GLOSSARY - CHEMICALS
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PFCs
Acive ingredients or breakdown products of Teflon, Scotchguard, fabric and carpet protectors, food wrap coatings. Global contaminants. Accumulate inthe environment and the food chain. Linked to cancer, birth defects, and more.
PBDEs
Flame retardant in furniture foam, computers, and televisions. Accumulates int he food chain and human tissues. Adversely affects brain development and the thyroid.
Phthalates
Phthalates are common plastic softeners and solvents in wide variety of consumer products, including cosmetics, paint, and plastics. [The EWG] tested for their breakdown products (metabolites) in urine.
Bisphenol A
Building bolck of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins for thousands of consumer products, including baby bottles, drinking water containers, metal food and beverage can liners, and dental sealants. Linked to hormone disruption, birth defects, and cancer.
Metals
Common metals include lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium. Some cause lowered IQ, developmental delays, behavioral disorders and cancer at doses found in the environment. Used in a wide array of consusmer products and commercial applications.