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A closer look at sunscreen ingredients 

As we enter the summer months with longer and sunnier days, many of us reach for sunscreen to take care of our skin. Chemical substances are widely used in sunscreen formulations to protect our skin from burning due to exposure UVA and UVB rays. But with so many products available to choose from, are there any … Continued

Chemicals released from infant mattresses

Infant mattresses release 21 different types of chemicals into indoor air – that’s the finding of new Canadian research that measured levels of a class of chemicals known as semi volatile organic compounds (SVOCs).     A sample of 16 low price, non-sprung mattresses were tested. Researchers found 21 types of SVOCs were released into … Continued

Pesticides in household dust

A walk in the countryside could be bringing pesticides into your home – that’s what research suggests when pesticide residues across rural locations in ten countries in the EU were analysed. The study analysed more than 600 environmental samples in agricultural settings including soil, water, and household dust.   Whilst you might expect pesticides to … Continued

PFAS found in American infant milk formula

PFAS (Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) can be detected in infant milk formula – this is the finding of research carried out by Consumer Reports in the US, who tested 41 brands of infant formula for a range of chemicals and toxins, including PFAS.    PFAS are a group of more than 10,000 chemicals that are … Continued

Cocktail effects of herbicides

An American study of childhood cancer rates has looked at the combined effects of exposures to pesticides and herbicides over a 22 year period in Nebraska which has some of the highest cancer rates in the US. Researchers discovered that a 10% rise in exposure to pesticide mixtures was linked to increases in childhood cancer … Continued

What did we learn from ‘Toxic Town’?

In 2009, Corby Borough Council were found guilty of negligence in handling the demolition and waste disposal following the closure of a local steel works in 1980. Airborne pollutants from toxic waste transported across the town of Corby were identified as the cause of poisoning of unborn children, whose mothers were exposed to toxic waste … Continued

Pre-natal exposure to chemicals affects fat tissue in offspring

Pre-natal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals has been associated with raised levels of childhood fat tissue, a precursor to obesity in a study published in the last week.    Urine samples collected from 341 women during pregnancy were tested for a total of 25 chemicals including phenols, parabens, and phthalates. Urines tests from their offspring … Continued

Our most read updates of 2024 about environmental toxins and health impacts

2024 has seen major steps forward in our understanding of the impacts of exposure to environmental toxins detected in body fluids and cells, and their subsequent impacts of human health. In our final post this year, here are some of our most read news updates of 2024 about the links between exposure to environmental toxins, … Continued

Pre-natal exposure to everyday chemicals raises child asthma risk

Exposure to alkylphenols, a group of chemicals used in everyday cleaning products has been linked with higher rates of asthma in children at age four whose mothers were exposed to this group of chemicals during pregnancy. This is the disturbing finding of a new study of 3500 mother-child pairs living in Japan. Researchers measured urinary concentrations … Continued

Are flame retardants lurking in your recycled plastic utensils?

It’s probably not surprising that when plastics are recycled, much of their chemical composition travels with them into recycled plastic items. Plastics manufactured for electronics products such as cables are modified by adding chemicals with flame retardant properties to meet safety standards. So what happens when these plastics are recycled, where do the flame retardants … Continued

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