Many people now understand that Black Friday is mostly a hoax. It used to be a shopping day when people could get decent deals on gifts, but not anymore. Most Black Friday sales are not good deals, have limitations, or are outright scams.
Still, every year, we break records for Black Friday sales. In 2024, consumers spent a record $10.8 billion, which was 10% more than in 2023. That’s also just over double what consumers spent in 2017.1
Worse, inflation over the last few years has not kept pace with wage and salary increases. And things have only worsened with the introduction of new tariffs. Our buying power has decreased. Most people feel the pinch and don’t want to live in debt.
At the same time, extreme wealth is on the rise for those extremely privileged few at the financial top. According to Forbes, there are now more than 3,000 billionaires worldwide, worth $16.1 trillion combined. “But the distribution of this extreme affluence is far from equal. Just three nations account for more than 50% of all billionaires.”2
I think it’s time we reject the billionaires. Or at least stop supporting them.
Further, many of the cheap items we buy don’t last very long, contribute to pollution, have toxic ingredients, or all of those.
Maybe we need longer-lasting, less polluting, and less toxic gift items in our lives.
Photo by sarah b on Unsplash.
What if we could reject the billionaires, protect the environment, save money, and still have a wonderful holiday season?
We can do all of those at once!
Here’s how.
Buy Nothing
If it’s possible for you and your loved ones, opt out of gifting this year. That’s like getting 100% off!
However, it’s unrealistic for many people, myself included. I’m not going to not give gifts this year. I just plan to be smarter and more conscientious about it. You can too, read on!
Photo by Mathieu Turle on Unsplash.
Limit Spending on Gifts
First, you don’t need to break the bank. Create a small or moderate gift budget and stick to it. In general, we can give one gift to someone that they will enjoy. We don’t need to shower people with multiple gifts.
People are generally happy just to see their loved ones. Time together is a gift.
Other options: Your family can draw names, Secret Santa style, and buy only for that one person. Or, your family can choose only to give gifts to the children. Or, some families go on a fabulous vacation together, and that is the gift from the parents or grandparents.
Photo by Arthur Poulin on Unsplash.
Buy local
Buying local simply means buying from a local store (not a chain store) or vendor. These are often referred to as small businesses or Mom & Pop stores. But they can be anything from local craftspeople at farmers’ markets to food trucks to storefronts. Think about the locally owned bookstore, the local comic book or game shop, or the locally owned coffee shop in your area. Is there a local cheese shop, bakery, winery, soap shop, chocolatier, or ethnic food store near you? Maybe you can buy a beautiful houseplant at the local garden store. You might have to search a little, but I bet you can find several choices in your area.
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash.
Buy second-hand
Of course, if you’ve read any of my other articles, you’ll know that I’m a huge advocate of buying most items second-hand. Second-hand items cost less, have already off-gassed most toxins, and reduce the need for new production of goods (hence less pollution). You can find great gifts at quality thrift stores, consignment shops, flea markets, antique stores, and second-hand book or record stores. In our area, we even have a couple of second-hand outdoor gear stores. You never know what you’ll find, but you’ll likely find something nice for your loved one.
Photo by John Michael Thomson on Unsplash.
Buy gifts from non-profits
You can buy an array of gifts from non-profit organizations, which is awesome, because you can support your favorite orgs while gift-giving! Always check Charity Watch or Charity Navigator to verify nonprofits you aren’t sure about.
If you’re crafty or can sew, then there are so many options!
But you don’t have to be super crafty for this category. You can make simple but lovely items using online tutorials.
Or, you can cook or bake something and give it as a gift. Do you have a breadmaker (maybe that was gifted to you, and you never use) that you can make a loaf of rosemary sourdough in for someone? Maybe you have great cake decorating skills (unlike me). Cookies, doughnuts, muffins, scones – the possibilities are endless!
If you are not crafty and don’t cook or bake, perhaps you can put together a coffee basket using locally roasted coffee beans, a mug (from the thrift store!), and a chocolate-covered spoon. Or you could put together a basket of just locally made items! Think outside of the box (um, basket?) on this one and I bet you’ll come up with something fantastic.
Photo by Marina Ermakova on Unsplash.
Experiences
You can gift experiences in the form of a digital gift card or certificate, or by purchasing tickets to an event or place for someone. Maybe Grandma has been wanting to go to the art museum? Buy her tickets and a digital gift card to the adjacent restaurant. Or, maybe you have a friend who wants to go to a concert to see their favorite performer. How about a digital gift card for the movie theater? Think of something the person you are gifting has been wanting to do or go see.
Photo by Sean Lee on Unsplash.
Give and Donate
This is the exception to rejecting billionaires and large chain stores. Our family always participates in food drives, Toys for Tots, Salvation Army’s Angel Tree, and Forgotten Child Fund’s Coats for Kids drive. All of those require new items only, and most items they need are only available at large chain stores. But when we give to those who are less fortunate, it’s ok to make those exceptions.
You can also donate money to those types of organizations.
What About Buy Nothing Day?
This movement falls on Black Friday. I’m all for this movement; however, critics have pointed out that buying nothing for one day a year does not help curb rampant consumerism. We need to buy less permanently.
Reduce
Remember, there are no rules when it comes to gifting. But we all need to save money. We all need to limit waste and reduce our impact on the environment. Every time you don’t buy something new or from across the world, you’re reducing your impact. And we need to stop supporting mega corporations and billionaires because their greed is the opposite of what we’re trying to do during the holidays!
Also, don’t worry about doing everything perfectly. I certainly will still buy a few new things for my son and others, simply because I can’t find them second-hand. You want to limit and reduce your impact, but don’t stress if a few items are brand new from Amazon. It happens.
Happy Holidays! Let me know in the comments if you have ideas about holiday shopping. Thank you for reading. Please share and subscribe!
Footnotes:
Article, “Most Black Friday shoppers bagged their deals online this year, with record spending,” by Emma Bowman, NPR, December 1, 2024. ↩︎
Article, “The Countries With The Most Billionaires 2025,’ Forbes.com, updated July 15, 2015. ↩︎
Food should never have a Proposition 65 warning on it. However, some foods do have these warnings, so we should avoid them. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), “more than 10,000 food additives are allowed for use in food sold in the U.S.” Many of these additives are preservatives, while others are used for color, shine, or stabilization of artificial flavors.1
Following is a list of the types of substances to avoid. Remember, all the substances listed cause cancer, developmental problems in children, or reproductive issues.
Acrylamides
Photo by Pixzolo Photography on Unsplash.
Acrylamides form in french fries, potato chips, other fried and baked snack foods, roasted asparagus, canned sweet potatoes and pumpkin, canned black olives, roasted nuts, roasted grain-based coffee substitutes, prune juice, breakfast cereals, crackers, some cookies, bread crusts, and toast. It is a chemical formed during cooking or processing at high temperatures (frying, roasting, grilling, baking) since it converts sugars and other naturally occurring substances in these foods to acrylamide. Boiling and steaming foods do not create acrylamides.2
“When you fry or cook potatoes and certain other foods at high temps, a substance called acrylamide forms through a chemical reaction between the sugars and amino acids. An analysis of 32 studies found that among non-smokers, dietary acrylamide consumption was associated with an increase in endometrial and ovarian cancers. It’s what makes potato chips and french fries taste so damn good. But…is it worth the danger?” -Darin Olien, Fatal Conveniences3
Arsenic
Rice, rice cereal, some edible seaweeds, seafood, poultry, and mushrooms can absorb arsenic from the environment. According to the Food and Drug Administration, “arsenic levels are higher in certain soils and rocks and where arsenic-containing pesticides were once used on food crops or from the current use of those pesticides on non-food crops, and pollution from mining, fracking, and coal-fired power plants.”4 The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the main source of arsenic contamination is polluted groundwater used for drinking, crop irrigation, and food preparation.5 Chronic arsenic poisoning often leads to cancer.
BPA (Bisphenol A)
Image by Kenny Holmes from Pixabay.
BPA (Bisphenol A) is a chemical that manufacturers use in plastic linings in cans (both the type for vegetables and beverages), jar lids, polycarbonate plastic bottles (#7 resin code), and bottle caps. It leaches into food. It is an endocrine disruptor and has been linked to developmental and health problems in children (such as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)); anxiety and depression; early puberty in girls; diabetes; obesity; and heart disease.6
BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole)
Image by Gabriele from Pixabay.
