Read the full post by Annie Leonard at Huffington Post.
As a mother, I want to be sure that the shampoo, sunscreen, bubble bath and other personal care products my daughter uses are safe. If I stick to products in the children’s aisle at the drugstore — stuff that’s made and marketed specifically for kids — those should be OK, right?
The labels are reassuring: “Gentle.” “Pure.” “Natural.” “Free of Harsh Ingredients.” “Recommended by Pediatricians.” “Dermatologists Approved.” And of course, “No More Tears.”
But when you turn the bottles around, get out a magnifying glass and read the fine print on the back (and get online to do some research) it’s a different story: sodium laureth sulfate, diazolidinyl urea, ceteareth-20, PEGs, quaternium-15 — all these are typically contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals like formaldehyde or 1,4 dioxane.
Carcinogens in baby shampoo? Are you kidding me?
I asked some scientists what was going on, and what they told me was scary, and not just for our children. It turns out the average American bathroom is a minefield of toxic chemicals. Sunscreens, lipstick, moisturizer, shaving cream — many cosmetics and personal care products for babies, kids, moms and dads contain chemicals linked to cancer or other health problems like learning disabilities, asthma and even damaged sperm.
I got so mad about this I joined with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to make a new video, The Story of Cosmetics.
There are definitely tons of dangerous chemicals in common household items. Another common bathroom hazard is plastic/vinyl shower curtains. They can release toxic chemicals unless to buy environmental friendly shower curtains. You will want to buy PEVA shower curtains. PEVA is a safe plastic to use around the house. Even around small children and pets. Another alternative is to use a fabric shower curtain such as hemp curtains. Very green.
You can go to my shower curtain website to get more information at http://findretroshowercurtain.com.
Steve