Rushing through the Cheltenham suburbs, had to buy wine so lurched into the huge carpark of an out of town shopping experience. By which I mean a cluster of huge supermarkets snarling at each other across an enormous expanse of tarmac dotted with a huddle of tiny trees at least one of which was sporting a plastic bag. Village Boy leapt out of the van and bounded off shouting, white hare like, about time. I was following rather more sedately when Whole Foods Market caught my eye. I had never seen one before and I admit I snorted at the messages plastered on the windows…. but I went to have a look anyway.
I have numerous issues with supermarkets which I won’t go into here. Suffice to say I use them when I have to but they deeply irritate, even anger me. The packaging, the waste, the plastic are just a few of the niggles.
And yet, I was about to have a supermarket epiphany. Yes Whole Foods Market are my idea of supermarket heaven. If there have to be supermarkets, then let them be like this.
They have
Unwrapped lettuce and unpackaged olives…
Loose grains, rice beans and pulses
Loose tea & coffee beans.
Loose spices, herbs, dried fruits and nuts
A peanut butter making machine
oil on tap so you can refill your bottle
All of the above you can buy by weight in your own containers. This is common in the U.S. and Australia. They have bulk stores or bulk foods aisle in a grocery store. In this case it doesn’t necessarily mean buying huge amounts but buying loose and unpackaged.
BYO Bags
While the carrier bags at the check-out are paper, the rest of the packaging, the produce bags and bottles they provide, are all plastic so you would have to take your own compostable pots and reusable bags. Easily done – find out how here.
Tare
The weight of the bag will make a difference at checkout in the price per weight. The tare weight is the weight of the empty container. Whole Food Markets have weighing machines that allow you to do this yourself. It is very easy.
Lush
Whole Foods Market as it name suggests also has a organic eco criteria. This isn’t some giant Weigh & Save shop but a plush, lush shopping experience
Stores
Since then I have taken the opportunity to visits as many Whole Food Markets as I can.
Please check that stock is available before you visit – the photos are quite old now and NOT ALL STORES ARE THE SAME. For instance Glasgow does Ecover refills Cheltenham doesn’t.
About
This American company have recently opened some flagship stores in the UK It is funky, good looking and challenging. It boasts impressive eco credentials. I wanted to know more so I emailed ahead asking if it would be OK for me to take photos next time I visited. Not only did they say yes, but Renata Rees, Marketing Team Leader, offered to meet me. An offer I eagerly accepted. You can read about it here
Lidles is a chain of budget supermarkets. It offers some plastic free surprises. (Click the links to see a review and other options). Take your own bags
Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG (German pronunciation: [ˈliːdl̩]; UK: /ˈlɪdəl/ LID-əl), formerly Schwarz Unternehmenstreuhand KG, is a German global discount supermarket chain, based in Neckarsulm, Germany,[1] that operates over 10,000 stores across Europe and the United States.[2] It belongs to Dieter Schwarz, who also owns the store chains Handelshof and hypermarket Kaufland.
Bakery section selling loose rolls and continental pastries. These are good value and pretty good – particularly enjoyed the pain au raisin. Again take your own bags.
I haven’t tried these but they look promising;
bread mix flour with yeast already added just add oil and water, what sounds like plastic free corn flour and breadcrumbs in a box (no plastic crackle when squeezed).
Sadly most of the veg is plastic wrapped and all the meat and cheese.
More
I have not seen these myself but know a woman who has.
This is an area where you want to do your own research and decide what level of protection you need. I do not use antiseptic or disinfectants because I don’t do surgery on my kitchen table or have a low immune system. I keep stuff clean and it seems to work. BUT this is a subject about which I know little. This is my understanding of it. I strongly advise you to do your own research. Here goes…..
Microbes
The world is full of microbes – micro-organisms – or germs. “Microbes are single-cell organisms so tiny that millions can fit into the eye of a needle. They are the oldest form of life on earth. Microbe fossils date back more than 3.5 billion years to a time when the Earth was covered with oceans that regularly reached the boiling point, hundreds of millions of years before dinosaurs roamed the earth. Without microbes, we couldn’t eat or breathe.Without us, they’d probably be just fine.” Which is maybe why we seem determined to wipe them out. Microbes are everywhere. Inside you outside you swarming all over that keyboard you just touched to type in that fantastically appreciative comment.
They can be divided into four main groups – bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Some are good such as the composting microbes, some are bad such as the pneumonia germs, some just bumble about doing what ever it is they do in their teeny tiny world. “By and large, the vast majority of the microbes on this planet are not those that make us sick. We have only scratched the surface to what microbes are out there, and more of them are harmless or even beneficial to us,” Says a scientist.
Kill THEM!!!!!!