BHA is a preservative used in cured and preserved meats and other foods. The substance is also found in certain rubber, plastics, and glues. Both the National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer list it as a suspected carcinogen. Further, “the European Union classifies BHA as an endocrine disruptor because of its ability to lower testosterone and thyroid-hormone thyroxine.”7
BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)
BHT is a preservative used in cereals like Cap’n Crunch and Apple Jacks. It causes hormone disruption and harms the reproductive system. The European Food Safety Authority indicated that it may disrupt endocrine function by causing thyroid changes and affecting development.8
Cadmium
Cadmium is in certain fish, shellfish, organ meats, mushrooms, oats, root crops, and some leafy vegetables grown in cadmium-rich soils.9 A study from 2023 found that age groups 6–24 months and 24–60 months old were the most exposed to cadmium in foods. “American infants and young children of these age groups who regularly consumed rice, spinach, oats, barley, potatoes, and wheat had mean [cadmium] exposures exceeding maximum tolerable intake level was set by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).”10 It can cause renal failure and is a human carcinogen.
Flame Retardants
Flame retardants, particularly PBDEs (Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers), are known carcinogens that can also cause brain defects and hormone interference. These harmful chemicals are found in some farm-raised fish. Additionally, similar chemicals are used in certain ovenproof or microwavable plastic trays and plastic water bottles, which can lead to the leaching of chemicals into food and beverages. Several studies have documented the migration of chemicals from food packaging to food.
Lead
Many brands of chocolate, even organic, have high levels of lead and cadmium.
Lead is found in certain dietary supplements, balsamic vinegars, and imported spices such as turmeric and chili. Lead, along with cadmium, is also found in many types of chocolate. Exposure to lead is particularly harmful to children’s development, causing issues with hearing, speech, brain and nervous system damage, slowed growth, and learning and behavioral problems.11
Mercury
Photo by Jonathan Noack on Unsplash.
Mercury is in many types of fish: king mackerel, shark, tilefish (from the Gulf of Mexico), swordfish, marlin, bigeye tuna, bluefin tuna, and orange roughy. Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury, but the largest fish accumulate the most in their bodies. Mercury causes neurological and behavioral disorders such as tremors, insomnia, memory loss, neuromuscular effects, headaches, and cognitive and motor dysfunctions.12 Refer to Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch for the safest seafood, linked under Additional Resources.
Phthalates
Phthalates are chemicals in plastics that can leach into food and beverages, especially when heated. They have been found in dairy products, meats, seafood, fruits and vegetables, and fast foods.13 Phthalates are hormone-disrupting chemicals that have been linked to many reproductive, developmental, and endocrine-related health problems.
PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances)
When waterways or environments are contaminated with PFAS, also known as “Forever Chemicals,” they can contaminate the food supply through plants and animals that are grown, raised, or processed in those polluted areas. Additionally, PFAS can migrate into foods through food packaging, certain types of take-out containers, food processing, and Teflon or nonstick cookware. This chemical family (PFAS, PFOA, PFC, etc.) can lead to issues such as altered metabolism and body weight regulation, increased risk of childhood obesity, reduced immune system function, and cancer.14
Potassium Bromate
Photo by Matthew Moloney on Unsplash.
Potassium bromate is added to the flour of many packaged noodles, baked goods, bread, tortillas, and other foods made with flour.15 It is a possible human carcinogen according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Multiple countries have banned it, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, and the European Union – but not the United States. The substance is also used in industrial cleaning agents, bombs, and photo-developing solutions.16
Propyl Parabens
Image by Martin Diaz from Pixabay.
Propyl parabens are a preservative in processed foods like pastries and tortillas. But they’re also found in batteries, floor cleaner, and glue. When present in food, this chemical acts as an endocrine disruptor and can lead to developmental and reproductive harm.17
Styrene
Image by albedo20 on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Styrene and benzene from “Styrofoam” polystyrene take-out packaging can leach into food and beverages, especially with hot or reheated foods. Styrene is a known carcinogen and exposure increases the risk of leukemia and lymphoma and is a neurotoxin. Benzene is also a known carcinogen. Avoid take-out containers by bringing your own metal or glass leftover containers.
Synthetic Food Dyes
Photo by Jonathan J. Castellon on Unsplash.
Manufacturers use synthetic food dyes in many foods and beverages. And especially candy! But these same colorants are also used in household cleaners, wood stains, pesticides, and even blue jeans. While not all food dyes are toxic and not all are on the Proposition 65 list, we know that certain dyes are carcinogenic. Others affect development and cause behavioral difficulties in children.18
Avoid Toxic Ingredients
Avoid the ingredients listed above, as they are the most toxic. If any food has a Proposition 65 warning, either put it back on the shelf or return it. No food should contain that type of warning.
Remember to avoid processed food as much as possible. Try to limit your consumption of seafood and meat, and minimize your use of food packaging. Processed foods include crackers, bread, canned goods, frozen or packaged meals, cereal, etc. In general, the less processed the food, the better it is for you. Always check the ingredients list. If it contains a chemical-sounding word or something you can’t pronounce, it’s best to avoid eating it.
I hope this helps! Thank you for reading, please share and subscribe!
“It’s better to pay the grocer than the doctor. And smarter to trust the farmer than the pharmacist.” -Darin Olien, Fatal Conveniences19
Article, “Common food additives in Cap’n Crunch and Apple Jacks cereal may harm human health,” ewg.org, October 6, 2021. ↩︎
Page, “Acrylamide,” Proposition 65 website, Updated February 2019. ↩︎
Book, Fatal Conveniences: The Toxic Products and Harmful Habits That Are Making You Sick―and the Simple Changes That Will Save Your Health, by Darin Olien, Harper, New York, 2023. ↩︎
Page, “Arsenic in Food,” Food and Drug Administration, accessed September 16, 2024. ↩︎
Page, “Arsenic,” World Health Organization, December 7, 2022. ↩︎
Page, “Bisphenol-A (BPA)/Bisfenol A (el BPA),” Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, accessed September 16, 2024. ↩︎
Article, “Common food additives in Cap’n Crunch and Apple Jacks cereal may harm human health,” ewg.org, October 6, 2021. ↩︎
Article, “Common food additives in Cap’n Crunch and Apple Jacks cereal may harm human health,” ewg.org, October 6, 2021. ↩︎
Page, “Foods,” Proposition 65 website, May 2021. ↩︎
Article, “Dietary exposure to cadmium from six common foods in the United States,” Food and Chemical Toxicology, Volume 178, August 2023. ↩︎
Page, “Lead Exposure Symptoms and Complications,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 10, 2024. ↩︎
Fact Sheet, “Mercury and health,” World Health Organization, March 31, 2017. ↩︎
Page, “Phthalates,” toxicfreefuture.org, accessed September 19, 2024. ↩︎
Page, “Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS),” National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, update September 3, 2024. ↩︎
Page, “This cancer-causing chemical may be lurking in your bread,” ewg.org, May 4, 2022. ↩︎
Article, “From baguettes to bombs: Surprising industrial uses of common food chemicals,” ewg.org, June 6, 2024. ↩︎
Article, “From baguettes to bombs: Surprising industrial uses of common food chemicals,” ewg.org, June 6, 2024. ↩︎
Article, “From baguettes to bombs: Surprising industrial uses of common food chemicals,” ewg.org, June 6, 2024. ↩︎
Book, Fatal Conveniences: The Toxic Products and Harmful Habits That Are Making You Sick―and the Simple Changes That Will Save Your Health, by Darin Olien, Harper, New York, 2023. ↩︎
Image by John Voo on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0).
In my last article, I explained what Proposition 65 is, how it helps, and the controversy around the law. It is shocking to discover that so many products have toxic chemicals that cause reproductive harm, developmental problems, and cancer.
Take your time reading and absorbing the following information. Refer to “What is Proposition 65?” and additional resources listed below.
Athletic Equipment
Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash.
Manufacturers use toxic flame retardants in gymnastic equipment and camping tents. Proposition 65 warnings are sometimes on golf clubs, fishing sinkers, and bicycles because brass or other components contain lead.
Baby & Children’s Items
Photo by babywo on Flickr, Creative Common license (CC BY 2.0).
Let me be clear: No baby items should ever have Proposition 65 warnings. But since they do, parents and guardians must be extra vigilant. Manufacturers make products made with polyurethane foam, which they often treat with flame retardants. These include some bassinets, booster seats, infant carriers, child safety seats (car seats), nap mats, nursing pillows, playpens, and strollers.
