You’d think that the formaldehyde in Sunsilk brouhaha would have abated by now but emotions still run high.
I had to turn off commenting in the Sunsilk-Formaldehyde entry because, for three straight days, the supporters of Unilever had been posting official statements in the comment box. I would have allowed it had Unilever included results from an independent study saying formaldehyde, as used in consumer products, will never be a health hazard even in accumulated amounts. But, no — the statement was just a pinpointing exercise saying so many other products contain formaldehyde too. Well, crap, then they should come under the microscope too instead of merely serving as an excuse for Unilever as though the use of formaldehyde in other products validates Unilver’s stand. Excuse me but my blog is not a mouthpiece for Unilever.
Anyway, there’s a new issue now — another tongue-twister. If it took some time to get comfortable mouthing the word formaldehyde, I wonder how much longer it will take to get used to the spelling of a chemical called phthalates. Its effect on humans is worse than its spelling and it seems to be a popular ingredient among air fresheners.
But just how “fresh” is air freshener? A study released last week by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) evaluated 14 air fresheners off the shelf of a local Walgreens and found that 12 contained variable amounts of substances called phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates), a group of chemicals that are used to dissolve and carry fragrances, soften plastics and also as sealants and adhesives. Phthalates are commonly found in a variety of products, including cosmetics, paints, nail polish and children’s toys — and have long been at the center of a larger international controversy over their health effects.Studies involving rat and human subjects have suggested that high exposures to certain kinds of phthalates can cause cancer, developmental and sex-hormone abnormalities (including decreased testosterone and sperm levels and malformed sex organs) in infants, and can affect fertility… [Time]
The article says that the USFDA does not require the labeling of phthalate content in products but “In 2004, the European Union banned two types of phthalates in cosmetics and also bans the chemical in children’s toys, as do 14 other countries.”
Oh, well, THIS is what we’ve been using as air freshener for the past few weeks. Had it delivered via Fedex along with several bottles of Citronella mosquito repellent.
And, in case you’re wondering, phthalates is pronounced as THAL-ates.
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
kotsengkuba 09.26.07 at 8:11 pm
may dala ‘yung misis ko nyang Sting-Less Mosquito Repellant dito. kapag pumupunta kami sa mga park park dito sa China e halos maligo muna kami kapapahid nyan para hindi kami lapitan ng lamok. may kasama kasi kaming bata e. ang worry ko lang e baka bubuyog naman an kumuyug sa’min dahil sa honey.
Lorena C. Marzan 09.26.07 at 10:04 pm
ang kagandahan dito sa US merong control, if they recall one product, napupull out agad kahit saan mang sulok ng US, kung mga material products, like the recalled baby cribs for defective , design flaw,Mattel toys for lead, and spinach and burger patties for e-coli.
Using these candles and air fresher is a fad, especially sa mga spa, and everybody gives out these scented candles as a gift for relaxation, but there was a warning issued before that using these candles should be minimized the wick soot gets into our lungs and they stick there forever. For air freshener, I use coffee beans. and for cleaning baking soda. There is too much chemical on the air, last night, I smelled some heavy scent when I attended the performance at SFOpera. I really got a bad headache but I have to stay up and finish the Opera as it was really a very good performance. One time, the lady seating next to me,had to give up her “very nice seat” (orchestra-middle)due to another attendee wearing a heavy perfume.
auee 09.26.07 at 11:25 pm
The pronunciation is similar to “pilates”?
Anyhow, this the reason why I don’t use air fresheners at home. I used to but since having Kelvin, I stopped so I have at least 3 lying around half-full.
I switched to scented candles, they work though not as lasting as the chemical-filled air fresheners. Sometimes hubby would argue esp if we have a party & we’re cooking a storm. But I stand firm, ewan ko nga ba kung bakit di ko pa naitatapon yung mga yun, kakapanghinayang siguro, mahal kasi.
Anyhow, I also don’t buy anti-bacterial cleansers. Esp those targeting mummies for use on kitchen tables or babies’ high chairs. I keep to washing with soap & rinsing, that’s it.
I think we’re exposing ourselves to too much chemicals already. We don’t need anymore.
Connie 09.27.07 at 8:12 am
kotsengkuba, since we discoverred Sting-Less, we never went back to Off! and Nenuco. Natural is best. Eh takot kaya kami sa dengue.
Lorena, the problem with phthalates is that it isn’t listed by the USFDA as among those required to be included among the ingredients. I thought that the dangers of phthalates was a recent discovery; turns out it isn’t. It’s just like the attitude of the US towards rGBH in genetically modified corn. Some companies are just too influential.
auee, naku when you come home for a vacation, you should see the scented beeswax candles at Ilog Maria.
sam 09.27.07 at 9:41 am
Hi Connie. Citronella is also sold at Sungee outlets. There’s one at Ortigas corner Madison Street in Greenhills and another along Pasong Tamo Extension in Makati. Sungee also offers a line of VCO products that are reasonably priced.
feng 09.27.07 at 10:46 am
hala! pati air fresheners hindi na rin safe? i love using air freshener pa naman, the Bay Fresh lemon scent in particular, especially after “doing the call of nature” sa comfort room, hehe.
we’ve been using Ilog Maria’s citronella mosquito repellent too as an alternative to Off. ang bango pa.
eye opener talaga with the recent news on product recalls. pati yung favorite natin soy and oyster sauces (including Lee Kum Kee), it’s been said in the news before to be causing cancer if taken in “substantial amount” daw because of its 3-MCPD content.
Connie 09.27.07 at 1:59 pm
Uy, Sam, thanks for the info. Greenhills is accessible. Makati… too far.