But still we want them dead. And here’s how.
Antiseptics & Disinfectants
What are they and now are they different
Antiseptics are antimicrobial substances that slow or stop the growth of micro-organisms (germs)
They are used on living tissues and cells on external surfaces of the body and help prevent infections. Though they are antiseptics they are often called skin disinfectants,
Antibiotics destroy micro-organisms inside the body, NHS website says…Antibiotics are used to treat or prevent some types of bacterial infection. They work by killing bacteria or preventing them from reproducing and spreading. Antibiotics aren’t effective against viral infections, such as the common cold, flu, most coughs and sore throats.
Disinfectants destroy microorganisms which infect nonliving objects.
You would use an antiseptic to clean your hands, a disinfectant to clean your breadboard and an antibiotic to kill pneumonia Wikkipedia tells us that Some antiseptics are true germicides, capable of destroying microbes (bacteriocidal), while others are bacteriostatic and only prevent or inhibit their growth. Antibacterials are antiseptics that have the proven ability to act against bacteria. Antiseptics are not antibiotics.
Using Antiseptics and Disinfectants
This is not meant as advice I am just relating my personal choices. I never use disinfectants or antiseptics. I clean with soap and bicarbonate ( which is mildly antiseptic but not as good as vinegar).
Most Common Uses
Disinfecting The Home
Food preparation, kitchens and bathrooms are the obvious places for disinfectants. You don’t want bad germs in your food. I do the obvious things like wash my hands before eating and after I have touched anything dirty. I keep cooked and uncooked food separate. I don’t eat raw meat. I store food in clean conditions. I wash the chopping board if I have used it for meat before I use it for anything else. I have two boards that I use when preparing food. I clean fruit and veg before eating. For all of this I use soap and hot water. soap and a good scrub. I don’t think think that anything else is necessary. , Also disinfectants kill all microbes, the good the bad the stuff we don’t know what it does yet. Which is unessecary and possibly harmful. There are arguments that living in a sterile atmosphere lowers resistance to infection as the body has not built up any resistance. Clean not sterile is my mantra.
We need to talk about vinegar…..
Commercial disinfectants are extremely effective. Green alternatives are billed as kinder less harmful. They are certainly less harmful to the microbes because they don’t work as well.
Vinegar & Essentail Oils Vinegar is the much touted disinfectant of choice for the plastic free. It is about 5% acetic acid. It’s the acid that kills bacteria and viruses, most probably by denaturing (chemically changing) the proteins and fats that make-up these nasties. It is good but not as effective as common commercial disinfectants. Vinegar will not kill salmonella, “which can transfer from raw meat to chopping boards and onto other foods to give us food poisoning.” Ammonia, baking soda, vinegar, Borax, “are not registered with EPA and should not be used for disinfecting because they are ineffective against S. aureus.
Hydrogen peroxide can also be used The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved hydrogen peroxide as a sanitizer. It can kill salmonella. Research published by the Journal of Food and Science in 2003 showed effective results of using hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate apples and melons that were infected with strains of E.coli. Essentail Oils – there is even less evidence for efface of essential oils and they take a lot of resources to produce.
Cleaning A Wound
For a long time hydrogen peroxide was used as an antiseptic on open wounds and grazes. Now many recommend against it saying it also kills off healthy tissue and beneficial bacteria. In short using any antiseptics on an open wound is an area of medical controversy.
“In clinical practice, antiseptics are broadly used for both intact skin and wounds, although concerns are raised based upon their effect on human cells and wound healing. Opinions are conflicting. Some authors strongly disapprove the use of antiseptics in open wounds.[6-8] On the other hand, others believe antiseptics have a role in wound care, and their use may favor wound healing clinically.[9,10]
Web MD claim that cool running water “is the best treatments for common wounds, and that you should rinse the wound for at least five minutes to remove it of debris, dirt, or anything else that may be in there. The water will clean the wound out well enough for your body to take over without harming the still living tissue around the wound.“
I don’t get many wounds and when I do, I don’t use antiseptics. Most cuts and scrapes seems to clear up with out infection – even when travelling in some of the dirtier places. Again, not a recommendation just an observation.
Skin Disinfectants ( Antiseptics)
Removing bacteria from the skin is done to prevent the spread of disease. The area of skin you need to keep cleanest is your hand which carry microbes from place to place by touch.
Soap
The easiest way to disinfect the skin is to wash with soap and water. But don’t bother with anti bacterial soaps. “Washing your hands is extremely important for preventing the spread of infectious illness, especially at critical points like after using the toilet, changing the baby, or handling raw foods. But consumers can’t assume that antibacterial soaps are better for this than other soaps.”
Soap doesn’t kill bacteria but removes it .