Manufacturers used to use bisphenol A (BPA) in many plastic baby items, such as bottles and nipples, but allegedly use safer ingredients now. Choose glass baby bottles over plastic.
Phthalates, DBP, and DEHP have been found in all brands of diapers. One study found formaldehyde and glyphosate (aka Round-Up) in them. Diapers also contain endocrine disruptors, from the plastics in diapers, meaning they alter human hormone levels.1
Phthalates can also be found in the following products: Plastic lunchboxes, binders, backpacks, storage cases, rainwear, handbags, belts, footwear, and other artificial leather items made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and plastic food packaging materials.2
Infant and children’s clothing can contain chemicals just as adult clothes do.
And though no one knows why, some manufacturers still use lead in some toys and baby bibs.
Build and Grow set from Lowes, projects marketed for children to put together. But it has a Proposition 65 warning on the back! Photo by Marie Cullis.
Photo by Marie Cullis.
Building & Construction Materials
Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay.
Formaldehyde is present in insulation materials such as foam and fiberglass insulation, as well as particleboard, plywood, and fiberboard.
Manufacturers use toxic flame retardants in carpeting and carpet padding.
Lead was commonly used in paint before the U.S. banned it in 1978. It was also used in plumbing pipes and fixtures. Be aware if your home is older than 1978.
Manufacturers used asbestos because it was strong and heat resistant (a good insulator). They used it in building materials, insulation, fireproofing materials, brakes, cloth, paper, cement, plastic, and other materials.
Vinyl chloride is used in window blinds and coverings.
Vinyl flooring contains phthalates and other VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
Clothing
Proposition 65 warning on a shirt from T.J. Maxx. Image found on bikeforums.net.
Manufacturers use formaldehyde and toxic flame retardants in some clothing, even children’s clothing. They also sometimes use PFAS/PFOAs in clothing items, as well as bisphenol A (BPA) in sports bras and athletic wear. Those chemicals give clothing properties such as stain-resistant, moisture-wicking, and wrinkle-free. As a rule, steer clear of that type of clothing.
Manufacturers use lead and cadmium in purses, shoes, and other accessories. Any clothing item or accessory with the following features also may have lead, cadmium, or phthalates: Polyurethane products, PVC or vinyl parts, chains, zippers, buttons, snaps, rivets, clasps, screen printed elements, metallic yarns, plastic polymers, metallic coatings, imitation rhinestones, paint and surface coatings, and D-Rings.3
Cookware
Non-stick cookware is not safe and can leach chemicals into your food. Image by StockSnap from Pixabay.
Non-stick cookware, commonly known as Teflon, often contains PFOA, PFAS, and PFOS. The media has labeled these chemicals as “forever chemicals.” Allegedly, the newest versions of non-stick cookware don’t contain PFAS. Manufacturers now use PTFE, which they advertise as safer. However, that’s what those same companies told us for decades about PFAS so it’s difficult to believe them. Please don’t use these! Invest in stainless steel cookware or cast iron pans.
Electrical/Electronic Items
Dollar General power surge protector packaging. Photo by Marie Cullis.
Proposition 65 warning label on back. Photo by Marie Cullis.
Proposition 65 warnings are found on power cords, surge protectors, and lighting products because their components contain heavy metals including lead, nickel, phthalates in PVC coverings on some wires and cables, and/or other chemicals such as ethylene glycol.
Food
Photo by Ishaq Robin on Unsplash.
This topic warrants its own article, so please read that next!
Furniture
Image by Andrei Cioarba from Pixabay.
This is a big one, as most modern furniture contains additives and chemicals. Furniture in your home, for example, can off-gas toxins for a long time, which means you are constantly breathing them in and/or absorbing them through your skin. These chemicals include formaldehyde; flame retardants in upholstered furniture and mattresses, especially those made with polyurethane foam treated with flame retardants; PFOA, PFAS, and PFOS in stain-resistant upholstered furniture; phthalates; and lead in products with imitation leather.
“Our furniture’s upholstery and the lumber beneath it have probably been dosed with fire retardants and other chemicals. That sounded like a good idea when smoking was common, and people had the unhealthy habit of dozing off on the sofa with a lit cigarette. We could’ve just resolved to be more careful. But instead, we clamored for upholstery and even pajamas that had been treated with flame retardant chemicals, without first checking to find out whether those chemicals caused health problems of their own.” -Darin Olien, Fatal Conveniences4
If you can afford it, buy furniture and mattresses certified as chemical or toxin-free. You can also purchase furniture secondhand, as it will have already off-gassed some.
Hand Sanitizers
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.
Manufacturers sometimes use methanol, a poisonous and flammable liquid, in hand sanitizers to lower production costs, and fail to include it in the list of ingredients. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a list of approximately 600 brands of hand sanitizer to avoid because of methanol.5
Household Appliances
Hamilton Beach microwave with a Proposition 65 warning. Photo by Marie Cullis.
I often don’t know why appliances have this warning, but every microwave and dishwasher we’ve purchased in the last 10 years has had a Proposition 65 warning. Manufacturers use heavy metals, flame retardants, and chemicals in their production. The American Cancer Society recommends asking the manufacturer about the specific product.
The Proposition 65 website indicates that “it is difficult to generalize about chemical exposures from household appliances because each appliance is different.”6
Frigidaire dishwasher
Description showing Proposition 65 warning, from Lowes.com.
Many people say not to worry about the warnings on appliances. “MOST appliances carry the Prop 65 California warning. This is because the interior of the product may contain things like lead or other heavy metal materials that are necessary for them to work properly. While they are present in the appliance, they are not actually exposed to you while you use the appliance properly. But if you were to use the product in a way that was taking it completely apart or in an improper way, you could potentially be exposed.”7
I remain skeptical.
Household cleaners & solvents
Photo by Crystal de Passillé-Chabot on Unsplash.
Chemical-based cleaners and solvents have many toxic ingredients, so know what you use in your home. Better yet, use a homemade cleaner!
“All those ultra-powerful, all purpose cleaning products that promise to kill germs and mold, what else do you think they might be killing?” -Darin Olien, Fatal Conveniences8
Household Items
Photo by Backbone Visuals on Unsplash.
Manufacturers use formaldehyde in drapery, linens, and upholstery. They also use flame retardants in drapery and some bedding; lead in vinyl items, such as shower curtains and imitation leather; and make memory foam from polyurethane, which off-gasses volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that we inhale. That ‘new’ smell from vinyl shower curtains or other household items is the chemicals off-gassing.
“Formaldehyde, benzadine, parathion, and mercury are all part of the manufacturing process of the cotton used in sheets and bedding, and can potentially remain part of the fabric. Blended fabric sheets and other bedding, meaning cotton-polyester mixtures, are still partly petroleum-based with all the toxicity that comes with that. And the cotton for standard-issued sheets was grown with pesticides, meaning that they’re harmful to the environment and not so great for you, either. Wrinkle-free sheets have the same dangers as no-iron clothing does. The resins used in their manufacture contain formaldehyde, which can cause dermatitis, throat irritation, and nausea. But that’s not all…It’s better to live with wrinkled sheets, or learn to iron.” -Darin Olien, Fatal Conveniences9
Vinyl gloves, tubing, and garden hoses often contain phthalates and PVC. Don’t let your children drink from the hose!
Medical
Photo by Marcelo Leal on Unsplash.
Phthalates from PVC can leach into medical devices and equipment, including blood and intravenous solution bags, tubing for dialysis, feeding tubes, oxygen masks, and surgical gloves.
Paint, adhesives, and varnishes
Image by cwizner from Pixabay.
Formaldehyde is in many types of paint, adhesives, and varnishes; methanol is used as a solvent and an ingredient in some as well (sometimes called “methyl alcohol” or “wood alcohol”).10
Phthalates and VOCs exist in inks, pigments, adhesives, sealants, paints, and lacquers. Some artist materials contain these ingredients, lead, and other heavy metals.
Paper Products
Manufacturers use formaldehyde in some paper products, such as grocery bags and paper towels.11
Personal Care & Beauty Products
Photo by Kier in Sight Archives on Unsplash.
Manufacturers use formaldehyde in hair smoothing, hair straightening products, and nail polish. They use lead in cosmetics and hair dyes. Some beauty and skin care products contain synthetic progesterone. Phthalates are in some personal care products, including nail polishes, perfumes, and other products containing fragrances. In fact, ‘fragrance’ is often a cover for the term phthalates. Look for products rated well in EWG’s Skin Deep database (linked under Additional Resources below). Don’t solely rely on a company’s website to determine the safety of a cosmetic product. Ulta uses the term ‘clean ingredients’ on products rated poorly with EWG for toxicity.
