Let's TALC about health!

Let's TALC about health!

From my humble observations it seems that the public awareness of what constitutes TALC is very low. It’s even lower when it comes to its long-debated toxicity. For many of us talc is simply talc. I hope the short text below will cast some light on the murky clouds surrounding talc. I decided not to give talc the benefit of the doubt and discontinued using it (and any other products containing it) long time ago. I use a minimal amount of cosmetics from well-established manufacturers of safe cosmetics (recently I seem to favour Urtrekram, but there are many other manufacturers whose products might be locally available in your areas, such as Jason, Burt's Bees, Weleda).  

TALC [(derived from the Persian tālk (تالک )] refers to both mineral talc and industrial mineral products that are marketed under the name talc and contain proportions of mineral talc that range from about 35% to almost 100%. Talc occurs naturally in many regions of the world and its softness has made it valued for centuries as a body powder. Mineral talc occurs naturally in a platy (flat) form, but may also occur as asbestiform fibers (which describes the physical form and does not imply the presence of asbestos). Mineral talc products prior to mid-1970’s may have contained asbestos fibers. Nowadays the purer forms of talc (approx >90%) are used in many cosmetic products, including those for feminine hygiene, baby powders, soaps, blushes, powder compacts and eye shadows, foundations and beauty creams.

Unfortunately, numerous pathological studies have shown that particles and fibres that enter the body can migrate to distant organs. Analogously, following perineal application, talc particles can migrate from the vagina to the peritoneal cavity and ovaries. The association between talc use in the perineal region and ovarian cancer was investigated by a number of research groups worldwide. A very large number of studies have found that women who used talc experienced excess risks of ovarian cancer; some results were statistically significant and some were not. Some studies linked the use of talc with other forms of malignant tumours. In 2006 International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of WHO) evaluated data available on TALC and classified it as a possible carcinogen (group 2B).

International Agency for Research of Cancer - evaluation of talc: 

IARC evaluation of TALC

Research report on perineal use of talc and risk of ovarian cancer:

Abstract of Research Report

Big businesses can afford strong lobby groups. Here is a European lobby group which clearly downplays the research findings about toxicity of talc:

EUROTALC

The World According to Monstanto

The World According to Monsanto

For many people living in Europe the name Monsanto most likely means nothing, but to many other inhabitants of the world it means destruction, extortion, exploitation, obliteration, extinction. Its looming presence should worry all of us as I don't think the beast's hunger has been satisfied yet.  

In a long time I haven't seen a documentary as good as this one. It's a foolproof guide to understanding the dynamics of seizing the power at all costs.

Also read:

Toxins from Monsanto's GMO Found in Human Blood and Passed on to Unborn Children 

Yay! Monsanto facing GMO lawsuit

The Story of Cosmetics

The Story of Cosmetics

I often wonder what goes through people's  minds. I often wonder why some things never go through people's minds. Being a zealous toxicista, I always keep under close surveillance what my fellow shoppers in the queue are unloading onto the check-out belts. Shopping baskets don't lie; they tell the naked truth and it's not always pretty. They often tell me a story of people whose minds seem to be in some kind of semi-comatose state in which they trustingly embrace the world of goods carefully displayed for them on the endless shelves of the endless shops. Some goods have sunk into our minds to such a depth that their existence is seldom questioned. In a simplistic and almost iconic way soap is soap, shampoo is shampoo, conditioner is conditioner, frizz control spray is frizz control spray, body lotion is body lotion, face cream is face cream, foot cream is foot cream, eye cream is eye cream, anti-cellulite cream is anti-cellulite cream, nail moisturiser is nail moisturiser, hand cream is hand cream, make-up remover is make-up remover (...). They are. Unquestioned, indisputable, axiomatic, absolute.

Not tailored to our needs. It's our needs that are manipulatively tailored around them.

Not to the benefit of our earthly bodies, but to the benefit of corporate bodies.

Not 'pure as nature desired', but  purely synthetic chemical cocktails.

Don't let your mind be silenced.  

DOUBT. ASK. CHALLENGE. Look behind those glamorous labels to find THE TRUTH.

THE STORY OF COSMETICS (2010) by Annie Leonard  

Cell Phone Radiation

Cell Phone Radiation
The real price of wireless phones might be higher than expected. International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of World Health Organization) recently classified cell phone radiation as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans'.

Research has identified an association between cell phone use and glioma (a malignant type of brain cancer), salivary gland tumors and, also acoustic neuroma, a tumor of the nerve that links the ear to the brain.