“harmless and harmful microbes stick to the oil your hands naturally produce, and, absent removal, willingly hitch a ride until they reach their ultimate destination (inside of you or somebody else) where they can in some cases wreak havoc…. [washing hands]… for at least 20 or more seconds at a time, is a highly effective way of removing bacteria despite the fact that the bacteria doesn’t die, but is simply flushed away when you rinse (or wiped off on a towel).”
Alchohol
If you have no soap and water or that is not appropriate you can try alcohol. Both ethanol or ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol, or isopropanol can be used as antisceptics and have similar effects. However ethanol or ethyl alcohol is the stuff that makes you drunk isopropyl alcohol, or isopropanol (also known as rubbing alchohol or surgical spirit) is made from propene derived from fossil fuels and water.You can read more about it here
If you want a petroleum free product use ethyl alcohol.
ethyl alcohol.
Can be used as a skin disinfectant. It effective against a wide range of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi, and kills most bacteria, fungi, and many viruses on the hands and skin.
It is commonly used as skin antiseptics, often in the form of wipes Wise geek
It is
effective against a wide range of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi,
kills most bacteria, fungi, and many viruses on the hands and skin
is commonly used as skin antiseptics, often in the form of wipes or gels, and for disinfecting surfaces
Its main main effect on microorganisms seems to be to coagulate essential proteins, rendering them ineffective, and causing cell death or inhibiting reproduction.
It may also have a dehydrating effect and may interfere with the functioning of cell membranes. Wise geek
Mouth & Mouthwashes
Now this I do use. I have a troublesome wisdom tooth that occasionally flares up. I can keep it at bay with a rigorous tooth cleaning regime. When it is bad I use a salt mouthwash. And I have used hydrogen peroxide which seems to work.
Sodium chloride (salt) solution can be used as a mildly antiseptic mouthwash.
Hydrogen peroxide can be used as a mouth gargle The Merck Manuals recommended diluting the 3% hydrogen peroxide 50 percent with water, but suggest it as a rinse and part of a treatment for trench mouth, for example. The FDA has approved 3% solutions of hydrogen peroxide for use as a mouthwash. Most sources said to use it only for a short time, however, such as part of a treatment of a mouth infection. A report from Well-Connected (written or edited by physicians at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital) recommended against extended use, saying that overuse may actually damage cells and soften tooth surfaces. We were not able to find any authoritative information about hydrogen peroxide and canker sores.
Hydrogen peroxide may be amongst the better options.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved hydrogen peroxide as a sanitizer. It can kill salmonella.
Research published by the Journal of Food and Science in 2003 showed effective results of using hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate apples and melons that were infected with strains of E.coli.
You can use of hydrogen peroxide is to bleach hair. The concentrations are between 3% and 6%.
It can be used to clean blood stains out of clothes and brighten colours but do be careful it doesnt actually leave bleach marks.
DISCLAIMER
Absolutely no animal testing
The information in this blog is for guidance only. None of the recipes or tips in this blog have not been tested on anyone other than me and some fearless chums. I strongly advise you do your own research and proceed very carefully. Be aware of the risks of listening to someone who
N.B. lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x
There’s a new kid on the block – the coconut fibre scouring pad. It is a tangle of strong matted coconut fibre. It is tougher than the luffa not as brutal as a metal it is excellent for mid range cleaning. I have been using mine for a while now and it is still nice and wiry unlike the luffa which tends to soften up with use. I have used it in a wide range of circumstances and I am pleased with the results. I think they compare well with synthetics and can be used as an alternative.
It comes simply packaged in a cardboard sleeve so no rubbish there.
This online shop are very aware of problematic plastic misuse and have a great packaging policy. Tell them you want no plastic packaging and you will be heard.
They also do a good-looking range of bamboo products including crochet hooks and pegs.
This one product can replace hundreds of plastic bottles on your shelves. It does biodegrade. However there are issues about how it is obtained. I say it is a good product but use in moderation. Locally made soap is a greener cleaning option to my mind.
It can mined directly from the ground as Nahcolite. This is a soft, colourless or white carbonate mineral with the composition of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). It may also be called thermokalite.
Manufactured
Most Bicarbonate of soda is produced by either of these heavily industrialized processes The Solvay ProcessUses limestone, salt and ammonia to transform salt (sodium chloride). Mining –Tronaore is mined, then heated until it turns into soda ash also known as washing soda. Bicarbonate of soda is obtained along the way. Read more.
Baking Soda V Washing Soda
Baking Soda’s PH is not as alkaline as washing soda, so it doesn’t cause skin irritation and you don’t need gloves to handle them. It is not as harsh as washing soda but neither is it as effective a cleaner. It is also half as effective at softening water.