Pharmaceuticals & Dietary Supplements
Photo by Etactics Inc on Unsplash.
Heavy metals in the soil and water, such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, accumulate in plants used in drugs and supplements. Also, “Benzene, while not in the final product, is used in the manufacture of drugs.”12
Many nitrosamines are carcinogenic, and were found in commonly prescribed drugs for hypertension, heartburn, and type 2 diabetes, and prompted numerous Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalls in recent years.13
Smoking
Image by vicky gharat from Pixabay.
Tobacco smoke, such as from cigarettes, is full of chemicals and additives. Formaldehyde, benzene, carbon monoxide, lead, acetaldehyde, acrylamide, arsenic, 1,3‑butadiene, cadmium, carbon monoxide, hexavalent chromium, mercury, nickel, nicotine, and styrene.14
“People are exposed to substantially more acrylamide from tobacco smoke than from food.”15
Please note that e-cigarette and vaping aerosols contain Proposition 65 chemicals as well. These include propylene glycol (also used in antifreeze and paint solvents); acetaldehyde and formaldehyde, both carcinogens; acrolein, an herbicide that can cause irreversible lung damage; diacetyl, a chemical linked to lung disease; diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical used in antifreeze, heavy metals such as nickel, tin, lead, and cadmium; and benzene.16
Stay away from these.
Vehicles
Photo by Connor Williams on Unsplash.
Unfortunately, manufacturers use tons of chemicals in our vehicles too. Worse, heat exacerbates chemical off-gassing. There are flame retardants in vehicle seats and child safety seats. Manufacturers use plasticizers containing phthalates in vehicle upholstery and interiors to provide flexibility to plastics.
The fuel to run vehicles is full of chemicals too. Benzene is in gasoline and petroleum products and is released through vehicle emissions. Toluene is also present in petroleum products.
Then there’s engine exhaust, which contains multiple toxic chemicals, including benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, ethylbenzene, and 1,3-butadiene. This includes all vehicles, recreational boats, generators, and landscaping equipment (including lawnmowers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, and chainsaws).17
“More than 40 chemicals listed for cancer are present in diesel engine exhaust.”18
Be Aware
I say ‘Be Aware’ because you might come across products that are not sold in California but contain the same toxic chemicals. Worse, sometimes companies that sell products nationally or internationally might only label products shipped to California, even though all their products contain the same ingredients.
Remember, one product’s small amount of harmful ingredients is not the problem. These toxins surround us in our homes, in our showers, in the workplace, and in our schools. If we encountered a single chemical occasionally, it likely would not pose a significant threat. But we are constantly bombarded with these chemicals in every facet of our lives. This is why Proposition 65 warnings can help us – we can know just how many of our products are exposing us to toxins.
“We live in well-built, completely insulated containers filled with furniture and furnishings made using chemicals that have been proven to be harmful to our health. We keep our houses clean and germ-free with products made from toxic chemicals capable of causing everything from rashes to kidney disease. Your sofa: Phthalates. Your bed sheets: formaldehyde. Your Tupperware containers, your laundry detergent – bad stuff at every turn.” -Darin Olien, Fatal Conveniences19
I hope this is helpful information. In my next article, I’ll cover Proposition 65 ingredients in food. Thank you for reading, please share and subscribe!
Additional Resources:
List, “Proposition 65 List of Carcinogens or Reproductive Toxicants,” Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), State of California, December 29, 2023.
Book, Fatal Conveniences: The Toxic Products and Harmful Habits That Are Making You Sick―and the Simple Changes That Will Save Your Health, by Darin Olien, Harper, New York, 2023. ↩︎
Page, “Phthalates,” Proposition 65 website, September 2017. ↩︎
Page, “Distributors’ Guide to Navigating Proposition 65,” International Enviroguard website, October 27, 2021. ↩︎
Book, Fatal Conveniences: The Toxic Products and Harmful Habits That Are Making You Sick―and the Simple Changes That Will Save Your Health, by Darin Olien, Harper, New York, 2023. ↩︎
Page, “FDA updates on hand sanitizers consumers should not use,” FDA website, accessed July 28, 2024. ↩︎
Fact Sheet, “Household Appliances,” OEHHA, updated July 2022. ↩︎
Blog Article, “Understand the Proposition 65 California Warning for Your Healthy Home,” healthyhouseontheblock.com, May 14, 2023. ↩︎
Book, Fatal Conveniences: The Toxic Products and Harmful Habits That Are Making You Sick―and the Simple Changes That Will Save Your Health, by Darin Olien, Harper, New York, 2023. ↩︎
Book, Fatal Conveniences: The Toxic Products and Harmful Habits That Are Making You Sick―and the Simple Changes That Will Save Your Health, by Darin Olien, Harper, New York, 2023. ↩︎
Page, “Methanol,” Proposition 65 website, July 2024. ↩︎
Page, “Facts About Formaldehyde,” Environmental Protection Agency, Updated March 6, 2024. ↩︎
Page, “Benzene,” Proposition 65 website, Updated May 2021. ↩︎
Article, “Estimated Cancer Risks Associated with Nitrosamine Contamination in Commonly Used Medications,” Li K, Ricker K, Tsai FC, Hsieh CJ, Osborne G, Sun M, Marder ME, Elmore S, Schmitz R, and Sandy MS. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021 Sep 8;18(18):9465. ↩︎
Page, “Tobacco Smoke,” Proposition 65 website, June 2017. ↩︎
Page, “Acrylamide and Cancer Risk,” National Cancer Institute, December 5, 2017. ↩︎
Page, “What’s in an E-Cigarette?” American Lung Association, updated May 31, 2023. ↩︎
Page, “Gasoline Engine Exhaust,” Proposition 65 website, March 2019. ↩︎
Book, Fatal Conveniences: The Toxic Products and Harmful Habits That Are Making You Sick―and the Simple Changes That Will Save Your Health, by Darin Olien, Harper, New York, 2023. ↩︎
Almost every time I see a Proposition 65 warning label on a product I’m considering purchasing, I don’t buy it. My spouse often asks, “Is it really a big deal?” I say, yes, it means the product has chemicals known in the State of California to cause cancer.
If they cause cancer in California, they cause cancer everywhere.
We’ve had friends over the years who had lived in California. When we asked about Proposition 65, they shrugged and indicated that California’s just ‘overly cautious.’ I quietly disagreed. I didn’t know enough to debate the matter. So I decided I’d learn about it.
Courtesy of Google Maps.
“California tends to be the pioneer of protecting consumers from harmful chemicals in everyday products.” – Darin Olein, Fatal Conveniences1
Cancer on the Rise
As I was writing this article, a new study came out indicating that Generation X and Millennials have a higher risk of getting certain types of cancer when compared to earlier generations. “Researchers from the American Cancer Society (ACS) studied 34 of the most common cancers. They found that cancer incidence rates continued to rise in progressively younger generations in 17 of the cancers, including breast, pancreatic, and gastric cancers.”2
While that study does not point to a cause, Generation X and Millenials have been exposed to far more chemicals than previous generations. We know many chemicals are linked to cancer,3 so overexposure to those chemicals is an obvious explanation.
Read on to learn how Proposition 65 warnings can help us.
Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay.
What is Proposition 65?
It is a right-to-know law. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), which administers the Proposition 65 program, defines it as such: “Proposition 65, officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986…requires businesses to provide warnings to Californians about significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.” These warnings can be in products, homes, workplaces, or the environment. It also protects the state’s drinking water sources from being contaminated with these chemicals.4
“A Proposition 65 warning is telling you that using a product or entering a location can expose you to a significant amount of a chemical that causes cancer, harmful effects on a developing baby, or other harmful effects on reproductive health.”5
What else does the legislation do?
Proposition 65 requires California to publish a list of these chemicals which must be updated annually. It includes over 1000 chemicals.6
For this list, California recognizes the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization), the U.S. National Toxicology Program, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as authorities on carcinogens. The State of California can also make its own determinations about specific substances. As the American Cancer Society notes, “This means that not every chemical on the list has been proven to the worldwide scientific community to actually cause cancer in people.”7
But, if certain chemicals are suspected of causing cancer in California, that’s good enough for me to avoid them.
