor of Law and Director of Lawyering Skills and Strategies, University of HoustonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/974322018-05-30T18:21:39Z2018-05-30T18:21:39ZTriclosan, a common antimicrobial in toothpaste and other products, linked to inflammation and cancer in the gut<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/220857/original/file-20180529-80637-rbu0il.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">An ingredient in toothpaste and other personal care products may be harming the microbes in our gut and leaving us vulnerable to disease.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/dental-hygiene-man-holding-toothbrush-toothpaste-95637691?src=DE3eKOyPTZI3MFu8UdnKAQ-1-12">Ilya Andriyanov/shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The antimicrobial chemical triclosan is in thousands of products that we use daily: hand soaps, toothpastes, body wash, kitchenware and even some toys. Work in our lab suggests that this compound may have widespread health risks, including <a href="http://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.aan4116">aggravating inflammation in the gut and promoting the development colon cancer by altering the gut microbiota</a>, the community of microbes found in our intestines. </p>
<p>Our results, as far as we know, are the first to demonstrate that triclosan can promote the colonic inflammation and associated colon cancer in mice. This study suggests that health authorities must reassess regulation of triclosan for its effect on human health. That’s key because it is impossible to avoid contact with this chemical.</p>
<p>Triclosan is one of the most widely used antimicrobials and is incorporated in more than 2,000 consumer products. Millions of pounds of the chemical are used in the U.S. each year. The <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/index.htm">National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey</a> showed that triclosan was detected in about <a href="http://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.10768">75 percent of the urine samples</a> of individuals tested in the United States and that it is among the <a href="http://doi.org/10.1021/es500495p">top 10 pollutants found in U.S. rivers</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/220863/original/file-20180529-80640-1sobzhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/220863/original/file-20180529-80640-1sobzhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/220863/original/file-20180529-80640-1sobzhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/220863/original/file-20180529-80640-1sobzhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/220863/original/file-20180529-80640-1sobzhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/220863/original/file-20180529-80640-1sobzhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/220863/original/file-20180529-80640-1sobzhy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Lead author Haixia Yang reports results in mice suggesting that the antimicrobial ingredient triclosan could damage and inflame the gut in mice.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">UMass Amherst</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://blogs.umass.edu/guodongzhang/">Our lab</a> at the University of Massachusetts Amherst collaborated with scientists from 13 universities to explore the effects of triclosan on inflammation in the colon. We first tested triclosan in normal, healthy mice and found that the chemical caused low-grade inflammation. In our next round of experiments we induced gut inflammation in mice using chemicals and then fed them food containing a low dose of triclosan for three weeks. We also did the same thing with mice that were genetically engineered to spontaneously develop <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ibd/data-statistics.htm">inflammatory bowel disease, which affects some 3 million Americans</a>, and with mice in which we chemically induced colon cancer. </p>
<p>After feeding the mice triclosan at concentrations reported in human blood plasma, the colon inflammation in the mice worsened. The chemical also accelerated the development of colitis – inflammation that leads to rectal bleeding, diarrhea, abdominal pain, abdominal spasms in humans – and the growth of tumors. In one group of mice, it reduced lifespan. </p>
<p>We also wanted to figure how exactly triclosan was causing harm. Because it is a bacteria-killing compound, we thought that it might be disrupting the community of microbes in our guts, which is vital for maintaining good health. The mice that suffered inflammation from triclosan exposure had a lower species diversity of microbes in the gut and lower populations of the so-called “good” bacteria, <em>Bifidobacterium</em>.</p>
<p>Our team and researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison used germ-free mice – which have absolutely no bacteria in their gut – and found that feeding triclosan to these animals had no effect. This finding suggests that the harmful effects of triclosan are due to changes in the microbiome. In addition, we found a protein called the Toll-like receptor 4, an important mediator of communication between the microbes and the host’s immune system, is critical for the harmful effect of triclosan. Mice that lacked this protein seemed immune to the biological effects of triclosan. </p>
<p>Little is known about the impact of this chemical on human health or other species. Our study indicates there is an urgent need to further evaluate the impact of triclosan exposure and update the potential regulatory polices.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/97432/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Haixia Yang does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Triclosan is found in thousands of personal care products from toothpaste to soap. New research links it to inflammation and cancer in the gut in mice, by disrupting their microbiome.Haixia Yang, Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Food Science, UMass AmherstLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/960882018-05-11T10:49:23Z2018-05-11T10:49:23ZYour shampoo, hair spray and skin lotion may be polluting the air<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218592/original/file-20180511-34009-b2zqzd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Good for you, bad for the air?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/supermarket-shelves-personal-care-products-247444630?src=V4fvKA8LtTFXPoOR-ybD7A-2-2">Gts/Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Millions of Americans apply personal care products every morning before heading to work or school. But these products don’t stick to our bodies permanently. Over the course of the day, compounds in deodorants, lotions, hair gels and perfumes evaporate from our skin and eventually make their way outdoors. Now there’s new evidence to suggest that these products are major sources of air pollution in urban areas.</p>
<p>For decades, motor vehicles were considered the primary source of air pollutants in major U.S. cities. Vehicle exhaust contains <a href="https://www.epa.gov/air-pollution-transportation/smog-soot-and-local-air-pollution">multiple pollutants</a> that worsen air quality, including nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – a group of reactive gases that contribute to smog formation.</p>
