Burnin’ Down the House

I am writing today about a toxic chemical crisis that I expect will be unfolding in the public eye in the next few years as the research is published, and bio-monitoring initiatives are more widespread. I’m talkin’ about stuff on stuff to keep it from burning; flame retardants. Most consumer goods are treated with them, and that has been positive - a marked reduction in loss of life in the case of a fire, as well as minimizing total damages to personal property. The problem is that these flame retardants, commonly from the polybrominated diphenol ether family (PBDE) don’t bond snugly with the material they are applied to/mixed with. This means that over time, this chemical is released into our homes and out our doors into the air.

So what does this mean to us? PBDE’s are showing up in alarming quantities in the breast milk of mothers in industrialized nations (US women have the highest levels). PBDE’s are in household dust (think baby, crawling on floor, hand in mouth, consuming dust…you get the picture). So our most vulnerable population is being exposed to increasing amounts of this stuff, and no one is quite sure what it does to humans. It is a suspected developmental neurotoxin that interferes with thyroid function, may cause learning deficits, and is generally not so healthy. Researchers are working hard to provide more specific data that could drive policy and manufacturing changes, but that will take awhile.

Regarding the safety of breast feeding, please take a moment to read Florence William’s article on this subject. She is funny, compassionate and well-informed. Based on her information and my independent research, I feel that the benefits of nursing still outweigh the risks (for now). I nursed Joseph, and I plan on nursing Joshua when he arrives.

So why isn’t this stuff banned? Certain versions of are being phased out, especially in the EU (penta & octa). But the most common of all, the decaPBDE, is still widely used. What can you do to limit exposure to yourself and your child? It really is everywhere, even in the arctic, so you can’t avoid it. I like to think that reducing exposure is helpful, so here are what I believe to be the largest sources in our home (in no particular order):

The mattress: anything with foam needs flame retardants, and mattresses need to meet flammability standards. Bottomline – I feel like they are loaded, and I spend a lot of time with my face buried in it. Many chem-free versions are available that will still meet flammability requirements.

The computer (and other consumer electronics): Some computer companies are voluntarily reducing or eliminating the use of PBDE’s in the manufacturing process. Great if you can buy a new computer. I am sitting in front of an old laptop. Deca-laced breast milk, anyone?

The carpet: Carpets are nasty, awful old things that I am sure I will address at a later date. Synthetic carpets are treated for flammability. Go natural if possible..but watch that wool! It was probably impregnated with permethrins to control moths (again, more on this later).

Old Foam: I promptly discard any foam that is dry or crumbly (like old changing table pads) .

Dust: It stands to reason that if the compound is found in dust, then reducing dust in the home may be helpful. I don’t go too crazy here. But when I think of it, I wet mop or dust with a damp rag (vacuuming and dry dusting will just move it around). Additionally, I try to wash my hands and the baby’s hands before eating.

Food: Our poor friends the fish store a lot of everything bad, so if you haven’t already been avoiding some of the bigger guys due to mercury and PCB concerns, here’s another reason to go as low/small on the food chain as possible. I use standard mercury guidelines to decide which fish to eat. Additionally, since PBDE’s love to hang out with fat, low fat meats and dairy might help limit exposure.

That’s about it. decaPBDE’s are on electrical wires, in cars, airplanes, offices, furniture etc., so there is a limited amount that can be done to avoid them. Some of the measures I am taking may help reduce the total body burden for me and my family, but at the end of the day, it may very well be like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

Goin' Nutty

Ahh…peanut butter. The perennial lunchtime favorite for many a mom and tot. I have had a passion for peanut butter all my life. Nutritious, delicious, and cheap. And so versatile! Smeared on sandwiches, toast, in sauces, cookies, or my favorite, eaten by the spoonful straight from the jar (with a 2^nd dip into the jam jar). Yummy!

So as many of these posts go…while I was pregnant with Joseph…I consumed copious amounts of peanut butter. It appeared to me to be the perfect pregnancy food, with its protein-rich, nutty goodness, and the fact that it wouldn’t lead to listeriosis contamination if left unrefrigerated in my backpack. And of course, there would be no evil conventional peanut butter for me, with its added sugar, oil, and pesticides. No, I haughtily ground my own butter at my local health food store (I am so smart and authentic, I thought).