Around the same time Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly recognizes the fact that children are especially sensitive to emissions of electromagnetic fields and, therefore, recommended that all measures should be taken to protect children from potentially harmful effects of cell phones and wireless technologies.

The following suggestions were put forward by the Assembly:

1. Develop within different ministries (of education, environment and health) targeted information campaigns aimed at teachers, parents and children to alert them to the specific risks of early, ill-considered and prolonged use of mobiles and other devices emitting microwaves;
2. Ban mobile phones, DECT phones or WiFi or WLAN systems from classrooms and schools.

You can follow simple steps to reduce your exposure to cell phone radiation:

1. Buy a phone with a low SAR (Specific Absorption Rate is a measure of the rate at which energy is absorbed by the body exposed to radio frequency electromagnetic field). I must note that all employees of mobile networks I have ever spoken to had no idea what SAR is. That should give you an indication of the level of awareness regarding safety of mobile phones.

2. Reduce your cell phone use: turn your cell phone off more often. Reserve it for emergencies or important matters. As long as your cell phone is on, it emits radiation intermittently, even when you are not actually making a call;

3. Use a headset or a speaker;

4. Listen more, talk less. I know, sounds funny, but your phone emits radiation when you talk or text, but not when you're receiving messages;

5. Hold your phone away from your body when you are talking;

6. Choose texting over talking (less radiation used when texting);

7. Stay off the phone when there is poor signal. Poor signal means that your phone emits more radiation to get the signal to the tower;

8. DO NOT let your children use mobile phones unless in emergency situation;

9. Avoid keypad covers as they reduce the connection quality and force the phone to transmit at a higher power with higher radiation;

10. Use landline phone when possible.

11. Reduce or eliminate your use of other wireless devices (cordless phones).

Toxic Fashion

Toxic Fashion

Textile production is a dirty business. When we think about pollution, we tend to think of something that is far away from us. Even many 'healty lifestyle zealots' don't realize that both natural and synthetic fabrics are treated with nasty chemicals during and after processing. These chemicals affect not only the environment, but also humans who wear the finished product.

Many of the chemicals used in textiles are classified by the World Health Organization as moderately to extremely hazardous, and have been associated with genetic mutations, cancer, abnormal hormone levels, birth defects and reproductive problems.

Why are chemicals used in textile production?

Obviously, it's not easy to make thread from wood pulp or petrochemicals. Chemicals are used to make synthetic fibers suitable for spinning and weaving. Man-made dyes are used for colour. Formaldehyde compounds are applied to prevent shrinkage. Various synthetic chemicals are added to make clothing softer, wrinkle-free, fire-retardant, moth-repellent and stain-resistant.

It's time to check labels on your child's school uniform...

Chemicals which belong to the family of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), otherwise known as non-stick, are being used in synthetic clothing to make it more durable and stain resistant. Unfortunately, many (if not most) school uniforms are made from 'non-iron' fabrics which include PFCs. PFCs have been classified as cancer-causing by the US Environmental Protection Agency. PFCs are incredibly resistant to breakdown and are turning up in unexpected places around the world - in wildlife species and humans worldwide.

Many non-governmental agencies demand action on reducing our dependence on dangerous chemicals and developing safer alternatives, especially in children's clothing. As I mentioned in my previous posts, children are especially vulnerable to hazardous chemicals due to their immature immune and liver detoxification systems.

How can you avoid health hazards associated with chemically treated textiles?

There are steps you can take to reduce your exposure to dangerous chemicals in clothing, especially when youngest lives are at stake:

# Go for natural fabrics made of cotton, linen, wool, silk or hemp.

# Avoid synthetic fabrics, especially those which are wrinkle-free, non-iron, fire, stain and static resistant, or moth repellent.

# Choose organic cotton when possible. Organic cotton can be affordable thanks to H&M and other companies which are more environmentally friendly.

# Avoid cheap clothing from 'bargain' stores. These are produced at high human and environmental cost.

# Wash and dry new clothes at least three times before you wear them. Avoid fabric conditioners. Opt for more eco-friendly and less chemically overloaded washing powders such as Ecover.

# For your little ones look out for Confidence in Textiles label. It's a global testing and accreditation scheme for the screening of harmful substances in consumer textiles.

Healthier and more affordable options

All clothes and underwear available in LIDL's bear Confidence in Textiles label. Children's pyjamas and underwear are much cheaper than from 'high street shops' and much safer.