<p>Thanks to advances in catalytic converters and improvements in fuel economy, combined emissions of <a href="https://www.epa.gov/air-pollution-transportation/accomplishments-and-success-air-pollution-transportation">common pollutants</a> from cars have <a href="https://www.epa.gov/air-pollution-transportation/accomplishments-and-success-air-pollution-transportation">decreased by 65 percent</a> since the 1970s. Air pollution is still a problem in urban areas like Los Angeles, but only a fraction of it can be attributed to vehicles. Today, scientists are finding that other non-combustion sources – including common household products – are also major contributors. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218352/original/file-20180509-4803-1q9m8w9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218352/original/file-20180509-4803-1q9m8w9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218352/original/file-20180509-4803-1q9m8w9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218352/original/file-20180509-4803-1q9m8w9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218352/original/file-20180509-4803-1q9m8w9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218352/original/file-20180509-4803-1q9m8w9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=599&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218352/original/file-20180509-4803-1q9m8w9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=599&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218352/original/file-20180509-4803-1q9m8w9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=599&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react in the air with nitrogen oxides to form ozone and smog.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pca.state.mn.us/air/ozone">Minnesota Pollution Control Agency</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A unique fingerprint</h2>
<p>In a <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b00506">recent study</a> with U.S. and Canadian colleagues, our lab found that these sources can include personal care products. We analyzed urban air in two cities: Boulder, Colorado, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. </p>
<p>In Boulder, our lab had recently invested in new instrumentation, which we wanted to use to measure wood stove emissions during winter months. For five weeks we sampled air from the roof of the <a href="http://www.boulder.doc.gov/noaa/dsrc.html">NOAA David Skaggs Research Center</a> in hope of measuring air parcels contaminated with smoke from residential wood stoves. Surprisingly, we noticed a signal that stood out unexpectedly from all the other data. This compound, which we identified as decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (or D5 siloxane), contains silicon, which uniquely differs from the organic compounds we normally detect. </p>
<p>By reviewing scientific literature, we learned that pure D5 siloxane is produced mainly as an additive for deodorants and hair care products. On average, people use products that contain a total of about 100-200 milligrams of D5 every day – roughly the weight of half an aspirin tablet. Some fraction of these products end up going down the drain when we shower, but the majority of what remains on our bodies ends up in the atmosphere. D5 can also be found in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/cr500319v">many other places</a>, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.2941">soil, oceans and the tissues of fish and human beings</a> </p>
<p>Many labs have studied the environmental fate of D5, but from our perspective it is particularly useful because it acts like a fingerprint. If we detect D5 in the atmosphere, we know that the air mass we measured was influenced by emissions from personal care products. By comparing the amount of D5 in the atmosphere to other fingerprint markers, such as compounds present in vehicle exhaust, we can estimate how important personal care products are as an emissions source relative to better-understood sources.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218353/original/file-20180509-4803-1wvgckm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218353/original/file-20180509-4803-1wvgckm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218353/original/file-20180509-4803-1wvgckm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218353/original/file-20180509-4803-1wvgckm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218353/original/file-20180509-4803-1wvgckm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218353/original/file-20180509-4803-1wvgckm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218353/original/file-20180509-4803-1wvgckm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/218353/original/file-20180509-4803-1wvgckm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Air pollution from transportation in the U.S. has fallen in the past 40 years even as population and vehicles miles traveled have increased.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.epa.gov/air-pollution-transportation/accomplishments-and-success-air-pollution-transportation">USEPA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Emissions spike during morning rush hour</h2>
<p>In Boulder and Toronto, we found that D5 was present in urban air at mass concentrations comparable to those of <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/benzene.pdf">benzene</a>, a chemical that is a marker for vehicle exhaust. (Benzene is a known carcinogen and is also found in industrial emissions and cigarette smoke.) </p>
<p>D5 concentrations were highest in the morning – the time when most people shower, apply personal care products and then leave the house to commute to work. We also observed a peak in benzene emissions in the morning, when people drive to work. During morning rush hour, we found that emissions of D5 and benzene were almost equivalent. </p>
<p>In other words, at this time of day, people emitted a plume of organic compounds that was comparable in mass to the plume of organic compounds emitted from their vehicles. Researchers still have a lot to learn about how these chemicals react in the atmosphere to form smog, so the air quality implications of these morning emissions remain unclear. </p>
<p>Benzene emissions remained high throughout the day as people drove around the city, but D5 emissions eventually tapered off as personal care products evaporated from users’ skin. We estimate that, on average, the entire population of the city of Boulder emits 3 to 5 kilograms (6 to 11 pounds) of D5 per day, and that their cars emit about 15 kilograms of benzene in vehicle exhaust.</p>
<h2>VOC emissions from your medicine cabinet</h2>
<p>While these numbers may seem surprisingly high, our findings support recent <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aaq0524">modeling work</a> conducted by Brian McDonald, a co-author of this study, which showed that personal care product VOC emissions in Los Angeles now rival VOC emissions from gasoline and diesel exhaust. Taken together, these two studies demonstrate that our urban air is remarkably different from what it was decades ago. Cars today emit fewer smog-inducing organic compounds, while other sources are now becoming important contributors to air pollution.</p>