You can turn bicarb back into washing soda by baking it so that breaks back down into water steam, carbon dioxide and washing soda. I have never done this but by all acounts need to cook your bicarb in the oven for half an hour at 400 F (or 200 C). You can compare and contrast them here.
Bicarbonate As A Cleaner
Bicarbonate is alkaline. Alkaline cleaners work well because they emulsify grease. Fatty acids are normally insoluble which is why they cannot be cleaned using water alone. The alkaline breaks down fat making them dispersable in water.
They also coat the dirt with negatively charged hydroxide ions which means the dirt particles repel each other. So rather than massing together in a big greasy clump they remain suspended in solution so again can be rinsed off. Read more HERE
Deodorising
Bicarb can be used to get rid of acid based nasty smells.
“Many carboxylic acids have unpleasant smells and tastes. They are responsible for:
the taste of vinegar
the smell of sweaty socks
the taste of rancid butter
Carboxylic acids are weak acids. This means that dilute solutions of carboxylic acids have higher pHs (ie are less acidic) than dilute solutions of strong acids such as hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid.
Weak acids are less reactive than strong acids.” Read more HERE
Baking soda is an effective deodorant “because of its basicity. Many foul-smelling compounds are acidic. Neutralizing the compound gives it an ionic character which reduces the vapor pressure (meaning it is less available for the nose to smell it) and makes it much more water soluble (it can be washed away).” Source
Cooking
Bicarbonate can be used to make baking soda “Baking soda, is also used to make cookies, cakes, biscuits, and similar pastries “rise” during baking. In the presence of an acid, it easily decomposes into carbon dioxide and a sodium salt of that acid, and the trapped bubbles provide the textures we enjoy in those foods. Note that “baking powder” is a simple mixture of baking soda and a dry acid such as cream of tartar,” often with a starch added to provide bulk.
Bicarb is available fromk Wing Yip Chinese Super Store in Manchester in bulk in paper bags
Wilco’s in a cardboard box Dri Pac in cardboard boxes with plastic liners.
You can also get some great deals on ebay but it does come plastic wrapped.However when you think how much you can do with it, and how many plastic bottles it, replaces you might consider it a worthwhile trade off!
More
Borax, washing soda, bicarbonate or all three. What should you use for your cleaning needs? A comparison HERE
Information on PH balances and other cleaning products can be found HERE
Dirt, stains and even rusts are all known as soils in the cleaning world. That is as in soiled rather than the brown stuff worms eat. Cleaning is the removal soil. Again forget about spades!
Soils fall into 2 categories, organic and inorganic
Organic soils such as fat, grease, protein like blood, and carbohydrate. I dont know what carbohydrate soil is – any one else? Mold, yeast and bacteria, motor oil, axle grease, cutting oils and other petroleum soils.
Inorganic soils such rust, scale, hard water deposits and minerals such as sand, silt and clay.
They require different cleaning solutions
Organic soils are usually best moved using alkaline cleaners.
Inorganic soils prefer an acid cleaner.
Minerals are often cleaned with general purpose cleaners.
Alkaline & Acid Solutions
Wether a solution is acid or alkaline is down to how much how much hydrogen is in a solution.
Acidity is measured in pH or the power of hydrogen.
It is shown in number form on the pH scale of 1 to 14.
Confusingly the lower the number the higher the hydrogen. The higher the hydrogen the more acidic the solution.
pH 1 = lots of hydrogen (H+) ions in solution
pH 14 = hydroxyl ions (OH–) in solution
If you know the nature of your soil you know how to clean it.
Alkaline cleaners
Alkaline cleaners work well because they emulsify grease. Fatty acids are normally insoluble which is why they cannot be cleaned using water alone. The alkaline breaks down fat making them dispersable in water.
They also coat the dirt with negatively charged hydroxide ions which means the dirt particles repel each other. So rather than massing together in a big greasy clump they remain suspended in solution so again can be rinsed off.
“Tthe alkali will break down the fats making the residue soluble or dispersible in water. It’s called saponification: alkalis turn fats into soap which is why a greasy floor gets as slippery as a bag of arseholes when you put an alkali on it. While we rely on thermal disinfection in dish washers the fact is the alkali in a proper machine wash turns microbial cell walls into soap.”
Acidic Cleaners
Do not cut through grease. Vinegar the acid much touted as a cleaning fluid will be no good on your greasy stains because Vinegar is polar, while oils are nonpolar, so they don’t interact well together. (You have seen how oil and vinegar in salad dressing separate from each other — this is because of their opposite polarity.)
Inorganic soils include grit, salt, rust and limescale.
They are best cleaned using acids
Micro plastics are microscopic or very small pieces of plastic that can be found in soil, water even in the air. They are too small to collect or clean up so there they stay. We have now changed the ecosphere irreversibly – with as yet unknown results.