Well, life is filled with endless irony, and my loving, safe relationship with peanut butter was about to turn dark in the shadow of betrayal. After I had consumed pounds of this stuff throughout the pregnancy, I learned that all peanut butter contains some level of aflatoxin, a poisonous mycotoxin produced by the fungi that is present in peanuts. And guess what? That homey, do-it-yourself version at the health food store carries the highest levels! Turns out that I should have been embracing Peter Pan instead of cozying up to unroasted Valencias. I was embarrassed, dismayed, and of course, panicky. My mind raced: What is the research on fetal exposure to this toxin? How about me? What had I done?

I couldn’t find much data on prenatal exposure, and I didn’t look too hard. Joseph is here, and thriving and I did not need to focus on subtle behavioral effects (which there apparently are according to the animal data). Aflatoxin is, however, something that it looks best to avoid, or at least limit exposure, especially in children. It is a known liver carcinogen, and there have been cases of acute toxicity in countries where it is present in higher quantities in food (it is also in corn and other grains).

So what did I do? I tried not to dwell in the past. I switched to alternative butters (sunflower seed is fun and cheaper than almond). I won’t feed Joseph any peanut butter until he is at least 3 years old (current recommendation due to allergy concerns), and by the time he does eat it, I will have found an organic version that does some self-regulating (I heard that Arrowhead Mills monitors their levels). But the sad reality is that little Joseph and Joshua will not be raised on PBJ’s like generations before them. We will trade the Jiff, Smucker’s, Wonder Bread combo of my youth for Organic almond butter (heck, maybe pumpkin seed!), no sugar added Jam, and Ezekiel bread. Do you think they’ll know what they’re missing?

Hitting the Bottle

When I was pregnant with Joseph last year, I was proudly hydrating myself with lemon water in a Nalgene bottle. That bottle and I were inseparable, and I was chugging 64+ oz. per day. That came to a screeching halt when someone I know made an offhand comment about plastics leaching nasty things. WHAT??!!! This lead to a full-on research binge that led me to a hormone driven frenzy. The end result of this freak-out was useful, however. Here is what I learned and what I did:

Polycarbonate plastic (#7) is suspected of leaching Bisphenol-A, a known endocrine disruptor. The potential leaching is more likely to occur if the bottle or container is scratched, cracked, or run often through the dishwasher, or when heated. I decided that I needed a non-plastic solution, so I found the KleanKanteen, a stainless steel water bottle. They make many sizes, including sippy cups.

Additionally, much to my husband's dismay, I tossed out most of our tupperware, and only use glass containers, plates, etc. There is plenty of info on plastics out there; check out the Blue Butterfly Campaign for more info. Bottomline - avoid plastics #7, 6 and 3.

So...what about baby bottles? We decided that when Joseph was born, we would go old school glass all the way. Those bottles were purchased, sterilized, and set aside in anticipation of BPA free feedings. But as most best laid plans, this one was blown to bits in the face of nursing challenges and Joseph's early weight loss. We worked with a great lactation group, and they use Avent products. So we trashed our little glass gems and bought the full Avent line, thinking this was our only option.

At about the 5 month mark, I started looking upon those Avent bottles with growing suspicion. They had been knocked around, scrubbed, soaked, etc. Not acceptable for Toximom. Fortunately, there is a great company called Born Free that produces a full line of bottles and sippys in polypropylene (#5). This version is BPA free, although there is probably something else in there that we will find out about later. But anyway, for now, they seem like a good solution. So bye-bye Bisphenol-(A)vent! Hello my friend #5.

Toximomologist

I am a mom with“neofright” knowledge of neurotoxicology. In addition to enjoying the hell out my little boy, my journey as a new mom has been largely defined by trying to respond to information about the environmental toxicants that can affect my kid, instead of reacting to it in paralyzing fear. Sometimes I pull it off. Other times I get swept up in the chemical content of household dust and I am amazed that most children reach adulthood knowing how to add and subtract.

This blog is not about fear-mongering, or advising that we all don charcoal-lined, respirated suits and eschew anything manmade. I sit in front of a flame-retardant dipped computer, have particle board cabinets, buy conventional cotton onesies, and sleep on a visco elastic foam mattress (for now). There is only so much control I have over exposures, whether it is due our tight budget or the fact that no alternative products are on the market (yet). I hope that this sharing can help someone make decisions about preventable toxin exposures to children.