<p>D5 is only one component of personal care product emissions, and many other compounds could be emitted with it. To fully assess how seriously these emissions may affect the environment and human health, researchers have to answer many more questions. What other compounds enter the atmosphere after we apply personal care products? Once in the atmosphere, what happens to them? Are they capable of contributing to smog formation? Our lab and others around the country are considering these questions now in hopes of improving our understanding of urban air pollution.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/96088/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matthew Coggon receives funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. </span></em></p>New research is spotlighting personal care products, such as shampoos and skin lotions, as a significant source of chemicals that contribute to urban air pollution.Matthew Coggon, Research scientist, University of Colorado BoulderLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/935232018-03-20T10:42:01Z2018-03-20T10:42:01ZEager to dye your hair with ‘nontoxic’ graphene nanoparticles? Not so fast!<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211082/original/file-20180319-31624-18d3y07.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Subbing new risks for the current dyes’ dangers?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hairdresser-salon-woman-during-hair-wash-1044886945">Evgeny Savchenko/Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Graphene is something of a celebrity in the world of nanoscale materials. Isolated in 2004 by Nobel Prize winners <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/2010/">Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov</a>, these ultrathin sheets of carbon atoms are already finding novel uses in areas like <a href="https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/graphene-electronics">electronics</a>, <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/green-tech/conservation/graphene-heating-system-dramatically-reduces-home-energy-costs">high-efficiency heating systems</a>, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d768030e-d8ec-11e7-9504-59efdb70e12f">water purification technologies</a> and <a href="http://cmp.callawaygolf.com/2018/01/23/chrome-soft-golf-balls-need-know/">even golf balls</a>. According to recent research published in the journal Chem, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2018.02.021">hair dyes can now be added to this list</a>. </p>
<p>But how safe and responsible is this new use of the carbon-based wonder-material?</p>
<p>Northwestern University’s <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-03/nu-gfn031218.php">press release</a> proudly announced, “Graphene finds new application as nontoxic, anti-static hair dye.” The announcement spawned headlines like “<a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/03/enough-toxic-hair-dyes-we-could-use-graphene-instead">Enough with the toxic hair dyes. We could use graphene instead</a>,” and “<a href="http://en.brinkwire.com/215369/miracle-material-graphene-used-to-create-the-ultimate-hair-dye/">’Miracle material’ graphene used to create the ultimate hair dye</a>.” </p>
<p>From these headlines, you might be forgiven for getting the idea that the safety of graphene-based hair dyes is a done deal. Yet <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=b8NhWc4AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">having studied the potential health and environmental impacts</a> of engineered nanomaterials for <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2016.270">more years than I care to remember</a>, I find such overly optimistic pronouncements worrying – especially when they’re not backed up by clear evidence.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211008/original/file-20180319-31602-zpomir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">As the dye wears off, where do the nanoparticles go?</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jiaxing Huang, Northwestern University</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Tiny materials, potentially bigger problems</h2>
<p>Engineered nanomaterials like graphene and graphene oxide (the particular form used in the dye experiments) aren’t necessarily harmful. But nanomaterials can behave in unusual ways that depend on particle size, shape, chemistry and application. Because of this, researchers have long been cautious about giving them a clean bill of health without first testing them extensively. And while a <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.7b04120">large body of research to date</a> doesn’t indicate graphene is particularly dangerous, neither does it suggest it’s completely safe.</p>
<p>A quick search of scientific papers over the past few years shows that, since 2004, over 2,000 studies have been published that mention graphene toxicity; nearly 500 were published in 2017 alone.</p>
<p>This growing body of research suggests that if graphene gets into your body or the environment in sufficient quantities, it could cause harm. A 2016 review, for instance, indicated that graphene oxide particles could <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2016.04.028">result in lung damage at high doses</a> (equivalent to around 0.7 grams of inhaled material). Another review published in 2017 suggested that these <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/2053-1583/aa5476">materials could affect the biology</a> of some plants and algae, as well as invertebrates and vertebrates toward the lower end of the ecological pyramid. The authors of the 2017 study concluded that research “unequivocally confirms that graphene in any of its numerous forms and derivatives must be approached as a potentially hazardous material.” </p>
<p>These studies need to be approached with care, as the precise risks of graphene exposure will depend on how the material is used, how exposure occurs and how much of it is encountered. Yet there’s sufficient evidence to suggest that this substance should be used with caution – especially where there’s a high chance of exposure or that it could be released into the environment.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, graphene-based hair dyes tick both of these boxes. Used in this way, the substance is potentially inhalable (especially with spray-on products) and ingestible through careless use. It’s also almost guaranteed that excess graphene-containing dye will wash down the drain and into the environment. </p>
<p>Here, due diligence is needed to ensure that the material is acceptably safe. This is something that goes beyond the seeming authority of a press release headline. In fact, such misleading headlines could end up being counterproductive, as they undermine efforts to demonstrate trustworthiness with consumers and investors.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/211020/original/file-20180319-31627-1nv890z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Simulation of a graphene oxide framework, pictured in black, to remove contaminants from water.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/oakridgelab/14006201292">Adrien Nicolaï/RPI</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Undermining other efforts?</h2>