“The scale of global microplastic contamination is only starting to become clear, with studies in Germany finding fibres and fragments in all of the 24 beer brands they tested, as well as in honey and sugar. In Paris in 2015, researchers discovered microplastic falling from the air, which they estimated deposits three to 10 tonnes of fibres on the city each year, and that it was also present in the air in people’s homes.”
And in the tap water too
Scores of tap water samples from more than a dozen nations were analysed by scientists for an investigation by Orb Media, who shared the findings with the Guardian. Overall, 83% of the samples were contaminated with plastic fibres.
The US had the highest contamination rate, at 94%, with plastic fibres found in tap water sampled at sites including Congress buildings, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s headquarters, and Trump Tower in New York. Lebanon and India had the next highest rates.
Degraded plastic – larger plastic products breaking down into smaller pieces
Cosmetic products that contain tiny plastic beads which are washed off and washed out to sea.
Synthetic clothing.
Degraded Plastic
Traditional plastics degrade rather than biodegrade, which means they simply break up and fall apart into smaller pieces. The plastic has not changed its structure as such – merely fragmented. And it seems the process can continue indefinitely. Particles of plastic of 20 microns in diameter (a width thinner than a human hair) have been identified.
These particles are called micro plastics. And they are being found in increasing amounts in seawater and rivers. Professor Richard Thompson from the University of Plymouth have found particles smaller than a grain of sand and estimate there are 300,000 items of plastic per sq km of sea surface, and 100,000 per sq km of seabed. There is more on Professor Richard Thompsons work here
Tiny plastic beads are added to some product for texture or colour. Some exfoliating scrubs and toothpastes contain them. These beads are washed down the plughole after use, are too small to be filtered out of waste water and so end up in the water ways. A ridiculous form of pollution and
Washing synthetic fabrics and clothing also releases millions of microscopic plastic fibers. These are then discharge into sewage system and ultimately out to sea.
By sampling wastewater from domestic washing machines, Dr Browne estimated that around 1,900 individual fibers can be rinsed off a single synthetic garment – ending up in our oceans. And that, 85% of synthetic material found on the shoreline were nylon and acrylic microfibers, and matched the types of material used in clothing.
“We were quite surprised. Some polyester garments released more than 1,900 fibres per garment, per wash,” Dr Browne observed. “It may not sound like an awful lot, but if that is from a single item from a single wash”
Use biodegradable cotton dish clothes, sponges and scrubbers when washing up.
Toxic Plastic?
As we already know from this blog,tiny sea creatures, the bedrock of the food chain, ingest these micro plastics. You can see plankton hoovering up plastic here. There is increasing evidence that this is not a healthy diet.
Why?
While some plastics are toxic (you can read up on poisons in synthetic fabric here) others are said to be non toxic. So the should pass through the digestive system without doing any damage?
Eating “non toxic” plastic is obviously unhealthy. It has no nutritional value at all and a plastic based diet is not good for general well being. But there are other, more insidious dangers. These tiny plastic particles attract unpleasant chemicals called persistent organic Pollutants (POPs). POPs are a small set of toxic chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods and bio- accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals.
They “stick” to the plastic. Bottom feeders eat the plastic pellets and so the POPs enter the food chain. So even if the plastic particle is in itself non toxic the chemical attached are not.
Achilles: …but it can attract toxic materials. There was a study2 that showed that degraded plastic residues can attract and hold toxins like PCB and DDT up to one million times normal levels. The PCB’s and DDT’s are already in the environment, but are usually so diluted that they are not a significant risk. However, plastic residues concentrate these chemicals, until they can build up to toxic levels.
Phthalate plasticizers are colorless liquids like vegetable oil with a faint odor, and they are insoluble in water. They are however, miscible in mineral oil, hexane, and most organic solvents. This makes them readily soluble in bodily fluids, such as plasma and saliva (1).
Two good examples of phthalate plasticizers are DEHP ( Di-Ethylhexyl Phthalate), and DINP (Di-Isononyl Phthalate).DEHP has been the most commonly used, and is still the plasticizer of choice for all PVC medical and surgical products.However due to evidence of the toxicity of DEHP in laboratory animal studies it was replaced in childrens products with DINP.
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and potential EDCs are mostly man-made, found in various materials such as pesticides, metals, additives or contaminants in food, and personal care products. EDCs have been suspected to be associated with altered reproductive function in males and females; increased incidence of breast cancer, abnormal growth patterns and neurodevelopmental delays in children, as well as changes in immune function. World Health Organisation
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate is widely used as a plasticizer in flexible vinyl products. Plastics may contain from 1 to 40% di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate by weight and are used in consumer products such as
imitation leather,
rainwear,
footwear,
upholstery,
flooring,
wire and cabels,
tablecloths,
shower curtains,
food packaging materials,
children’toys.
tubing and containers for blood products and transfusions.