The List
More than one thousand chemicals make a very long list. The Proposition 65 website has a page called “Fact Sheets” that lists chemical groups, rather than individual chemicals, making the risks easier to read and understand. However, it is not nearly as comprehensive so I recommend viewing both. I’ve linked them under Additional Resources below.
The list includes toxic substances such as lead, asbestos, and hexavalent chromium; industrial solvents; and toxins like carbon monoxide and tobacco smoke. It even includes BPA (Bisphenol A), a toxic substance used in plastic and metal can linings; as well as Styrene, used in many polystyrene take-out containers we incorrectly but commonly call Styrofoam.
Photo by Vitalis Arnoldus on Flickr, Creative commons license (CC BY 2.0).
Proposition 65 Labels
Product labels can be unclear as they only indicate if a product contains chemicals that may cause cancer or reproductive problems. They are required to list one specific chemical in the warning. However, they are not required to list every chemical, their amounts, or how a person may be exposed to them.
“By law, a warning must be given for listed chemicals unless exposure is low enough to pose no significant risk of cancer or is significantly below levels observed to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.”8
Products Sold in Other States
Products sold outside of California are not required to have a warning label even if they contain those toxic chemicals. “Some companies that sell products all over the United States only label those sent to California, even though all their products contain the same compounds.”9 Online sellers to all states must include warnings on their products, such as those listed on Walmart, Amazon, Lowe’s, and others.
Changes Brought by Proposition 65
Many sources don’t find the Proposition 65 warnings helpful, including Wirecutter, the consumer product review arm of The New York Times. I’ve often found their reviews and recommendations helpful because they independently test and review many products. But even they say Proposition 65 isn’t a big deal to worry about because the labels don’t indicate the amount or methods of exposure. However, they do acknowledge that the law has brought change to a variety of consumer products. “Prop 65 has resulted in changes in product formulation to remove or reduce potentially harmful chemicals, including in things like Wite-out and herbicides. Awareness raised by Prop 65 led Coke to change its use of 4-MEI, a potential carcinogen found in some caramel coloring.”10
The law has successfully raised awareness. Here are some of other the changes it has helped with:
“Proposition 65 has helped reduce or eliminate the use of lead in a wide variety of products, including hair dye, toothpaste, ceramic ware, foil caps on wine bottles, children’s jewelry, and even some types of cookies and candy. Levels…with acrylamide levels in major brands of potato chips and french fries. Proposition 65 has also led to the removal of several chemicals harmful to the developing baby during pregnancy from many nail care products, and has encouraged manufacturers of paint strippers to develop alternatives that do not contain methylene chloride or NMP.”11
Controversy
Others argue that Proposition 65 is overly cautious, while others believe it is too broad and meaningless. In fact, on a lot of forums, many people completely disregard the warnings. Some say they are on ‘everything in California;’ others indicate that they just don’t think it’s a big deal. One person wrote, “California puts that on literally everything, they’re idiots.” On another forum where someone asked why a golf towel has a Proposition 65 warning, another responded: “We live in an age where it wouldn’t be out of place to put a warning sign on a water bottle saying ‘could cause drowning.’ Don’t think anything of it.”12
But do think something of it. That golf towel likely has formaldehyde or PFAS in it, which are toxic. Why are harmful chemicals allowed in our products? The reason is that the amount in each item is often limited, making small amounts in products seem acceptable.
But here’s the thing.
If these chemicals were just in our couches or clothes or shampoo, it would be limited exposure. But they are in EVERYTHING. These chemicals are in our food, make-up, skin care products, shampoo, soap, clothing, furniture, carpeting, vinyl flooring, mattresses, bedding, drinking water, household cleaning products, cookware, vehicles, pharmaceuticals, hair dye, take-out containers, drapery, building materials including windows and blinds, plastic food containers and packaging, camping tents, shower curtains, electrical items…etc. We are surrounded by these toxins in our homes, in our showers, in the workplace, and in our schools. If we encountered a single chemical occasionally, it likely would not pose a significant threat.
But we are constantly bombarded with these chemicals in every facet of our lives.We are inundated with these chemicals and cumulatively, it harms us. This raises our chances for reproductive and developmental problems, cancer, and other health issues such as rashes, headaches, and allergies. This is likely why cancer is on the rise.
Image by Евгения from Pixabay.
Protecting Our Health
We are poisoning ourselves with these toxins. As consumers, we must avoid them whenever possible to protect our health. Let’s refuse to purchase items that contain these harmful chemicals. This collective action will drive companies to make necessary changes.
I hope this information helped! Please check out my next article about products with Proposition 65 warnings. Thank you for reading, please share and subscribe.
Additional Resources:
List, “Proposition 65 List of Carcinogens or Reproductive Toxicants,” Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), State of California, December 29, 2023.
Photo by Marco Verch Professional Photographer on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0 DEED).
Have you ever struggled to figure out how to do the laundry without hurting the environment? Do you want your clothes to last longer? It is a challenge, one I’ve been figuring out for years. Here are ways you can practice environmentally friendly laundry habits that will allow you to wear your wardrobe for a long time.
First, Wash Your Clothes Less
Many sustainable fashion experts tell us to launder as little as possible. “If a garment has had no contact with sweat and isn’t stained, you can wear it multiple times before you need to wash it. Repeated laundering breaks down the fibers and fades colors, making garments look old and worn more quickly.”9 You can wear some clothes several times before they need washing. There are ways to “freshen” clothes without washing them. Any time you can avoid washing clothing saves time, energy, money, and water. It also protects our water from pollutants and chemicals.
“Americans in particular overwash their clothing and rely on machine washing instead of steaming or airing out their clothes, which shortens the life span of what we wear.” -Elizabeth L. Cline, The Concious Closet11
In 2014, the CEO of Levi Strauss, Chip Bergh, said that jeans should never be machine washed, admitting that he hadn’t machine washed his jeans in more than a year. When he does wash them, he handwashes and hangs them up to air dry. Bergh argued that not using the washing machine keeps jeans in mint condition and is better for the environment.13
Washing Our Clothes Sheds Microfibers
A 2016 Plymouth University study found that more than 700,000 fibers were released during a thirteen-pound load of laundry, with fleece releasing the most.14 In 2017, a report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimated that 35% of all microplastics in the ocean came from laundering synthetic fabrics.15
Michiel Roscam Abbing, author of Plastic Soup: An Atlas of Ocean Pollution, noted that fleece, as in a fleece jacket or those cheap $4 blankets at big box stores, is one of the biggest villains. That fabric is made from used water bottles, the clear ones with the #1 RIC symbol. While recycling is important, washing fleece releases large numbers of microfibers into water, and eventually the ocean.16
Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to filter out microfibers. These fibers do not decompose or biodegrade. When the microfibers travel through pipes to a wastewater treatment plant, “the vast majority of fibers (somewhere between 75 and 99 percent) settle into the sludge…sludge from wastewater treatment plants can be used as agricultural fertilizer, and it is slathered…onto fields.” From there it can get into the soil, groundwater, or grazing animals that are later consumed by people.17
“Tiny particles of plastic have been found everywhere — from the deepest place on the planet, the Mariana Trench, to the top of Mount Everest. And now more and more studies are finding that microplastics, defined as plastic pieces less than 5 millimeters across, are also in our bodies…In recent years, microplastics have been documented in all parts of the human lung, in maternal and fetal placental tissues, in human breast milk and in human blood.”18
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay.
How to Stop Microfibers from Entering Water Systems
The most obvious solution is to stop washing so many synthetic fabrics by buying fewer synthetic clothing items. For those items you do own already, there are a few solutions:
The Guppyfriend bag is designed to prevent microfiber pollution. It is a zippered bag that you place synthetic clothing into and then put into the washing machine with everything else. The microfibers that shed collect at the edges of the bag, which you can scoop out and throw in the garbage. This prevents the microfibers from getting into the water. Alexander Nolte, co-founder of Guppyfriend, said that “the bag is designed in a way which prevents fibers from breaking in the first place. So, it’s not about what you find in the bag, it’s what you do not find in the bag. Whatever you wash inside the bag has a longer lifetime.”19
I bought one several years ago. While I like it and still use it, my solution has been to buy less synthetic clothing. Unfortunately, Guppyfriend bags are not big enough for jackets or blankets.
The Cora Ball is a ball that you toss into the washing machine with your clothes. It helps prevent shedding and collects microfibers that you can remove and throw into the garbage. I have not personally tried this yet.