<p>I was alerted to just how counterproductive such headlines can be by my colleague Tim Harper, founder of <a href="http://g2o.co/">G2O Water Technologies</a> – a company that uses graphene oxide-coated membranes to treat wastewater. Like many companies in this area, G2O has been working to use graphene responsibly by minimizing the amount of graphene that ends up released to the environment.</p>
<p>Yet as Tim pointed out to me, if people are led to believe “that bunging a few grams of graphene down the drain every time you dye your hair is OK, this invalidates all the work we are doing making sure the few nanograms of graphene on our membranes stay put.” Many companies that use nanomaterials are trying to do the right thing, but it’s hard to justify the time and expense of being responsible when someone else’s more cavalier actions undercut your efforts.</p>
<p>Here, naïve claims of safety and gung-ho approaches to promoting graphene-containing products could very easily threaten the responsible development and use of this material. And if companies pull back from acting responsibly, there’s a danger that consumers, investors and even regulators, will lose trust in their ability to ensure the safety of products of all kinds. </p>
<p>If this happens, consumers will be the ultimate losers. Used responsibly, graphene could lead to more sustainable and environmentally benign products. Yet having watched the public backlash against technologies like genetic engineering over the past couple of decades, I’m acutely aware that failing to earn the trust of stakeholders and consumers can stymie technologies, regardless of how safe and beneficial they are.</p>
<h2>Overpromising results and overlooking risk</h2>
<p>This is where researchers and their institutions need to move beyond an “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2008.14">economy of promises</a>” that spurs on hyperbole and discourages caution, and think more critically about how their statements may ultimately undermine responsible and beneficial development of a technology. They may even want to consider using guidelines, such as the <a href="http://societyinside.com/sites/default/files/Principles%20for%20Responsible%20Innovation%20Short%20February%202018_0.pdf">Principles for Responsible Innovation</a> developed by the organization <a href="http://societyinside.com/">Society Inside</a>, for instance, to guide what they do and say.</p>
<p>To their credit, the authors of the dye study did give a passing mention to research on graphene safety, mostly focusing on an assumed level of safety compared to current dye products. Yet even this perfunctory level of caution failed to make it into the <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-03/nu-gfn031218.php">press release</a>, which touted a “new hair dye that is nontoxic, nondamaging and lasts through many washes without fading.”</p>
<p>It may turn out that graphene-based hair dyes can be developed safely. To be fair, the reported application isn’t even close to commercial R&D yet, never mind the salon shelf. And certainly, there’s a case to be made for substituting some of the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/16/science/hair-dye-graphene.html">harsh chemicals currently used in some products</a> with more benign ones. But this won’t happen while researchers and their institutions gloss over legitimate concerns and cautions with blind optimism. </p>
<p>Rather, by taking more care in how nanomaterial research is framed and promoted, researchers and their academic institutions could do a lot to ensure future nano-enabled consumer products are safe, beneficial and, above all, responsible.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/93523/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Maynard receives support from the National Science Foundation as part of the Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT) Engineering Research Center. </span></em></p>Less-toxic hair dye would be a great invention. But discounting the risks that come with nanoparticles could undermine other efforts to protect human health and environmental from their effects.Andrew Maynard, Director, Risk Innovation Lab, Arizona State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/712602017-04-20T23:20:31Z2017-04-20T23:20:31ZThere’s a new generation of water pollutants in your medicine cabinet<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/165707/original/image-20170418-10221-ajxgkl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/success?src=9B1xN6JOaDcz-zzO4GicIg-1-9">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Every day we each use a variety of personal care products. We wash our hands with antibacterial soaps and clean our faces with specialty cleansers. We wash and maintain our hair with shampoo, conditioner and other hair care products. We use deodorant and perfume or cologne to smell nice. Depending on the day, we may apply sunscreen or insect repellent. </p>
<p>All of these products contribute to our quality of life. But where do they go after we use them?</p>
<p>When we bathe, personal care products wash off of our bodies and into sewer systems that carry them to regional wastewater treatment plants. However, these plants are not designed to treat the thousands of specialty chemicals in pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Many of the active and inactive ingredients present in these products pass through our wastewater treatment plants and ultimately end up in rivers, streams or oceans. </p>
<p>Once in the environment, these chemicals may cause hormonal effects and toxicity in aquatic animals. In my laboratory we are studying these emerging water pollutants, which are turning up in surface water, groundwater and even treated drinking water. Although they are typically found at low concentrations, they may still threaten human and ecological health. </p>
<h2>New pollutants, present worldwide</h2>
<p>Personal care products and their ingredients are widely distributed throughout our environment. In one <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2016.04.026">recent study</a>, our lab aggregated over 5,000 measurements of active ingredients from a variety of personal care products that were found in untreated wastewater, treated wastewater and surface waters such as rivers and streams. They included N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide, or DEET, an insect repellent; galaxolide, a fragrance; oxybenzone, a sunscreen; and triclosan, an antibacterial compound. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/165431/original/image-20170415-10077-1jhdnrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/165431/original/image-20170415-10077-1jhdnrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165431/original/image-20170415-10077-1jhdnrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165431/original/image-20170415-10077-1jhdnrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165431/original/image-20170415-10077-1jhdnrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165431/original/image-20170415-10077-1jhdnrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165431/original/image-20170415-10077-1jhdnrl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">UMBC Ph.D. student Ke He collecting raw wastewater for analysis of contaminants of emerging concern, such as antibiotics, hormones and personal care products.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lee Blaney</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Other studies conducted near the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.197">Mario Zucchelli</a> and <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.019">McMurdo & Scott</a> research bases confirmed that chemicals in personal care products were even present in Antarctic seawater. Those reports identified the presence of plasticizers, antibacterials, preservatives, sunscreens and fragrances in the Antarctic marine environment. Together, these studies suggest that the active ingredients in personal care products can be found in any water body influenced by human activity.</p>
