M2.4 Blog Assignment: Ken Cook and Advocacy Organizations on Toxics in Personal Care Products

After watching both talks in regards to the chemicals found in everyday products that we all use, it shows how blind as a consumer that we are to not know what is being put in our everyday products. Watching the first video based on the cosmetic companies it was really interesting to hear how companies can label their products such as organic and natural without running tests indicating if they are clearly any of those indicators. Also it was interesting to hear there are no standards for cosmetic products such as those in the agriculture department surrounding food. I was pleased to hear that OPI and Sally Hansen have eliminated the toxic trio (Fomaldahyde, Toulene and Dibutyl) from their products making it more safe to paint nails. In listening to the Ken Cook video on the 10 Americans it was fascinating to hear that chemicals can still penetrate through the placenta via the umbilical cord when prior knowledge indicated that nothing can get through the placenta. Another interesting fact was how Cook mentioned low doses do matter. I've heard some radioactive substances have lethal consequences in small doses, but one does not stop to think that the same is true for chemicals found in our everyday products. I consider this as a funfact to have learned, but hearing how PPB (parts per billion) is equivalent to one pancake in a stack of pancakes 4,000 miles high is mind blowing because you hear how some chemicals can do harm at 30,000,000 PPB would be considered extreme! I also found the TSCA to be surprising that only 5 chemicals have been banned since 1976 and its intent is to protect profit and polluters while there is not act according to Cook's video to protect the consumer.

Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 5, 2018 at 9:28 AM

    Hi Christina,
    It was great to hear your thoughts! I also agree how crazy the PPB argument is. While it can seem so little, we (non-scientists) actually don't have much of an idea about how such a small number can affect us! I was also fascinated and somewhat surprised by some of what Cook said. We've typically thought of the umbilical cord and the placenta as barriers to protect the fetus, but it's now clear that so much damage can happen from chemicals crossing these supposed barriers.
    Malena

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