It is also found in
rubbing alcohol,
liquid detergents,
decorative inks,
munitions,
industrial and lubricating oils and defoaming agents during paper and paperboard manufacture (Environmental Protection Agency, 1998)
hydraulic fluid and as a dielectric fluid (a non-conductor of electric current) in electrical capacitors (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1989).
Phthalates & Cosmetics.
Non-classified phthalates, DMP and DEP are the most widely used in cosmetics in the EU. They have not been classified or restricted because they do not pose any risks for our health or the environment.
Classified low orthophthalates such as DBP and DIBP are no longer found in products manufactured and sold in the European Union due to provisions of the European Cosmetics legislation, which prohibits the use of substances classified for carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) hazards.
Historically, the phthalates used in cosmetic products have been dibutyl phthalate (DBP), used as a plasticizer in products such as nail polishes to reduce cracking by making them less brittle; dimethyl phthalate (DMP), used in hair sprays to help avoid stiffness by allowing them to form a flexible film on the hair; and diethyl phthalate (DEP), used as a solvent and fixative in fragrances. DEP can also function as an alcohol denaturant , rendering alcoholic products unfit for oral consumption. DEP is the only phthalate still periodically used in cosmetics
Phthalates Leaching From Plastic.
Because phthalate plasticizers are not chemically bound to PVC, they can easily leach and evaporate into food or the atmosphere. Phthalate exposure can be through direct use or by indirect means through leaching and general environmental contamination. Diet is believed to be the main source of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and other phthalates in the general population. Fatty foods such as milk, butter, and meats are a major source. Wikkipedia
“ A 2011 study demonstrated that just a three-day period of limiting intake of packaged foods decreased by half the concentrations of DEHP found in urine (Rudel, 2011)”
Some studies also claim that phthalates are readily absorbed through the skin (Janjua, 2008) and can also enter the body through inhalation or medical injection procedures (Schettler, 2005).
When plastic toys are chewed by a child the plasticiser may be dissolved by the saliva of the child and possibly ingested.
Phthalates have been found in indoor air and dust (Rudel, 2001) and in human urine and blood samples from children, adolescents and adults (Calafat, 2011; Frederiksen, 2011; Kato, 2003; Rudel, 2011).
They are also found in breast milk.
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate released into air can be carried for long distances in the troposphere and it has been detected over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; wash-out by rain appears to be a significant removal process (Atlas & Giam, 1981; Giam
Are they dangerous?
In a National Institutes of Health (NIH) report published in 2000, di-2-ehtylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), commonly found in PVC plastics, was found reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.
The breast cancer fund have no doubts that it causes cancer and the reports they quote all reinforce that view
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reclassified DEHP as non-carcinogenic to humans.
How much is out there?
Production of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in the United States increased during the 1980s, from approximately 114 000 tonnes in 1982 to over 130 000 tonnes in 1986 (Environmental Protection Agency, 1998).
In 1994, production of di(2- ethylhexyl) phthalate in the United States was 117 500 tonnes; production in Japan in 1995 was 298 000 tonnes; production in Taiwan in 1995 was 207 000 tonnes, down from 241 000 tonnes in 1994 (Anon., 1996).
“Although we rarely think about them, the glands of the endocrine system and the hormones they release influence almost every cell, organ, and function of our bodies. The endocrine system is instrumental in regulating mood, growth and development, tissue function, and metabolism, as well as sexual function and reproductive processes.
In general, the endocrine system is in charge of body processes that happen slowly, such as cell growth. Faster processes like breathing and body movement are controlled by the nervous system. But even though the nervous system and endocrine system are separate systems, they often work together to help the body function properly.”Kids health
“Endocrine systems, are found in all mammals, birds, fish, and many other types of living organisms. They are made up of:
Glands located throughout the body.
Hormones that are made by the glands and released into the bloodstream or the fluid surrounding cells.
Receptors in various organs and tissues that recognize and respond to the hormones.
Hormones are released by glands and travel throughout the body, acting as chemical messengers.
Hormones interface with cells that contain matching receptors in or on their surfaces. The hormone binds with the receptor, much like a key would fit into a lock. The hormones, or keys, need to find compatible receptors, or locks, to work properly. Although hormones reach all parts of the body, only target cells with compatible receptors are equipped to respond. Once a receptor and a hormone bind, the receptor carries out the hormone’s instructions by either altering the cell’s existing proteins or turning on genes that will build a new protein. Both of these actions create reactions throughout the body. Researchers have identified more than 50 hormones in humans and other vertebrates.