<p>These substances are typically present in the aquatic environment at concentrations of 10 to 100 nanograms per liter, which is equivalent to 1 to 2 drops in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. But even at these low levels, some still pose a risk.</p>
<h2>Moving up the food chain</h2>
<p>Depending on their chemical properties, we can classify some of these products as hydrophilic (“water-loving”) or lipophilic (“lipid-loving”). The fat layers in our bodies are comprised of lipids, so lipophilic personal care products can accumulate in the tissue and organs of aquatic animals like fish, birds and even <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es400675y">dolphins</a>. </p>
<p>Our group has recently detected a suite of sunscreen agents and 17α-ethinylestradiol, a synthetic form of the hormone estrogen that is the active ingredient in birth control pills, in crayfish from urban streams near Baltimore, Maryland. We have also measured sunscreens in oysters and mussels collected from the Chesapeake Bay. The uptake of these chemicals by aquatic animals raises environmental concerns. </p>
<p>Specifically, as lipophilic chemicals from personal care products accumulate in animals at higher concentrations, there is a greater potential for them to cause toxic effects. For instance, many personal care products disrupt hormone systems in the body. Some chemicals used in personal care products affect reproductive systems and function, causing the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2008.368">feminization of male fish</a>.</p>
<p>These reproductive effects can have important consequences for aquatic animals in the environment, and they may even represent a potential health risk for humans. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration <a href="https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm517478.htm">banned the use of triclosan</a> and a number of other antibacterial agents in antiseptic wash products <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-you-should-dispense-with-antibacterial-soaps-65297">due, in part, to health risks associated with hormonal effects</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/165911/original/file-20170419-2423-14zo06g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/165911/original/file-20170419-2423-14zo06g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165911/original/file-20170419-2423-14zo06g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165911/original/file-20170419-2423-14zo06g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165911/original/file-20170419-2423-14zo06g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165911/original/file-20170419-2423-14zo06g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/165911/original/file-20170419-2423-14zo06g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">U.S. Geological Survey hydrologists sampling shallow groundwater near septic systems on New York’s Fire Island in 2011. The scientists found hormones, detergent degradation products, fragrances, insect repellent, sunscreen additives, a floor cleaner and pharmaceuticals, indicating that contaminants were moving from the septic systems into groundwater.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/2015-06-02_ecs_from_septics.html">Chris Schubert, USGS</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00244-015-0227-7">Recent research</a> has shown that oxybenzone, a sunscreen agent used in many personal care products, is toxic to corals. For many coastal communities, coral reefs are critical to local economies. For example, the net value of Hawaii’s coral reefs is estimated to be <a href="https://www.coris.noaa.gov/activities/hawaii_econeval/">US$34 billion</a>. </p>
<p>Earlier this year <a href="http://www.nature.com/news/hawaii-seeks-to-ban-reef-unfriendly-sunscreen-1.21332">Hawaii introduced legislation</a> to ban the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate in order to protect coral reefs. While research and policymaking are still ongoing in this area, it is important to note that a number of new consumer products have started using labels like “coral safe” and “reef safe.” </p>
<h2>Multiple solutions</h2>
<p>Typical wastewater treatment plants are designed to treat multiple pollutants, including organic carbon from human and food waste; nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus; and pathogenic bacteria and viruses that cause disease. However, they are not equipped to handle the many ingredients of concern that are present in personal care products.</p>
<p>Protecting the environment and human health from these substances will require progress in several areas. They include improving technologies for wastewater treatment plants; conducting more testing and regulation of personal care products to avoid unintended toxicity to aquatic animals; and designing “green chemicals” that do not pose toxicity concerns. This multi-pronged approach will help us to ensure that personal care products continue to improve our quality of life without harming the environment.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/71260/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lee Blaney does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Ingredients from shampoo, sunscreens and other personal care products are turning up in water supplies. Some are toxic or cause hormonal damage to aquatic life, and could threaten human health.Lee Blaney, Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/416602015-05-19T14:52:30Z2015-05-19T14:52:30ZHealth risks beneath the painted beauty in America’s nail salons<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82132/original/image-20150519-25432-1arwbxg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Perfect nails, at what cost?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Nick Lehr</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The desire for beautiful nails has fueled an entire <a href="http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/TheDataWeb_HotReport2/econsnapshot/2012/snapshot.hrml?NAICS=812113">nail salon industry</a> that’s growing rapidly, with storefronts cropping up on every major street across the nation. Yet, the recent articles from the New York Times exposed an industry that’s left workers struggling both with <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/nyregion/at-nail-salons-in-nyc-manicurists-are-underpaid-and-unprotected.html?emc=eta1&_r=0">unlivable wages</a> and with <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/nyregion/nail-salon-workers-in-nyc-face-hazardous-chemicals.html?emc=eta1">damaged health</a>. Everyone who enters a nail salon can be affected, yet the workers are the ones left entirely unprotected.