H&M has just launched their 'Conscious' collection. For less than 20 euro I bought all these organic clothes for my little person:  

I believe that consumers have the power to induce changes in the textiles industry. Showing Toxic Fashion The Red Card is a good start. Will you join me?

How green are energy-saving bulbs?

Well, I admit, the picture to the left is somehow chilling, but how elase can I attract your attention in the cyber hum? :)

I have a good reason, though, so forgive me, my reader, and carry on to find out what I have 'dug out' for you today.

Mercury can be closer than you think. Not some 77 million kilometers away, but a few meters or even less. All thanks to the global movement to save the planet (sic!) by forceful introduction of compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL bulbs), commonly known as energy-saving bulbs. Many enviro-zealots (including myself) embraced this lovely bulb with a sigh of relief. The bad news was that this new friend of us has a very nasty side kept somehow secret from us, consumers.

What are CFL bulbs?

A CFL bulb is a type of fluorescent bulb. A fluorescent lamp is a gas-discharge lamp that uses electricity to excite mercury vapour to produce light. Compared to the 'old-fashioned' incandescent lamps, CFLs use less power and have a supposedly longer rated life.

So what is wrong with CFLs?

The M-word. MERCURY.  Most CFLs contain 3–5 mg per bulb, with the eco-friendly bulbs containing as little as 1 mg. Because mercury is poisonous, even these small amounts are a concern for landfills and waste incinerators where the mercury from lamps may be released and contribute to air and water pollution. In response to that concern, the amount of mercury used in CFLs is regulated by the RoHS law in the EU. Supporters of CFL bulbs argue that in areas with coal-fired power stations, the use of CFLs saves on mercury emissions when compared to the use of incandescent bulbs. This is due to the reduced electrical power demand, reducing in turn the amount of mercury released by coal as it is burned.

But that is only part of the story...

While no mercury is emitted when the CFL is intact or in use, according to the National Poisons Information Centre for Ireland, 'a small amount is vapourised when they break'. 'Although CFLs only contain a small amount of mercury, cleaning up breakages properly will prevent chronic (long-term) exposure to mercury.'

Health Effects from Mercury Vapour Exposure

The factors that determine how severe the health effects are from mercury vapour exposure include: the dose, the age of the person exposed (!!!), how long the exposure lasts.

 Short-term inhalation: cough, breathlessness, and chest tightness, within a few hours of exposure, flu-like symptoms with muscle pains and fever. 

Long-term inhalation of mercury vapour may cause damage to the central nervous system, kidney damage and stomach upsets.

Irish Guidelines on Cleaning Up a Broken CFL bulb

• DO NOT use a vacuum cleaner to clean up the breakage.
• Keep people and pets away from the breakage area until the cleanup is complete.
• Ventilate the area by opening windows, and leave the area for 15-30 minutes before returning to begin the cleanup. Mercury vapour levels will be lower by then.
• Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the sharp glass.
• Carefully remove the larger pieces of bulb and place them in a secure closed container e.g. a glass or plastic jar with a screw top or a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. If you don’t have a suitable container use a plastic bag.
• Use two stiff pieces of card such as index cards or playing cards to scoop up the smaller pieces and dust.
• Pat the area with the sticky side of masking tape or sticky tape, then wipe the area with a wet wipe or damp paper towel, to pick up fine particles.
• Put all waste and materials into the glass/plastic container, including all material used in the cleanup.
• Place the container holding the breakage and cleanup materials outdoors, out of reach of children, until you can bring it to your local authority WEEE re-cycling facility. Click here to find your nearest WEEE facility.
• Continue ventilating the room for several hours.
• Wash your hands and face.

Breakages on Carpet

If the break happens on carpeting, follow the instructions above.

• Open the window to the room during the next several times you vacuum the carpet to provide good ventilation. Keep the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming.
• When finished, remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag. Place the bag in your outdoor waste disposal bin.

What is wrong with these guidelines?

The guidelines are a copy and paste duplication of revised guidelines by The Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Except for two important details: the use of plastic bags for safe disposal of mercury and the breakage of CFL bulb on the carpet. Read on to find out how easy it is to manipulate public awareness with deleting a few 'inconvenient' lines.  

A report by The Maine DEP in 2008 found out that, despite following best-practice cleanup guidelines on broken CFLs, researchers were unable to remove mercury from carpet. This  has particular significance for children rolling around on a floor, babies crawling, or non mobile infants placed on the floor. In addition, the study warned that the recommendation of plastic bags was the worst choice, as vapors well above safe levels continued to leach from the bags. The report recommends homeowners to consider removing throw rugs or the area of the carpet where the breakage occured as a precaution, praticularly if the rug is in the area frequented by infants, small children or pregnant women. If it is not possible to remove the carpet, hoovering it while ventilating the room is advised.