PlanetCare is a washing machine attachment with filters that the company claims to collect 90% of microfibers. Each filter comes with reusable cartridges that you replace once they’re full of microfibers. You can return the cartridges to the company so they can refurbish them for future use. I haven’t tried this yet either.
While these solutions are thoughtful and probably work well, they come at your own expense. Does it make sense to buy cheap clothing only to have to spend money trying not to pollute the water with them?
“In 2017, Greenpeace found microfibers in the waters of Antarctica.”20
Photo by PlanetCare on Unsplash.
Do Laundry Better
I am not a laundry expert, but I certainly do a lot of laundry for my family! Many of the tips in the following section came from sustainable clothing writers, including Zoe Edwards (Mend It, Wear It, Love It!), Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald (Modern Mending), Elizabeth L. Cline (The Conscious Closet), and Sophie Benson (Sustainable Wardrobe).
Washing:
Except for undergarments or sweaty clothes, wash clothes less and not after every wear. Airing out will sometimes be enough to remove odors (like from a restaurant or campfire). If it’s only a spot that’s dirty, spot clean with a damp cloth and mild soap (like hand soap). This is better for the garment than a full wash. Elizabeth L. Cline wrote that undergarments or “anything that sits next to your crotch, armpits, feet…and comes into close contact with sweat and skin is a good candidate for regular washing.” Clothing worn over undergarments and clothing that doesn’t cling to your body can be washed far less frequently.
Sometimes the cheapest clothing requires the most expensive care. “Polyester, nylon, and blended fibers with a heavy percentage of synthetics attract odors, meaning so-called easy-care synthetics have to be washed more often.” Wearing more natural materials can help you reduce washing.21
Wash items inside out to reduce wear and pilling; fasten zippers and undo buttons before washing to prevent damage. Turn delicate clothes inside out.
Always separate lights and darks.
Empty and check pockets – especially children’s clothing!
Use cold water – it is gentler on clothes, prevents shrinkage, saves energy, and is better for the environment. According to Energy Star, heating water accounts for about 90 percent of the energy used when running a washer, so the less hot water used, the more energy saved.22 Also, be sure not to overload the machine, because clothes need to be able to move around.
Neutralizing odors:
You can neutralize odors by hanging something outside or in the sunlight for a few hours. Hanging items in the shower allows the steam to remove odors and release wrinkles.
“For garments that need a little deodorizing, lightly spritz the fabric with vodka to kill off odor-causing bacteria; just don’t use it on delicate fabrics like silk. Direct sunshine is also nature’s disinfectant, keeping clothing free from dust mites and odors. Expose each side of the garment for thirty minutes.” –Brigette Allen andChristine Wong, Living Without Plastic23
Photo by Jill Wellington from Pixabay.
Drying:
The heat and friction from dryer heat weaken and break down fibers, eventually ruining your clothes. It also causes shrinking and fading. Air drying, especially outdoors, is the best method. You can use dryer racks if you don’t have a clothesline. The sun acts as a disinfectant, whitener, and odor remover. But even indoor air drying on a drying rack is better for your clothes. You can add half a cup of distilled white vinegar in the rinse cycle as a fabric softener, but avoid conventional products. Read my article on replacing toxic fabric softener and dryer sheets.
When you handwash, hang lightweight items up to drip dry, but lay heavier articles on a towel so that they retain their shape and don’t stretch.
“Hanging clothes outside on a line or drying rack, whenever possible, will do wonders for the longevity of your clothing, and significantly lessen their environmental impact.” -Zoe Edwards, Mend It, Wear It, Love It!24
The energy use of dryers is enormous! “Clothes dryers consume more energy than any other household appliance. In the United States, dryers consume 60 billion kilowatt-hours of energy per year.” In many other countries, clothes dryers are not a common household appliance. Only one-third of the British own one.25
“Air-drying clothes reduces the average household’s carbon footprint by 2,400 pounds per year.” -National Geographic26
I use dryer racks at home. Photo by Marie Cullis.
Clothing Care Labels:
Read clothing labels but use your best judgment. Cline wrote, “The problem with care labels is that they describe the washing conditions a garment can withstand, rather than the ideal care methods. A care label’s instructions, from advertisements on heat settings to the use of bleach, are a garment’s maximum tolerance, not a recommendation.” For example, “a recommendation to ‘machine wash warm’ doesn’t indicate that a warm wash is required, only that your garment can withstand warm water without shrinking.”27Below is a handy chart that explains the symbols on clothing labels:
Wash Care Symbols Vectors by Lia Aramburu on Vecteezy.
Dry Cleaning
Anything marked ‘dry clean only’ needs to be handled with care, and special items, such as mattress covers, and outdoor or technical gear usually have very specific care guidelines that you should follow.28 Avoid buying ‘dry clean only’ clothing as much as possible. The cleaning process uses a lot of chemicals, some toxic, that end up in our water and environment. Dry cleaning uses a chemical called perchloroethylene (PERC), which is toxic to the human body.29 It can affect the central nervous system, liver, kidneys, blood, immune system, and is likely harmful to the reproductive system. This chemical can also off-gas into your car and home.30
If you do have something that is ‘dry-clean only,’ remember that that is often a suggestion. You can spot clean, handwash, and air out these items instead. Read my article on Good Laundry Habits.
Last, plastic-film dry-cleaning bags add 300 million pounds of waste to US landfills each year.31 If you do have to dry clean something, as most of us do at some point, kindly ask if the cleaner can reuse the plastic bag – they likely can!
Photo by Filip Mroz on Unsplash.
Ironing:
Ironing can damage clothing over time, so taking clothing out of the washer as soon as possible is the best way to prevent wrinkling. If you do have to iron, check the clothing label and match your iron setting to the correct setting for that fabric, so that you don’t damage it. Also, iron inside out or use a pressing cloth when possible to further protect your clothing. Sophie Benson wrote that if you iron in batches, “it’s best to order your ironing pile from coolest to hottest, that way you’re not switching between temperatures and there’s no risk of accidentally putting a hot iron on a delicate fabric.”32
Treat stains as soon as possible, as the longer they sit the better they set. Use a small amount of laundry detergent and cold water to remove the stain. Avoid over-rubbing because that can discolor clothing permanently. I personally use a stain stick that is quite effective, and I’ve had the same one for years!
Buncha Farmers stain stick. This is the one I use but there are many brands out there.
For oily stains, blot up liquid by sprinkling baking soda or cornstarch, brush off, then apply liquid detergent to the stain and let it sit for a few hours.
Never tumble dry clothing that is potentially stained, since it will permanently set the stain. Hang dry first so you can see if the stain is visible.
If you cannot remove a stain, consider dyeing the garment. This is a great way to extend the life of an article of clothing. Natural dyes have a lower environmental impact. Even tie-dying is a good way to revive old clothing! If there is a small mark or stain, consider covering it with some simple, discreet embroidery. Use online tutorials to find simple flower or shape motifs.33
Laundry Detergents
Commercial detergents can be laden with chemicals and toxins that you should avoid. Plus companies package detergents in large plastic bottles. However, DIY laundry detergents can be tricky to make and use, and are not always recommended. Since this is a huge topic on its own, please read my article onNon-Toxic and Plastic-Free Laundry Detergents.
Your Clothes Will Last Longer
Our clothing and other textiles will last a lot longer if we take better care of them, especially when it comes to laundry care. And we can be better stewards of the environment. I hope this article helps you! What tips do you have? Feel free to leave me a comment. Thank you for reading, please share and subscribe!
Photo by Sean Freese on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0 DEED).
If you read my article on replacing toxic fabric softener and dryer sheets, then it won’t surprise you that commercial laundry detergents also often contain harmful, toxic ingredients. The chemicals and fragrances are harmful to the human body as well as the environment. Additionally, many detergents come in some form of plastic container, whether it’s a bottle, plastic bag, or “pod.”
Homemade or DIY laundry detergents sound like a great alternative, but in practice, I have not found that to be the case. My conclusion is that while I cannot recommend a specific brand or set of ingredients, I can tell you what to avoid. Following are my findings.
DIY Laundry Detergents
Photo by Kim F on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC 2.0 DEED).
The photo above is not my own but still a familiar scene. I have tried many homemade DIY laundry detergent recipes from bloggers, authors, and environmentalists. Most homemade laundry detergents combine baking soda, washing soda, and/or borax, as well as a cleaning agent, typically grated bar soap. I even tried buying laundry bar soap that you dissolve in water and then use as a liquid detergent. But all had poor results. Our clothes either had an odor or what looked like grease stains on them. Our clothing, towels, and sheets just weren’t getting…clean.