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82074/original/image-20150518-25403-1akohbz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82074/original/image-20150518-25403-1akohbz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82074/original/image-20150518-25403-1akohbz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82074/original/image-20150518-25403-1akohbz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82074/original/image-20150518-25403-1akohbz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82074/original/image-20150518-25403-1akohbz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82074/original/image-20150518-25403-1akohbz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82074/original/image-20150518-25403-1akohbz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">So colorful, so toxic?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/cashonco/8883808634">Kellie CA</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
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</figure>
<h2>A chemical by any other name</h2>
<p>Nail care products contain, in varying amounts, many toxic and potentially hazardous ingredients. </p>
<p>Chemical ingredients in nail care products range from cancer-causing compounds such as <a href="http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/formaldehyde/formaldehyde-fact-sheet">formaldehyde</a> to others that <a href="http://web.colby.edu/cleanmakeup/meet-the-ingredients/endocrine-disruptors/">disrupt the endocrine system</a>. Researchers have identified toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate – nicknamed the “toxic trio” because of their serious health impacts – as three chemicals of high concern for salon workers.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/toluene.html">Toluene</a> is a commonly used solvent that creates a smooth finish across the nail and keeps the pigment from separating in the bottle, but can affect the central nervous system and cause reproductive harm. Its major use is as an additive in gasoline.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=218&tid=39">Formaldehyde</a>, a known carcinogen, is used as a nail-hardening agent and disinfectant for nail care tools.</p>
<p>Exposure to <a href="http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/di-n-but.html">dibutyl phthalate</a>, added to polishes to provide flexibility, has been linked to reproductive problems. In addition to this trio, there are many other harmful chemicals used in nail care products.</p>
<p>Many nail salons <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10900-008-9107-7">lack adequate exhaust ventilation</a> or multiple pathways – such as open windows and doors – to increase indoor-outdoor air exchange. Evaporated chemicals from nail products are often trapped inside salons, meaning workers are continuously exposed. So workers’ exposure is amplified: first they experience direct contact with the chemicals in the products, then they continuously breathe in these chemicals within small, poorly ventilated salons.</p>
<h2>Lack of regulatory oversight</h2>
<p>Despite nail care products’ heavy use, industrial chemicals in cosmetics are largely unregulated in the US. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82083/original/image-20150518-25437-196u9ao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82083/original/image-20150518-25437-196u9ao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82083/original/image-20150518-25437-196u9ao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82083/original/image-20150518-25437-196u9ao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82083/original/image-20150518-25437-196u9ao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82083/original/image-20150518-25437-196u9ao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82083/original/image-20150518-25437-196u9ao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82083/original/image-20150518-25437-196u9ao.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Is what’s in there what they say is in there?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kaifr/17148576091">Kai Friis</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
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<p>In fact, of the <a href="http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/2011/04/12/why-this-matters/">10,000 chemicals</a> used in personal care products, only <a href="http://www.ewg.org/news/testimony-official-correspondence/fda-warns-cosmetics-industry-follow-law-untested-ingredients">about 10%</a> have been <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/sunday-review/think-those-chemicals-have-been-tested.html?_r=0">assessed for safety</a>. While the US Food and Drug Administration is responsible for the <a href="http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ScienceResearch/ProductTesting/default.htm">regulation of cosmetics</a>, it lacks the legal authority to require manufacturers to conduct product pre-market testing to ensure consumer safety or to require listing of ingredients in products sold for professional use.</p>
<p>What does that mean for the average consumer? Bottom line, that bottle of nail polish you apply to your nails or the nails of your five-year-old little girl was put on the market without ever having been tested for safety.</p>
<p>For workers using nail care products daily, there is no requirement for product manufacturers to disclose ingredients on their labels. And even if they do, no one is really checking to ensure that these are accurate listings. A <a href="https://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PollutionPrevention/SaferNailProducts.cfm">report</a> by the <a href="https://www.dtsc.ca.gov/index.cfm">California Department of Toxic Substances Control</a> on product testing of various nail polish brands in the San Francisco Bay Area found that some contained harmful chemicals despite misleading labels that claimed they were free of such compounds.</p>
<p>The rising awareness of the health hazards posed by the chemical ingredients in nail care products has pressured manufacturers to create safer alternatives in the form of nail polishes free of the toxic trio. But many products still contain them and there is no regulatory oversight.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82076/original/image-20150518-25432-1fox0yj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82076/original/image-20150518-25432-1fox0yj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82076/original/image-20150518-25432-1fox0yj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=155&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82076/original/image-20150518-25432-1fox0yj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=155&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82076/original/image-20150518-25432-1fox0yj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=155&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82076/original/image-20150518-25432-1fox0yj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=195&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82076/original/image-20150518-25432-1fox0yj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=195&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82076/original/image-20150518-25432-1fox0yj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=195&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A moment of luxury for a patron translates to occupational health hazards for the workers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/janet/8075357584">janet lackey</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span>