The endocrine system regulates all biological processes in the body from conception through adulthood and into old age, including the development of the brain and nervous system, the growth and function of the reproductive system, as well as the metabolism and blood sugar levels. The female ovaries, male testes, and pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands are major constituents of the endocrine system.”The EPA website
“The Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) focuses on the estrogen, androgen, and thyroid hormones. Estrogens are the group of hormones responsible for female sexual development. They are produced primarily by the ovaries and in small amounts by the adrenal glands. Androgens are responsible for male sex characteristics. Testosterone, the sex hormone produced by the testicles, is an androgen. The thyroid gland secretes two main hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine, into the bloodstream. These thyroid hormones stimulate all the cells in the body and control biological processes such as growth, reproduction, development, and metabolism. For additional information on the endocrine system and endocrine disruptors, visit the Endocrine Primer.” The EPA website
“Endocrine Disruptors
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife. A wide range of substances, both natural and man-made, are thought to cause endocrine disruption, including pharmaceuticals, dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, DDT and other pesticides, and plasticizers such as bisphenol A. Endocrine disruptors may be found in many everyday products– including plastic bottles, metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides.” National institute of Environmental Health Sciences
“Disruption of the endocrine system can occur in various ways. Some chemicals mimic a natural hormone, fooling the body into over-responding to the stimulus (e.g., a growth hormone that results in increased muscle mass), or responding at inappropriate times (e.g., producing insulin when it is not needed). Other endocrine disrupting chemicals block the effects of a hormone from certain receptors (e.g. growth hormones required for normal development). Still others directly stimulate or inhibit the endocrine system and cause overproduction or underproduction of hormones (e.g. an over or underactive thyroid). Certain drugs are used to intentionally cause some of these effects, such as birth control pills. In many situations involving environmental chemicals, however, an endocrine effect is not desirable.
In recent years, some scientists have proposed that chemicals might inadvertently be disrupting the endocrine system of humans and wildlife. A variety of chemicals have been found to disrupt the endocrine systems of animals in laboratory studies, and there is strong evidence that chemical exposure has been associated with adverse developmental and reproductive effects on fish and wildlife in particular locations. The relationship of human diseases of the endocrine system and exposure to environmental contaminants, however, is poorly understood and scientifically controversial (Kavlock et al., 1996, EPA, 1997).
One example of the devastating consequences of the exposure of developing animals, including humans, to endocrine disruptors is the case of the potent drug diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic estrogen. Prior to its ban in the early 1970’s, doctors mistakenly prescribed DES to as many as five million pregnant women to block spontaneous abortion and promote fetal growth. It was discovered after the children went through puberty that DES affected the development of the reproductive system and caused vaginal cancer. Since then, Congress has improved the evaluation and regulation process of drugs and other chemicals. The recent requirement of the establishment of an endocrine disruptor screening program is a highly significant step.docrine disruptor screening program is a highly significant step.”The EPA website
Find out more about the endocrine disruptors in plastic here
Is a persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemical – ie one that lasts a long time, accumulates in the food chain and is, well, toxic. Read more here…
Humans absorb antimony from the air, drinking water and food – but also by skin contact with soil and contaminated substances.
Exposure to “relatively high concentrations of antimony (9 mg/m3 of air)” over long periods of time ( doesn’t say how long is long) can cause irritation of the eyes, skin and lungs.
Greater exposure may result in lung diseases, heart problems, diarrhea, severe vomiting and stomach ulcers.
It is not known whether antimony can cause cancer or reproductive failure.
Animals
“Relatively high” levels may kill rats, rabbits and guinea pigs and can cause damage to the lungs, heart, liver and kidney of a rat.
Low levels of antimony in the air, experienced for a long time, may result in eye irritation, hair loss and lung damage in animals. Even shorter exposures of a couple of months may result in fertility problems.
Dogs may experience heart problems if exposed to low levels of antimony.
Environment
Antimony is most often found in soil.
It can travel long distances through water.
Products
Antimony is used in
Polyester – a synthetic fabric -you always knew those slacks were wrong!
Most plastics are oil derived and non biodegradable. Which means plastics last for decades, centuries possibly forever (read more here about plastic how it is made and the different types). We are using this everlasting product to make items that are used once and then discarded. Items that end up as litter.
Since the ocean is downstream, much of the plastic trash generated on land ends up there. ” It has been estimated that 6.4 million tons of debris end up in the world’s oceans every year and that some 60 to 80 percent of that debris, or 3.8 to 5 million tons, is improperly discarded plastic litter “. Encyclopedia Brittanica.
How Much Trash?