Laundry bar. Photo by Marie Cullis.
The laundry bar dissolving in a reused white bucket. Photo by Marie Cullis.
Then I discovered that soap residue can actually trap dirt and oils in textiles. Kathryn Kellogg, author of 101 Ways To Go Zero Waste, advises against DIY laundry detergents. “Most homemade laundry detergent is really laundry soap, which can clog your washing machine, void the warranty, and ruin your clothes.”21 The soap doesn’t come out because modern washing machine agitators are not as tough on clothing as older machines were. According to Kellogg, a true laundry detergent does not contain fats and oils.24
Soap Nuts
Photo by Khadija Dawn Carryl on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED).
Soapnuts, which are actually berries, are the fruit of the Sapindus Mukorossi tree, which grows in India and Nepal. The husks, or shell, of the fruit “contains plant saponin, a completely natural and gentle soap that has been used for centuries to clean skin and clothes. Saponin works as a surfactant, breaking the surface tension of the water and creating a lather that lifts dirt and grease…this is just one example of how nature offers many solutions for…plastic-free living,” wrote Sanda Ann Harris, author of Say Goodbye To Plastic: A Survival Guide for Plastic-Free Living.25Soapnuts are compostable after use, so they create no waste.
I tried these, excitedly! I followed instructions from myplasticfreelife.com that said to boil the soapnuts into a liquid, and then use the liquid as laundry detergent.
Soapnuts cooking in a pot. Photo by Marie Cullis.
I also tried putting them straight into the washing machine. But they didn’t work great all of the time, and I often had to rewash my clothes. Kathryn Kellogg wrote that she also does not recommend soap nuts. “Both of these items contain saponin or soap. The soap will cause buildup on fabric, preventing it from being absorbent, and the residue can cause skin irritation. Historically, people used soap to clean their clothes, but they washed their clothes by hand. The agitation process was harsh enough for the soap to wash clean. Our modern machines aren’t as rigorous so the soap clings to the fabric.”27
Photo by Pixel Drip on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0 DEED).
Commercial Laundry Detergents
Over the years I have tried all manner of commercial laundry detergents, both powdered and liquid. Powders don’t seem to dissolve well unless I use hot water, and I wash almost everything in cold water. Liquids work better, but their quality runs the gamut. I still don’t have a single brand that I can recommend or that I even buy consistently. But I can tell you what to avoid in detergents.
Plastic Bottles
Photo by nicholasrobb1989 on Pixabay.
Almost all liquid detergents come in plastic bottles. Also, liquid laundry detergents are 60 to 90 percent water! This means we are shipping huge amounts of water in plastic jugs all across the country, which creates more carbon emissions. This seems wasteful!
Worse, even though most laundry jugs are ‘recyclable,’ they don’t often actually get recycled. Humans have only recycled 9% of plastics ever created. Brands like Seventh Generation use 80% recycled plastic in their bottles. While they are also recyclable, there’s no guarantee the bottle will get recycled. It’s best practice to stay away from bottles if you can.
In Part 11 of my Packaging Series, you can read about brands that use different types of packaging, and even some that offer refillable options.
Toxic Ingredients
There are lots of chemicals in most commercial laundry detergents. Those scents are a combination of hundreds of chemicals, many that scientists have linked to illness and disease. Multiple studies in the last two decades have found that dozens of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were found in scented laundry products, but those ingredients weren’t listed on the product labels. They are often listed as “fragrance,” allegedly because companies want to keep proprietary trade secrets to themselves and away from the competition. We are simply pawns stuck in the middle of that.28 Worse, mixing different “fragrances,” aka chemical compositions, can create a synergistic effect, which happens when two or more create a greater health effect than the sum of the individual effect.29
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.
Phthalates
These are in the fragrances of detergents, so you’ll believe your clothes are clean because they smell good. They are a class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, meaning they interfere with our hormone systems and fertility. They are associated with rashes, asthma, allergies, learning and behavioral difficulties in children, and an increased risk of cancer. These are not regulated because companies use the term “fragrance” in the ingredients list under the guise of propriety.
Surfactants
Many laundry detergents use surfactants like petroleum distillate or naphtha because they boost the cleaning power of laundry detergents. However, they can cause respiratory problems, eye and skin irritation, nervous system problems, hormone disruption, and sometimes cancer. Many are also toxic to aquatic life. Other surfactants include quaternium-15, diethanolamine, nonlphenol ethoxylate, and linear alkyl benzene sulfonates.32
Phenol is one more surfactant that can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and nervous system. “Severe exposure can cause liver and/or kidney damage, skin burns, tremor, convulsions, and twitching.”33
The European Union (EU) and Canada banned Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs), but they are allowed in the U.S. These are also endocrine disruptors and may cause cancer. They can lead to extreme aquatic toxicity in the environment.
1,4-dioxane
This is a known human carcinogen and neurotoxin that is always present in trace amounts when ethoxylated surfactants are used because 1,4-dioxane is a byproduct. “1,4-dioxane is never listed on labels because it’s not an intentionally added ingredient, but there are some easy tricks to avoid it. Ethoxylated surfactants usually follow a few naming conventions. If the ingredient ends in “-eth”, such as laureth-6 or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), ceteareth or steareth, it’s ethoxylated.”34Sodium lauryl sulfate is another one to steer clear of. 1,4-dioxane is also a common water contaminant.
Phosphates & EDTA
Manufacturers use Phosphates and EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) “to make detergents more effective in hard water, and to help prevent dirt from settling back on clothes when they’re washing.” These chemicals cause environmental damage, especially in waterways. They also cause algae blooms that damage ecosystems.35 Phosphate-free products are important to help reduce eutrophication, a process that causes algae to grow uncontrollably and cause the death of all life in bodies of water.
Others
Companies use Formaldehyde as a low-cost preservative and antibacterial agent. It can irritate the eyes and lungs and is a suspected carcinogen.36
Dyes cause allergies and rashes, almost all are endocrine disruptors, and many are carcinogens.37
Benzyl acetate is toxic to skin, the nervous system, the kidneys,38 and has been linked to pancreatic cancer.
Dichlorobenzene is a water contaminant and has a highly toxic effect on aquatic life. They are carcinogenic and toxic to the liver, kidneys, and nervous system.
Laundry Pods
Photo by Erik Binggeser on Unsplash.
Laundry detergent pods are purely convenience items. They contain concentrated amounts of detergent encapsulated in a “dissolvable” pod made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA or PVOH). PVA is a synthetic, petroleum-based polymeric plastic. When marketers say it “dissolves” in water, they mean that the plastic breaks down into smaller plastic particles, called microplastics. The microplastics are discharged as part of the wastewater, then enter our water systems, and eventually end up in our bodies.
“Dissolvable” detergent sheets
I tried laundry detergent eco sheets because they are indeed free of huge plastic bottles. While I’ve always been leery of laundry pods because they feel like plastic, I assumed these were different. However, I discovered that these also contain PVA (polyvinyl alcohol).
Again, PVA is a plastic, and while it is designed to dissolve, that doesn’t mean it disappears. A study cited by the company Blueland “suggests that over 75% of PVA persists in our waterways and our soil after it dissolves in laundry and dishwashing machines, flows through wastewater and ultimately back into our environment.”39
In fact, in November 2022, Blueland, the Plastic Pollution Coalition, and a large group of other nonprofit organizations filed a petition with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to readdress PVA and its effects. “This petition requests that the EPA conduct requisite human and environmental health and safety testing for Polyvinyl Alcohol, also known as PVA or PVOH as it is used in consumer-packaged goods, with particular attention to the use of PVA in laundry and dishwasher detergent pods and sheets. The petition also requests that until such testing is completed, the EPA remove polyvinyl alcohol from its Safer Choice Program in order to curb plastic pollution.”40 Unfortunately, the EPA denied those requests.41
Avoid any laundry pods or dissolvable sheets that contain polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).
Image by taraghb from Pixabay.
Powdered Detergents
Meliora powdered detergents, shipped plastic-free! Photo by Marie Cullis.
