Transcript Avoiding Exposure

Beyond Paper and
Plastic:
A closer look at
Recycling and
Environmental Toxins
Who we are:
Health and the Environment
“For the first time in the
history of the world, every
human being is now
subjected to contact with
dangerous chemicals, from
the moment of conception
until death.”
-Rachel Carson, 1962
The Theory of Multiple Hits
While exposure to just one contaminant
or toxin may not cause serious illness,
exposure to many different toxins from
various sources over a period of time is
more likely to result in illness.
Exposures at home:
Cleaning & Personal Care Products, Plastics,
and more
Household
Cleaners
Loaded with “fragrance”
Contain hazardous chemicals
Major source of indoor air pollution
Switch to Green Cleaning:
• MUST BE BIO-BASED
– No Petrochemicals
• NO PETRO-DYES IN PRODUCTS
– No blues, greens, yellows or
any other color unless provided
by natural means
• NO ARTIFICIAL PETRO-PERFUMES
– No pines, mints, vanillas, lemons
unless provided through natural
means
Non-toxic
Alternatives
Baking soda
White vinegar
Lemon juice
Club soda
Liquid castile soap
Safe LAWN
Lawn Care
SAFE
CARE
Facts:
• Lawns cover more than 30 Million Acres
• 67 million pounds of pesticides are
applied to lawns in the US each year
• Use up to 10 X more chemical pesticides
per acre than farmers use on crops
Think About It…..
WHAT GOES ON
YOUR LAWN….
GOES…
IN THE RIVER
www.pesticide.org
Personal Care Products
The average teenager girl
uses 17 products a day
The average adult women
uses 12 per day
The average adult male
uses 7 per day
No Safety Standards!
“FDA has no authority to require testing of personal
care product ingredients for safety before they are sold”
-- (FDA 1995)
“…a cosmetic manufacturer may use almost any raw
material as a cosmetic ingredient and market the
product without an approval from FDA.” (FDA 1999)
www.safecosmetics.org
Ingredients to
AVOID
Phthalate (fragrance)
Parabens
Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate
Tricolsan
Triethanolamine (TEA) & Diethanolamine (DEA)
Glycol Ethers
Plastics to Avoid
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) #3
Polystyrene #6
Polycarbonate #7
- BPA
Pharmaceuticals
A five-month-long
Associated Press
investigation found
pharmaceutical drugs in the
drinking water supplies of
24 major metropolitan areas
from Southern California to
New York City, which
provide water to 41 million
Americans.
Proper Dispose of Pharmaceuticals
• Take unwanted prescription drugs out of their original
containers and throw them in the trash.
• Make wet ingredients dry and dry ingredients wet.
• Don’t flush drugs down the toilet
unless the label or patient information
specifically instructs doing so.
• If available, take advantage of
community or pharmacy take-back programs.
HHW and the Environment
According to the U.S. EPA, the average American home can accumulate
as much as 100 pounds of what is considered Household Hazardous
Waste (HHW)
SO WHAT CAN ONE DO?
• The best method is to not produce
the waste at all.
• Become an educated consumer.
• Buy only what you need.
• Use less toxic alternatives.
• Give away unused portions to friends or
neighbors.
• Bring HHW to a HHW collection event.
SW PA HHW Task Force
The SW PA Household Hazardous
Waste Task Force’s mission is to
facilitate the proper collection and
disposal of household hazardous
waste and minimize its
generation through education in
Southwestern Pennsylvania.
First Collection Event:
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Allegheny County
Location: North Park Swimming Pool
Parking Lot
Pharmaceutical Collection
• Saturday, May 15, 2010 – 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Hampton Township Community Center
3101 McCully Rd.
Allison Park, PA 15101
• Participant Fee: $3/participant flat fee – cash
only
• Acceptable Items: Prescription, over-thecounter, and veterinary medications.
Prescription medications include both controlled
and non-controlled substances.
Thanks!
for letting us
provide you with
this important
information.