Upwards of 9 million tons of plasticenters the world’s oceans each year (at the going rate, there will be more plastic in the water than fish by 2050)
According toStemming the Tide, a study released by the Ocean Conservancy and McKinsey Center for Business and Environment, 60 percent of plastic pollution in the ocean comes from the following countries;
China dumps an estimated 1.32 to 3.53 million tons of plastic which accounts for 30 percent of all of the plastic debris
Indonesia comes second with 0.48 and 1.29 million tons of plastic marine waste
Philippines in third place followed by Vietnam and then Sri Lanka.
Dotted around the world are 5 great trash vortexes. They are right out there in the middle of the sea and they are huge. Vast expanses of debris held in place by swirling underwater currents. Read more here
See lots of pictures documenting plastic beach pollution here…
Dirty Beaches
Everyday tons of trash gets washed ashore. Many beaches look more like rubbish dumps than a place to go paddling which impacts on tourism and local businesses. Local authorities, industry and coastal communities spend approximately £14 million a year to clean up beach litter in England and Wales alone (Environment Agency, 2004).
Dirty Sea Bed
And that is the plastic that is washed up. In fact around 70 percent of discarded plastic sinks to the bottom. In the North Sea alone, Dutch scientists have found around 600,000 tonnes of plastic smothering the sea bed and the bottom feeders who live there.
Poisoned Sea Creatures
It is affects marine life in other ways. Here’s a troubling statistic “One-third of fish caught off the south-west coast of England have traces of plastic contamination from sources including sanitary products and carrier bags”. You can read more in the Plymouth University study, published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin.
Researchers warn that ” garbage can injure creatures like sea sponges and impair their ability to breathe and absorb food. Moreover, chemicals in plastic can have toxic effects and alter gas exchange on the seafloor.” (live science)
Microplastic Pollution
Of course plastic breaks, tears and cracks. It weathers and sunlight makes it brittle, It falls apart – it degrades – but only into smaller pieces of plastic.
This degrading process can go on indefinitely it seems. Particles of plastic of 20 microns in diameter (a width thinner than a human hair) have been found in the oceans and are being found in increasing amounts. As reported by Dr Richard Thompson at the University of Plymouth .
Other tiny bits of plastic come from synthetic clothes which shed fibres when being washed.
Exfoliating scrubs often contain tiny plastic beads which are washed off and washed out to sea.
Even toothpaste can have added plastic.
These tiny pieces of plastics are called micro plastics.
They are being eaten by bottom feeders and are now entering the food chain.
Plastic particles in the sea also attract persistent organic Pollutants (POPs). POPs are a small set of toxic chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods and accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals. Plastics have been shown to concentrate pollutants up to a million times their level in the surrounding seawater and then deliver them to the species that ingest them (Encyclopedia Brittanica). Bottom feeders eat the plastic pellets and so the POPs enter the food chain.
Then there are the chemicals used to make plastic. Many of these are toxic and can leach out. Research is showing that chemicals absorbed by the plastic are transferred to the fish.
Islands in the stream
Floating plastic can carry animals and vegetation way beyond their natural habitat potentially leading to the introduction of invasive species into vulnerable habitats.
BoycottPeople have been dumping rubbish in the sea for centuries. What has changed is the nature of the rubbish. Using a non-biodegradable product with a lifespan of centuries to make disposable items is crazy. Let’s stop using plastic to make everlasting litter. And rather then wait for governments to act or the clean up bill get even bigger I invite you to join me in a plastic boycott. You can find loads of plastic free alternatives listed here on my blog.
lush are one of the more forward thinking British companies. They are ethical in all kinds of ways and sell a lot of their beauty products unwrapped. Good if you are trying to live plastic free and not hurt the bunnies. Read more About ethical Lush here
Most other products are in recyclable pots – return to store for free product
And these new products
The following is from the UK business insider review.
Lush just released “naked” — or packaging-free — versions of shower gels, body lotions, and body conditioners.
The naked body lotion and body conditioner are surprisingly great, and work slightly better than their packaged counterparts.
The naked shower gel is unique, but isn’t quite as moisturizing as the original formula.
I don’t use them much as the shops smell way to strong. I can’t go in without sneezing. But there are plenty who do who. Here is a great series of reviews by Minimalist Exposure
And they support stuff like this:
One of four Pop Ups being staged to support the Lush 2017 Creative Showcase event in London next month, Naked House is part gallery exhibition and part immersive experience curated by the brand team at Lush to show just how easy it is to make the switch to Naked (as in living with less packaging). Read more here.
Its quicker then trying to choose between a hundred different shampoos and it’s really simple, fun to do, so much cheaper and I get to control what goes on my body, where it comes from and what environmental impact it has.
As we already know from this blog,tiny sea creatures, the bedrock of the food chain, ingest these micro plastics. You can see 