</figcaption>
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<h2>Health effects aren’t hypothetical</h2>
<p>Nail salon workers pay a huge price in the form of their health. Exposure to nail care products with harmful chemicals can result in a number of <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2010.300099">health effects</a>, ranging from skin irritations, eye injuries, allergic reactions, <a href="http://journals.lww.com/cogbehavneurol/Abstract/2001/07000/Neuropsychological_Symptoms_Associated_With.7.aspx">cognitive and neurological symptoms</a>, nausea, respiratory problems, cancer and uncontrollable muscle contractions to impaired <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00420-014-1011-0">reproductive</a> and <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0029-1220787">development</a> processes. </p>
<p><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10900-008-9107-7">Research studies</a>, including my research at the <a href="http://www.cpic.org/our-research/our-scientists/thu-quach.aspx">Cancer Prevention Institute of California</a>, have documented <a href="http://infohouse.p2ric.org/ref/19/18303.pdf">acute health effects</a> in these workers, such as headaches, breathing problems and skin irritations, commonly associated with overexposure to solvents used in these products. Studies have also shown that working in salons is linked to reproductive health problems, including <a href="http://journals.lww.com/epidem/Abstract/1994/03000/Spontaneous_Abortions_among_Cosmetologists.4.aspx">spontaneous birth</a>, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqp017">preterm delivery</a> and <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10995-008-0324-6">undersized babies</a> as well as pregnancy complications. The exposures and health effects are enough to lead some governmental agencies, including the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to invest in <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/sciencematters/epa-science-matters-newsletter-healthier-nail-salons">research and outreach</a> to the salons. </p>
<p>As an epidemiologist, I have conducted multiple research studies to examine workplace exposures and health effects for nail salon workers. In my talks with hundreds of salon workers and owners, many have shared their personal stories of health problems, ranging from chronic headaches to tragic cases of cancer and pregnancy complications. While research doesn’t always provide definitive answers on the links between their workplace exposures and health problems, it’s hard to ignore the patterns in these stories.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82079/original/image-20150518-25403-1t456k0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82079/original/image-20150518-25403-1t456k0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82079/original/image-20150518-25403-1t456k0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82079/original/image-20150518-25403-1t456k0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82079/original/image-20150518-25403-1t456k0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82079/original/image-20150518-25403-1t456k0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82079/original/image-20150518-25403-1t456k0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82079/original/image-20150518-25403-1t456k0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Is it a tradeoff between your toes and her health?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/52985700@N08/5732433853">Nubby Tongue</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
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<h2>What can be done?</h2>
<p>California has been leading the charge to create healthier environments for both workers and owners. The <a href="http://www.cahealthynailsalons.org/">California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative</a> has worked with multiple counties to establish the Healthy Nail Salon Program. These counties provide training and formal recognition for salons that participate in the program, which means they use safer alternative nail care products that do not contain the toxic trio. Our research in partnership with the US EPA has shown that <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajim.22379">these programs can be effective</a> in improving worker safer practices and the salon environment. Their workers wear gloves to minimize direct contact with the chemicals, and the salons have ventilation methods to improve air quality. Other local and state agencies should follow suit to encourage healthy salons for workers and customers. This program would provide healthy choices for consumers who like to frequent salons.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zUps3BTv1Lo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Portrait of California nail salon workers and health effects in their own words, made by social justice advocacy group Brave New Foundation.</span></figcaption>
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<p>Consumers who regularly <a href="http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/nails/tips/g9/natural-nail-polishes/?slide=1">buy nail care products</a> should look for nail polishes without the toxic trio – formaldehyde, toluene and phthalates. These purchasing choices will put the pressure on manufacturers to create safer alternative products.</p>
<p>Ultimately, the first line of defense for the workers and customers is to ensure that the chemicals never enter the salons in the first place. Customers can leverage their buying power toward this end.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/41660/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Thu Quach the Cancer Prevention Institute of California and Asian Health Services. As a research scientist, she receives governmental funding for research on the topic of nail salon health and safety. She does not receive any funding from for-profit organizations or any additional external funding outside of her current employment at the two organizations listed above.</span></em></p>The nail salon industry is booming. But along with polished nails come toxic health effects for the workers, due to the chemical compounds in nail care products.Thu Quach, Research Scientist, Cancer Prevention Institute of California and Director of Community Health and Research, Asian Health Services and Consulting Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Stanford UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/323022014-11-10T10:36:47Z2014-11-10T10:36:47ZCommon disinfectants impair mouse fertility<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/61193/original/mzr7mhj3-1412792612.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">I'll have a clean cage with a side of fertility issues.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-113191711/stock-photo-white-rat-isolated-on-white-background.html?src=5cE6rZw16K1Xlun-jj_48A-1-47">Mouse image via www.shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Mice possess a notable talent: they are excellent at making more mice. Their ability to reproduce at a breakneck pace is one reason they are often used as experimental research subjects. Thus, when Dr. Terry Hrubec realized that the mice in her veterinary research lab at Virginia Tech were showing sudden and dramatic declines in reproductive success, she knew she had a problem. </p>
