Other Halogens in Consumer Products
Perfluorinated Chemicals
• Perfluorinated chemicals are stable and persistent in the environment, humans, and animals. They are found globally in water, air and soil.
• Results from animal studies have indicated adverse health effects, including hepatotoxicity, developmental toxicity, thyroid hormone imbalance, carcinogenicity and immunotoxicity
Chlorinated Antimicrobials
• Triclocarban and Triclosan are chlorinated antimicrobials linked to adverse health effects and are found in antibacterial soap and toothpaste. Antibacterial products provide no benefit over plain soap and water.
• Laura A. Geer, PhD, MHS, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
How to measure human exposure to persistent halogenated
Flame retardants and pesticides
• Organohalogen Pesticides and Flame Retardants are similar or identical chemicals
• Organohalogen Pesticides, such as DDT, Mirex, Dieldrin, Aldrin, etc, were banned in the 1980s. They are currently found in very low and decreasing levels in food.
Flame retardants still in common use are similar to the banned pesticides. Dechlorane flame retardant is the same as Mirex; Dechlorane Plus, which is similar to Mirex, is still in use. Halogenated flame retardants are found in home furniture and insulation in very high levels. They are found in very low and increasing levels in food.
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