In general, I have trouble getting our clothes clean with laundry powder in our washing machine. I’m not sure if this is because I wash everything in cold water, or if we have hard water, or just an old washing machine. So when I do wash something in warm or hot water, I use Meliora laundry powder. I also use this laundry powder for all of my handwashing. I ordered the refillable containers on my first order, and the refills arrive in a recyclable brown paper bag. These products do not contain toxic ingredients or fragrances, and the company lists all of their ingredients on the packaging and its website. I recommend this brand (I do not get paid to write that nor am I an affiliate of the company).
Protecting Your Health & the Environment
While this may all seem overcomplicated, it doesn’t have to be. Just do your best. Steering clear of toxic ingredients and avoiding plastic are the goals. Avoid using chlorine bleach and “brighteners” as these are strong chemicals that are toxic to humans and the environment. Find a solution that works for you and stick with that. Sometimes it takes a while.
Photo by the Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0)
“We are amid a major water crisis that is beyond anything you can imagine. Pollution problems persist and toxins are everywhere, stemming from the hazardous wastes of industry and agriculture. We’ve got more than forty thousand chemicals on the market today with only a few hundred being regulated.” -Erin Brockovich34
Water Treatment is Necessary
All water is reused, including the water we dump down drains and the contents we flush in toilets. Wastewater treatment facilities “clean” the water by removing solids – including sewage – and treating the water with chemicals. As Seth M. Siegel wrote, “Unless connected to a septic system, what goes down the sink, shower bath, dishwasher, washing machine, and toilet is transferred to one of these facilities.”36 Water has microorganisms, bacteria, and viruses, so it is necessary to treat the water with chemicals so that is safe to drink. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doesn’t research or regulate all of those chemicals. As Erin Brockovich noted, “Scientists still have little data about how individual chemicals impact our health, and know even less about the effects of multiple chemicals on the body.”37
“So there is shit in the water; I’d have to make peace with that.” -Elizabeth Royte, Bottlemania: Big Business, Local Springs, and the Battle Over America’s Drinking Water
There are more than 16,000 publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities in the United States.38 Many of these now use an alternative disinfectant method, a mixture of chlorine and ammonia, called chloramine. They’re doing this increasingly in order to meet federal disinfection byproduct requirements. It is the cheapest way but it is dangerous. Chlorine normally evaporates somewhat quickly, but chloramine lasts longer in the water. Chloramine is “a known carcinogen and causes more rapid deterioration of the municipal infrastructure and degradation of water system valves and fittings. In systems that still use lead pipes or lead components (which means millions of homes and buildings), the chloramine causes lead and other metals to leach out of faucets and showerheads and into our drinking water. Studies indicate the formation of toxic byproducts in drinking water may be higher when utilities use chloramines.”39
“Public water utilities didn’t, and still mostly don’t, see themselves as part of the community’s public health infrastructure…utilities deliver water that is ‘good enough’ at the lowest cost possible.” -Seth M. Siegel, Troubled Water40
Chlorine Burnouts
These happen when the water utility is trying to meet testing standards. It makes the water strongly smell like chlorine. “It’s a dirty practice that cheats the system,” wrote Erin Brockovich. A burnout is when the water treatment changes from chloramines to free chlorine. “They do this to clean the water pipes and essentially flush the entire system,” and then test the water before and after, but not during. “The regular use of chloramines doesn’t remove all the harmful organics and dirt from the water supply, so the system gets ‘flushed’ with chlorine, forming thousands of chemical combinations that cause cancer and other health issues…The levels of chlorine used in a burnout produce chloroform, which if inhaled in a hot shower or through medical devices (humidifiers, CPAPs, or nebulizers) can cause chemically induced asthma and pneumonia.”41
“It’s important to know that chlorine in clean drinking water doesn’t smell. When you smell what you think is chlorine in water, it’s due to exceedingly high levels of toxic chemical compounds reacting with the chlorine.” – Erin Brockovich42
Wastewater treatment plant, image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay
Toxic Contaminants Linked to Cancer
Many contaminants are linked to illnesses and health issues, including cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be approximately 1,918,030 new cancer cases in 2022.43 But what is causing all of these cancer cases? Though some cancer may be from genetics or lifestyle, I’m convinced that most cancer is due to exposure to chemicals.
In 2019, researchers revealed that between 2010 and 2017, more than 100,000 cases of cancer were likely caused by the accumulation of carcinogenic chemicals in tap water. They cited arsenic, disinfection byproducts, and radioactive contaminants as the major contaminants, but they also noted that other toxins that are not monitored, such as PFASs and PFOAs, may also contribute to cancer cases.44
“How much of any toxic substance can a human body ingest and still be well?“ -Erin Brockovich45
Children Are Getting Cancer Too
Cancer affects our children globally. In the U.S., cancer is diagnosed annually in about 400,000 children aged 19 or under. It is the leading cause of death by disease past infancy for children.46 As Erin Brockovich wrote, children “don’t smoke, drink alcohol, or work stressful jobs.” So why are so many getting cancer? Children are more vulnerable to chemical toxins than adults because they have higher metabolisms and less mature immune systems.47 We need more research but suspicion should be enough to tell us that there’s a problem.
“American children are growing up exposed to more chemicals than any other generation in history and it shows.” -Erin Brockovich48
Photo by Steve Snodgrass on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0)
How Do These Contaminants End Up in Our Water?
“Of the tens of thousands of chemicals in commerce in the U.S., fewer than one hundred drinking water contaminants are on a list of those regulated by the EPA.” -Seth M. Siegel, Troubled Water49
Contaminants in our water come from many sources. Besides water treatment chemicals, corporations that discharge toxic wastewater and chemicals into the groundwater and surrounding environment pollute the water. Improperly lined landfills leach toxins into groundwater. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, forces chemicals into the ground to release natural gas and those get into the water supply. The toxins from gasoline and oil spills get into the water. Pharmaceuticals are now in our water supply too.
Herbicides and pesticides applied to large agricultural plots get into the water supply from run-off, meaning rainwater washes some of them away and they get into the water supply. Big agriculture dumps animal waste into our waterways, both directly and indirectly. Tyson Foods, for example, was caught several times directly dumping tons of animal waste into waterways. Indirectly, animal farms maintain hog lagoons to collect animals’ feces and store them in ponds. During floods, those ponds overflow and mix with all of the water and enter the water supply.
The pink pond at the bottom of the image is an example of a Hog Lagoon, in North Carolina. Photo by The Waterkeeper Alliance on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0). Image slightly cropped and fade corrected.
“We assume watchdogs are in place and that regulatory agencies and government standards are keeping us safe…Big businesses rule the roost, dumping their leftover chemicals wherever they like with little regard for our safety.” -Erin Brockovich50
Improve Infrastructure and Treatment
Landfill leachate in Wales. The orange froth is a mixture of solvents, phenols and other chemicals from a landfill created before regulations. Photo by richie rocket on Flickr, Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
Governmental and municipal agencies across the United States must upgrade antiquated water infrastructure and water treatment practices. “The technology we rely on for treating most of our drinking water is almost a century old and many of our water treatment plants have been in operation since the early twentieth century.”51
“It’s enough to make a tap lover cry.” -Elizabeth Royte52
Monitor Pollution
Federal, state, and local government agencies must supervise industries and monitor for pollution since we know we cannot rely on the industries to self-regulate or self-report. “Unsupervised industry pollution combined with failing infrastructure is a recipe for disaster. To add insult to injury, the more polluted the water becomes, the more chemicals we need to treat it.”53 Otherwise, cancer and related illnesses will continue to grow.
“We’ve had industrial byproducts discarded into the ground and into our water supply for years. The companies who dump these toxins know it. They have always known it. The government knows it too. These issues affect everyone – rich or poor, black or white, Republican or Democrat. Large and small communities everywhere think they are safe when they are not.” -Erin Brockovich54
Aerial view of the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility. Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash
What Can You Do?
As I mentioned earlier, water treatment is necessary. But many contaminants in water aren’t just from disinfection, as mentioned in Part 1. Find out what’s in your water by using the Environmental Working Group’s Tap Water Database. Then learn more about those contaminants in my list of Common Water Contaminants. Educate others, advocate through community and municipal meetings, call your water company and local politicians, and don’t take no for an answer.
Please don’t switch to bottled water. This may sound counterintuitive but it is largely a scam. It provides a false sense of security, as the water source for most bottled water is tap water.
In the meantime, review how you’re filtering your water at home. Most water filter systems don’t remove all contaminants. In my next article, I’m going to cover how to filter out the contaminants you are most concerned about. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!
Additional Resources:
Database, Environmental Working Group’s Tap Water Database.