Feng, talaga? Anak ng tokwa, and I just bought a new bottle of Lee Kum Kee oyster sauce. Haven’t opened it though. I should read up first.
feng 09.27.07 at 2:55 pm
ay naku, I was so surprise nga when I read the news about the 3-MCPD content in soy and oyster sauces. eh favorite kong flavoring yung Lee Kum Kee esp. for Beef with Brocoli.
can’t remember, parang sa BBC ko ata sya nabasa. anyway, the news says these 3-MCPD containing sauces were pulled out in grocery shelves in China. i was so intrigued with the news that when I googled it up, there were even allegations that people’s hair are one of the ingredients for soy sauce products. ang gross di ba.
sam 09.27.07 at 3:51 pm
Oh, and when you’re in Greenhills and if you have time, kape tayo sa Starbucks near Sungee. I have free wifi here…I’ll give you the password. he he he he.
auee 09.27.07 at 8:53 pm
I just checked the website, okay ha. I placed some orders before I realised that they didn’t have an online payment system. Do’h!
Since I’m going to have the items delivered to my parents, I guess I’ll have to tell them to pay for something they didn’t order hehe
cai 09.27.07 at 9:11 pm
nakakatakot na bumili ng kahit anong products. cguro time na para bumalik tayo sa primitive ways… as in using the aloe vera plant to tame our hair… formaldehyde is present in almost every household items.. even in some of the food we eat…
Lorena C. Marzan 09.27.07 at 9:35 pm
ingat basta China made, kasi alam ninyo naman ang mantra nila “lutong lugaw” kahit na makasama sa katawang ng tao, actually, abt 2-3 months ago ng recall sila ng dog food na nakamatay ng mga aso dito sa US dahil may halong melamine, kasi mas maganda daw ang hitsura ng product pag merong melamine. pag pumunta nga ako sa tsinatown dito sa SF, daming mga drinks na ewan ko kung maiinom ng tao like “Aloe Vera juice”.
when I went home wala namang lamok sa amin sa Anabu, ni hindi ko nga nagamit yong binili ko na kulambo, pero proven na raw na ng mga kabayang OFW sa Nigeria na ipahid ang Bounce laundry freshener towelletes sa kanilang damit at ayaw ito ng mga lamok
Cindy Ozouf 09.28.07 at 1:45 am
Hi Connie! After reading this post, I read about your post about the Sunsilk and all the comments that went along with it!! So yesterday, while out grocery shopping, I randomly looked at different brands of shampoos even Sunsilk and found that formaldehyde wasn’t one of the ingredients. I even checked the current “cheap” shampoo and conditioner I’ve been using and formaldehyde was not one of the ingredients. I am really actually very thankful for this and especially thankful for the Sunsilk post. In my opinion, I think that the onus is on us as consumers to check the ingredients on products that we buy for our own safety. As far as the phthalates, I checked my air freshner too, but I didn’t find phtalates as one of the ingredients but something else that shocked me which was “ethanol”. Apparently, the effects are as follows ” It can cause lung, kidney and liver damage, fatigue, nausea, tremors, anemia, respiratory tract irritation, and conjunctivitis. ” Scary stuff! Your posts on these issues have definitely opened my eyes a lot more. For this I thank you!!!!
JS 09.28.07 at 3:11 am
In #4, did you mean rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) in milk? I’ve never heard of rGBH in corn.
Monsanto makes both rBGH for cows and genetically modified seed corn.
Connie 09.28.07 at 8:01 am
Cindy, some brands are worse. My Shaldan, for instance, does NOT list any ingredient at all.
JS, oh right, I was referring to Bt corn.
blogOloco 09.28.07 at 12:42 pm
I couldn’t agree more with you cindy.
Connie, that’s really worrying. everything should be in the product. FDA or whoever controls this products in the Philippines should be informed. Unless of course they just let them do that.
blogOloco 09.28.07 at 1:05 pm
that formaldehyde in a shampoo is a little worrying. not heard of this story before actually.
raqgold 09.30.07 at 5:38 am
phthalate: why dont they just simplify the name, hmmp. anyway, beeswax candles are tops here, too. we’ve never used air freshner, nakakahilo ang amoy. scented candles mas ok. i think that issue on shampoos are not only for sunsilk, right? i think i’ve heard about that before, with more brands affected.
chateau 10.01.07 at 10:28 am
Why am I still using Off lotion on my kids?? Should get some citronella soon.
Phthalates - some fancy word that should give me a good score in online scrabble LOL. Thanks for the new learning- it will come in handy when I get lots of consonants haha
I never use air fresheners, except in the car. I wonder if the one I have now uses phthalates (love the word now haha). The brand escapes me, but it’s the oil-based bottled one (dang anesthetized neurons!). Tama, better to go natural.
Connie 10.01.07 at 3:35 pm
raqgold, my kids will agree with you. they hate air fresheners especially in the car. and, yes, the formaldehyde issue goes beyond sunsilk. the materials in the makeshift houses for Katrina victims contain formaldehyde and it’s making people sick. There was a link to an Oprah episode in an earlier entry… forgot which one.
Chats, everything spells Scrabble for you, ah. hahahaha
chateau 10.01.07 at 8:57 pm
hahaha, di masyadong halata, ano?
Rowena 10.06.07 at 10:41 pm
Hi Connie, alarming talaga when the most used consumer products have ingredients/content which are dangerous to our health. I remembered talking to some pediatricians and some parents on growing cases of cancers on kids, they get it daw from too much chemicals around like the air fresheners and insecticides sprays. I got so scared because I’ve been using those and that Sunsilk shampoo also. Hay, hirap pa naman magkasakit.