<p>After combing through the literature for possible explanations, Hrubec discovered that a researcher at the University of Washington, Dr. Patricia Hunt, was having a similar experience with mice in her lab. Hrubec, Hunt, and several of their graduate students combined forces to find an explanation. </p>
<p>Hunt noted that a pinworm outbreak in her colony had resulted in intense cleaning efforts as staff worked to decontaminate cages and other lab equipment. Soon after, they began to notice changes in reproductive performance of the mice. Likewise, Hrubec recalled that the problems with her mice had appeared shortly after laboratory staff had started to use a similar disinfectant during routine cleaning procedures. Both disinfectants contained substances known as <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/disinfection_sterilization/9_0pceticacidhydropoxide.html#a2">quaternary ammonium compounds</a> (QACs). </p>
<h2>Finding the culprits</h2>
<p>The researchers tested the hypothesis that QACs were impairing lab mouse reproduction. In a small study, they exposed ten breeding pairs of mice to two QACs from their cleaning products: alkyl dimethyl benzalkonium chloride (ADBAC) and didecyl dimethylammonium chloride (DDAC). The mice ate the chemicals in their food rations, at a dosage of either 60 or 120 mg per kg of body mass.</p>
<p>The results of the six-month-long experiment confirmed Hrubec and Hunt’s suspicions: exposed female mice took longer to produce their first litters, had longer intervals between litters, produced fewer pups per litter, and ultimately produced fewer total litters in a given period than did females not exposed to QACs.</p>
<p>Even more disturbing: forty percent of females exposed to the chemicals died either in late pregnancy or in the process of giving birth. The animals became lethargic, lost their appetites, began to lose control of their muscles, struggled to breathe and eventually suffered vaginal hemorrhaging and obstructed births, which frequently led to their deaths. The <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890623814001920">findings</a> are reported in a recent issue of the journal Reproductive Toxicology.</p>
<p>Although <a href="http://www.inchem.org/documents/pims/chemical/pimg022.htm#SectionTitle:2.1%20%20Main%20risk%20and%20target%20organs">toxic or caustic effects of QACs</a> had been documented in the past, it seems no one had previously reported their effects on lab mouse fertility.</p>
<h2>Dangerous combinations</h2>
<p>QACs have been in use since the 1950s, and small amounts are found in dozens of products that most people keep in their homes, as well as research labs and hospitals across the country. They’re commonly <a href="http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/magazine-archive1/augustseptember-2011/sanitizers-and-disinfectants-the-chemicals-of-prevention/">found</a> in products designed to be applied directly to human skin such as body lotions, hand sanitizers, cosmetics, and shampoos. They are also found in fabric softeners, hand sanitizers, and a variety of household cleaning products. Why hadn’t anyone reported these effects earlier?</p>
<p>First, the United States’ <a href="http://www2.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-toxic-substances-control-act">Toxic Substances Control Act</a> (TSCA) does not actually require that all of the ingredients used in consumer products be tested – all substances already in use when the act was passed in 1976 were <a href="http://saferchemicals.org/get-the-facts/what-is-tsca/">grandfathered in</a> to automatic approval without testing. The TSCA also does not classify chemicals as “toxic” or “non-toxic.” Rather, it aims to regulate the marketing and distribution of chemicals that pose “<a href="http://www.epa.gov/oppt/newchems/pubs/unrerisk.htm">unreasonable risk</a> to health or the environment.”</p>
<p>Currently, chemical safety testing – which assesses effects like physical corrosiveness as well as biological damage – has only been done on isolated QACs. This means that safety guidelines could potentially miss interactions between substances that make them more harmful when combined. By exposing mice to two QACs often used together, Hunt and Hrubec’s study highlights the importance of toxicity testing for combinations of chemicals that are frequently found in the same products, rather than basing toxicity assessments solely on isolated ingredients.</p>
<h2>More investigation is needed</h2>
<p>Hunt and Hrubec demonstrated that the very disinfectants that are supposed to protect laboratory animals from infection could actually be altering their biological functions. This discovery has implications for lab animal health procedures in research facilities across the globe. Scientists conducting research related to fertility and reproduction will likely be especially concerned about any chemical exposures that could affect the results of their studies. </p>
<p>More research on dosage-dependency and different routes of QAC exposure is needed. Is there a threshold of exposure below which QAC exposure does not have these effects? The mice in this study were exposed to QACs through their food. The initial observations that QAC-containing products were associated with reproductive troubles suggest that ambient exposure can be harmful, which needs to be investigated. </p>
<p>The effects of QACs on mouse reproduction are alarming, but it is too early to jump to conclusions about potential effects on human beings. Though there is evidence that QACs can <a href="http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P4356.full.pdf+html">cause bronchial problems for human beings</a>, the jury is out on whether chronic exposure affects our fertility. Given the vast differences in body size and reproductive patterns between mice and people, studies may show that QACs aren’t cause for fertility concerns in human beings, but Hunt and Hrubec’s initial small study will serve as a springboard to bring the issue to the public’s attention.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>This article has been updated to correct the dosage of chemicals the mice were fed in the study.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/32302/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anne-Marie Hodge does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Mice possess a notable talent: they are excellent at making more mice. Their ability to reproduce at a breakneck pace is one reason they are often used as experimental research subjects. Thus, when Dr…Anne-Marie Hodge, PhD student, University of WyomingLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.