Why am I concerned as a consumer?

Special handling instructions for breakage are currently not printed on the packaging of household CFL bulbs in many countries. Most people I have spoken with since were not aware of any danger associated with using CFL bulbs. Finally, it is unclear what the exact health risks are from exposure to low levels of elemental mercury, especially for sensitive populations. I would also like to find out from the author of the Irish Guidelines on CFL Clean-up Procedure, P Casey, what makes her or him to misinform Irish society by arbitrary omission of vital information. (Postriptum. I have contacted Ms Casey and she assured me that she will look into updating the guidelines. A small step in the right direction!)

Teaching through fun is a very efficient method. Mindful of that, I would like to brighten up your day by this hillarious video which shows how easy it is to follow the guidelines for cleaning up a broken CFL bulb. I hope it will make you laugh histerically :)

Is there a better alternative?

The good news is that there IS.

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) present many advantages including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved robustness, smaller size, faster switching, and greater durability and reliability. LEDs are powerful enough for room lighting. The main disadvantage is their relatively higher cost. Unsurprisingly, their availability on the Irish market is limited, but there are excellent retailers in UK who ship the bulbs at much lower cost.

This is the supplier that I used to buy my LED bulbs. I was very happy with their efficient serivce:
The UK Supplier of LED bulbs

Other useful links:

Guidelines by EWG

Guidelines by The Maine Department of Environmental Protection

Baby Shampoo Should Be Safe. Not Toxic.

Whether we like it or not, our bodies are continuously exposed to hundreds of industrial chemicals. It may be shocking for an unsuspecting loving parent that a newborn baby is pre-polluted with as many as 300 industrial chemicals in their bodies (source: EWG).

Tests carried out by Environmental Working Group have identified 455 industrial chemicals in people, and again, no one really knows if these exposures are safe. Scientific research timidly associates the pollution in people with a range of serious diseases and conditions which I will resist mentioning, but we all know what I'm talking about here. While our knowledge about the links between chemical exposure and human disease grows, the government agencies always seem to be a few 7-mile steps behind the chemical industry with regard to ensuring consumers' safety. In addition, in its recently updated cancer risk guidelines, the Environmental Protection Agency concluded that babies are 10 to 65 times more vulnerable to cancer-causing chemicals than adults.


No More Toxic Tub!

Children’s bath products are often marketed as safe and gentle. However, a report by the American Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found these products are commonly contaminated with formaldehyde or 1,4-dioxane – and, in many cases, both. These two chemicals, linked to cancer and skin allergies, are anything but safe and gentle. 61% of the children’s bath products tested for this report contained both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane. Popular products that contained both contaminants include: Johnson’s Baby Shampoo and L'Oreal Kids Shampoo. Aveeno Baby Wash range contained various levels of 1,4-dioxane. Some of the products tested (82%) contained formaldehyde at levels ranging from 54 to 610 parts per million (ppm). Formaldehyde, see my previous post on its controversy, is banned from personal care products in Japan and Sweden. The European Union limits formaldehyde concentration in cosmetics to 0.2% (2,000 ppm), and requires that personal care products containing formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing ingredients be labeled with the warning "contains formaldehyde" if the concentration of formaldehyde in the product exceeds 0.05% (500 ppm). Luckily, The European Union bans 1,4-dioxane from personal care products at any level.

Children: Not Just Little Adults

Several factors contribute to children’s exceptional vulnerability to the harmful effects of chemicals: 
Children are less able than adults to detoxify and excrete chemicals (in most cases).
Children’s developing organ systems are more vulnerable to damage from chemical exposures.
Children have more years of future life in which to develop disease triggered by early exposure.


Using a contaminated product once is unlikely to cause harm, but when used repeatedly and in combination with numerous other products, can add up to harm. Advertising claims appeal to parent’s desire to be gentle and loving to their children, but with so many ingredients of concern, parents need to look twice before they buy.

Check the baby product here in the Skin Deep Database before you buy it.

 Common Ingredients Likely to Be Contaminated with 1,4-dioxane: Peg-100 stearate, Sodium laureth sulfate, Polyethylene, Ceteareth-20.

Common Ingredients Likely to Be Contaminated with Formaldehyde: Quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, Imidazolidinyl urea, Diazolidinyl urea, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate.