With more than 80,000+ manmade chemicals releasing toxic gaseous chemicals, we’d all be wise to reassess the materials that we feather our nests with. Unfortunately, VOCs are commonly used in the manufacturing of conventional furniture and household décor items (anything that is varnished or made with fiber or particle board, for example), so becoming a keener, greener consumer requires exercising some, if not all, of the following tips:

Create ventilation

Is your home incredibly energy efficient? While you deserve a high five for saving power, the fact that the cracks and crevices in your household are well sealed means that there is little to no airflow. In other words, VOCs are trapped where you don’t want them to be: in your airspace.

Breathe a lot easier by installing a ceiling fan in your living room to draw pollutants out of the nearest open window(s) — and keep the fresh air flowing whenever the weather allows by habitually opening your windows.

Kick carpet to the curb

Cushy and attractive though they may be, modern-day carpeting options are generally made of woven, chemically laden polypropylene, nylon or polyester fibers derived specifically from petroleum.

The carpet pad beneath is also cause for concern (as is the glue used to tack it down to the underlying foundation) because both are particularly prominent sources of VOCs. If removing the carpet in your household is fiscally impossible, consider investing in a highly rated HEPA vacuum cleaner.

Green up your household environment with potted plants

They look attractive and remind us of just how centering Mother Nature can be, but potted greenery such as heart leaf philodendrons, gerbera daisies, anthuriums, spider plants, peace lilies, epiphytic bromeliads, palms, rubber plants, chrysanthemums, golden pothos and ferns are also capable of filtering 87% of common airborne toxins out of our indoor environment every 24 hours and reducing dust particles by a not-too-shabby 20%, as well! Seems like a trip to your local home improvement center or nursery is just what the doctor ordered!

Apply VOC-free paint to your walls

Long after the eggshell white has been rolled or brushed onto the walls of your home, VOCs like acetaldehyde and formaldehyde are still released into the air that your breathe, even if you can’t actually detect that all-too-familiar unpleasant chemically scent. Experts highly recommend “sealing” preexisting paint coats with a primer that encapsulates VOCs (Zinsser B-I-N Primer is a good one to consider) — with the windows wide open! — and then following with a VOC-free paint, which technically contains 5 grams or less of VOCs per liter. Top brands include Ecos Organic Paints and Earth Safe Finishes.

Allow new furniture/décor items to off-gas outside

Not everyone is blessed with an unlimited expense account, so when green, VOC-free household furnishings are fiscally impossible, make a point of allowing any new, conventionally manufactured items to off-gas outside your home for at least 24 hours (frankly, the longer the better).

This tip applies to area rugs, bookshelves, entertainment systems, couches and pretty much any item that releases a chemical scent. If you do just one thing, try to eliminate your exposure to carcinogenic, formaldehyde-emitting wood-paneled furniture pieces all together, no matter how temptingly affordable they may be.

Eliminate all conventional scent-releasing products

You may have a soft spot for plug-in/gel/spray air fresheners and candles, but that irresistible sugar cookie scent wafting through your house is likely created with phthalates, the same chemical compound that triggers hormonal complications, reproductive issues and birth defects as well as asthma and allergic reactions.

Scented products are also commonly laden with other harmful chemicals, too, such as toluene, styrene, glycol ethers, carbolic acid, chlorbenzene and paradichchlorobenzene, all of which pose serious health risks to children and adults alike. Blech!

Add an air purifier

You already have the houseplants, which is good, but your VOC-torching abilities can rise to “great” status simply by coughing up the cash for a machine designed specifically to filter assorted pollutants from your airspace. While the cost varies significantly, the most important features to focus on among available models include those that generate no ozone emissions and are equipped with more than one micro-filter for optimum filtration capabilities.

Neutralize unpleasant scents naturally

Place small ramekins throughout your home filled with naturally deodorizing ingredients such as coffee beans (or recycled coffee grounds), baking soda, white vinegar, lemon juice, assorted fresh citrus peels and/or essential oils. You might even take it one step further by cooking up your own stovetop potpourri recipe or simmering white vinegar in a pot for at least half-an-hour for a really effective way to temper stale odors. Ahhh, now that’s the smell of sweet VOC-free success.

First, the sandbox. Some options: a naturally weather-resistant FSC-certified sandbox from Pottery Barn Kids or a composite plastic timbers sandbox made from recycled materials. I’ve learned to avoid sandboxes made with pressure-treated wood. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), “Many are made of wood preserved with chromated copper arsenate (CCA), the basis of which is arsenic, a carcinogenic chemical that can leach out of CCA-treated wood onto children’s hands and into soil and groundwater.”

Pottery Barn Kids makes eco-friendly, kid-healthy sandboxes.

Next, the sand. This was a little more complicated than I imagined. I thought you could just go to a store and pick up some sand. Boy, was I off base.

As I soon discovered, most play sand contains crystalline silica and traces of tremolite.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) explains, “Crystalline silica is a basic component of soil, sand, granite, and many other minerals. Quartz is the most common form of crystalline silica. Cristobalite and tridymite are two other forms of crystalline silica. All three forms may become respirable-size particles when workers chip, cut, drill, or grind objects that contain crystalline silica.”

So, is it OK for a sandbox to be, well… dusty?

The OSHA goes on to explain the health concerns: “Crystalline silica has been classified as a human lung carcinogen. Additionally, breathing crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis, which in severe cases can be disabling, or even fatal. The respirable silica dust enters the lungs and causes the formation of scar tissue, thus reducing the lungs’ ability to take in oxygen. There is no cure for silicosis.”

Crystalline silica has been deemed a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. In California, there is a warning label on play sand that contains crystalline silica.

Add to that the fibrous mineral tremolite, which is a form of the human carcinogen asbestos, and you have an extremely toxic play environment. Not what I had in mind for my little girls.

According to the EWG, there are a few things you can do:

• Test your local playground’s sand for asbestos; find a lab through the EPA’s asbestos info line: (202) 554-1404.
• In home sandboxes, avoid “all-purpose” sand, which has not been washed to screen out breathable particles. Safe Play Sand sells asbestos- and silica-free sand. Replace sand regularly to avoid contamination.
• In indoor sand tables, use beans or rice instead of sand — not great for molding, but nice for pouring, measuring or bulldozing.
• If a wooden play structure has a greenish tinge, it has almost certainly been treated with copper, if not CCA. Test wood and soil for arsenic with a kit like the Arsenic Quick Wood Field Testing Kit ($26); treated wood should be sealed every six months with water-based sealants, like those from AFM, or latex paint. And always wash children’s hands after they have been playing on any wooden structure, particularly before eating.

Being a mom means having the ability to wear many hats. Some of those include household nurse, chef, referee and event planner. If you’re thinking of having a sandbox in your back yard, you can add amateur toxicologist to the list.

In this case, I wanted more than a “no tears” product — something without an ingredients list filled with items I couldn’t pronounce. My son is now 9, and over the past few years, there seems to have been an explosion in the amount of green kids personal care products available.

When I first started doing my research, I came across a company named California Baby. The products were a bit pricey, but I quickly adopted the attitude that if we don’t pay a premium for safer products now, we will most definitely pay the price later, from a health perspective.

We started off by simply using the combination shampoo and body-wash product, and quickly expanded to lotions, diaper spray, bug spray and sunscreen. In 2004, the Environmental Working Group launched the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database. I was relieved to see that, for the most part, the California Baby products we used were ranked well.

Our foray into eco-friendly personal care products for the kids didn’t stop at skincare. We also researched toothpaste. Over the years, we have tried several different brands, including Burt’s Bees, Tom’s of Maine and Jason Natural. The only one that received a thumbs-up from the kids is the Tom’s of Maine toothpaste. Their favorite flavor is Silly Strawberry, and Tom’s of Maine sells two different varieties: fluoridated and fluoride-free.

And it’s not as hard as you might imagine to get the kids interested in earth-friendly personal care products. I model what I want them to do with their personal care choices by buying earth-friendly and kid-friendly products. My daughter is particularly influenced by friends and the media, so she’ll see things she wants to try. I’ve let her pick out small bottles of shampoo at the store and she always returns to California Baby. The same with toothpaste: Glitter Crest toothpaste looks cool, but Silly Strawberry tastes better.

The benefit that we as parents have is that the kids have really only known these products — we started when my son was an infant. My husband and I are pretty open about the environmental impacts of items, and in turn my kids are turning into green police, informing their friends of their eco-friendly decisions.

As my children get older, I will continue to use the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database to research new products. Items like deodorant, skincare for teenagers and even makeup for my daughter will need to be as equally eco-friendly as the products they use now.

If you have children, what green personal care products do you love?

I found Organic Essence. Organic Essence is a certified-organic body care company that thinks about how its products are made, how they are packaged and how they perform.

Since Organic Essence is concerned about the ingredients inside the containers as well as the containers themselves and how they are being disposed, the company designed its packaging to reflect this.

So, instead of having singe-use plastic containers for its products, Organic Essence makes them from biodegradable materials. Instead of wondering if a container is recyclable like I do with other skincare products, I can just throw the used container in my compost bin.

The packaging details

Organic Essence uses either an eco-tube or eco-jar to package its products. The biodegradable eco-tube packaging is printed with soy ink on Forest Stewardship Council-certified 100% recycled post-consumer waste paper and is made with an organic adhesive and glaze. The biodegradable eco-jar packaging is also printed with pure soy ink on FSC-certified, 100% post-consumer waste paper and affixed with an organic adhesive and glaze.

The product details

All Organic Essence products are made from USDA-certified organic ingredients, no petrochemicals, no preservatives, no water or fillers, no parabens and no artificial fragrances — just great ingredients that are as good for your body as they are for the environment.

If you are hunting for new skincare products to love, check out Organic Essence. Your skin will thank you, and so will the planet.

When perusing online and brick-and-mortar stores for eco-friendly winter moisturizers, there are many aspects to consider. First are the ingredients, which can contain anything from lanolin (derived from sheep wool) to petrolatum or petroleum jelly (hydrocarbons that originate from oil rigs) and even weird chemicals that you can’t pronounce.

Instead of dealing with these unfamiliar terms and materials that come from animals or destructive oil extraction, you can find sustainable products made from plant-based ingredients that you can recognize.

In addition to what’s inside the product, you also have to be concerned about the outside of the moisturizer as well. Can the packaging be recycled or reused? Is the container made from biodegradable materials? Did the company use minimal packaging? You need to ask these questions before committing to a moisturizer.

Now you’re probably wondering what types of hydrating creams meet these high requirements. Fortunately, there are some companies going above and beyond.

Kiss My Face focuses on natural body care and has been a leader in this category for more than 20 years. This independent company started on a small farm in Gardiner, NY. Some of its hydrating products include but are not limited to the Rosemary Melon Moisturizer, Olive My Body balm and Lavender Shea Ultra Moisturizer.

Pacifica manufactures soaps, body butters and a variety of other scented goodies. Healthy skincare starts with the basics, so it’s beneficial to use a hydrating soap when showering along with a moisturizing cream to seal in your body’s natural oils. Pacifica’s gentle Persian Rose Natural Soap is biodegradable and made from vegetable-based glycerin and oils. Its line of paraben-free body butters includes sumptuous scents including Hawaiian Ruby Guava, Mexican Cocoa and Vanilla Vera Cruz.

Korres, Carol’s Daughter and Lavanila Laboratories are a few more brands that sell moisturizing body products that are formulated without parabens, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), synthetic dyes, sulfates, petrochemicals, phthalates and triclosan.

Entering the world of eco-friendly winter moisturizers is an enlightening and aromatic experience. There are so many luxurious scents and types of hydration (lotion, body butter, cream) to choose from. So, nourish your dry, scaly skin with products that bring out the best parts of our planet.

Sure, you can eat them, and you can certainly dye fabric with them, but did you know that you could also naturally tint your cheeks and lips with their crimson juice? Yes, just like your great-great grandmother might have done, but with an organic, emollient-rich twist. You might want to stop what you’re doing and open up the notepad.

A culinary staple in high-end restaurant establishments, both the green leafy plant and its bulbous root pack a seriously nutritious punch of beta carotene, potassium, folate, Vitamin C, manganese, calcium and iron. If you’ve neglected using beets as a dietary staple up until now, their tumor-reducing betanin pigments might motivate you, as well as their ability to filter harmful toxins from the body.

Most of us already consume a beet-derived product on a regular basis: sugar. However, it probably comes as no surprise that consuming the whole beet rather than its highly refined alter ego will yield the greatest health benefits overall.

In terms of bestowing natural beauty benefits, beets are the cream of the crop. In addition to helping natural redheads revamp their color without the use of harsh chemical preparations, the deep red juice does double duty as a natural lipstick and blush for anyone who appreciates a little lead-free boost to his or her complexion.

In fact, if you’ve long been a fan of Benefit Cosmetics’ rose-tinted lip and cheek stain, Benetint, you can mimic the same healthy flush with virtually none of the expense (or chemicals) using just two readily available ingredients.

Before you trot off to your kitchen, take a quick jaunt to the store to purchase a cluster of fresh, preferably organic beets and a 4-ounce container of vegetable glycerine. (Technically, you only need one beet, but stores generally sell them in bunches, so just make a salad with any remaining roots.) Tah-dahhh… you have all of the supplies you need for well under $10.

Now, a word of caution: If you want to preserve the cleanliness of your kitchen, then pull a “Dexter” by thoroughly prepping your crime scene with some sort of protective splatter barrier. Layers of old newspapers work really well at absorbing errant beet juice stains and the bonus is that 100% of the paper you use can be recycled at the end of your project.

Ready to get your DIY on? OK, just make sure you slide on some rubber gloves, because things are going to get a little messy. Scrub a generous-sized raw beet and grate 3 tablespoons of it (equivalent to 1.5 ounces or 45 grams) into a double-boiler pot. Now it’s safe to remove your gloves.

At this point, incorporate an equal amount of vegetable glycerin (3 tablespoons/1.5 ounces/45 grams) into your pot and simmer both ingredients on the lowest temperature setting for 15 minutes. Once the mixture is completely cool, strain the solid beet pieces out and pour the tinted liquid into a clean, recycled glass jar that you have sterilized in boiling water.

Now you’re officially ready to glam yourself up! This homemade lip and cheek stain is long lasting, good for delicate skin and guaranteed to perk up your face in seconds. Plus, unlike top-selling yet lead-heavy cosmetic brands such as L’Oreal, Dior and Cover Girl, the only compounds that you’ll find in your DIY version are of the flavonoid kind, meaning that they are capable of combating microbes, inflammation, allergies and, well, cancer. Make mine a double!

If you love the idea of natural cosmetics but want to cut to the chase, you can also purchase beetroot powder (also called powdered beetroot juice) from a health food store and whip up a far less messy natural cosmetic tint in record time. Just pour 1 tablespoon of vegetable glycerin along with a half-teaspoon of olive oil or vitamin E oil into a small, resealable container and then mix 1 tablespoon of beetroot powder into it until you have a smooth consistency. Apply with a lip brush, cosmetic sponge or finger and behold your beety beauty!

I first learned about the dangers of parabens and nanoparticles several years ago when I was involved in a network marketing company selling a safe green skincare product. This company spent a lot of money on research, and what I learned from them is just becoming widely accepted knowledge today.

The cosmetics industry is completely unregulated. Chemicals that wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near the food you eat are permitted without restriction, monitoring or even labeling to be included in the products you put on your skin. This is a pathetic and inexcusable failure of our government to protect us from being poisoned by industry, and the results are palpable.

A 2008 study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) on chemical contamination in personal care products monitored 20 teenage girls from across America and found parabens and other toxic chemicals in the blood and urine samples of all 20 girls.

Parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, isobutyl-paraben) are used as preservatives and act as hormonal disrupters in the body. EWG found that teenage girls use more personal care products on average each day than their adult women counterparts. It’s no secret that teenage girls and even preteens today are physically maturing at alarming rates. The hormonal disrupters in their personal care products are certainly to blame, along with hormones in their foods.

The continued assurance by the personal care industry and even dermatologists that the “Dirty Dozen” chemicals used in personal care products are safe in trace amounts is irresponsible at best and grossly negligent at worst. It is recommended that parabens be placed in a safe container before disposal. Does that sound like something you want on your skin?

Nanoparticles such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are most often used in sunscreens to make them transparent. They are also used in lip moisturizers, and some sales reps will even tout the benefits of the nanoparticles, saying they “penetrate the skin layers” as if that’s a good thing! Think about it: nanoparticles are smaller in size than the pores of your skin. And zinc and titanium dioxide are heavy metals. What is it about putting heavy metals onto your skin and allowing them to penetrate into your bloodstream that seems like a good idea to you? Heavy metals are toxic; they damage brain cells, among other things. Enough said.

The fact is, we can’t trust our own government to regulate the personal care industry because the industry has been left alone since the 1940s. We can’t trust dermatologists to give us safe products for our skin because most of the products prescribed for skincare are toxic. In fact, when I was selling the safe green skincare product years ago, I couldn’t get any dermatologists to carry the product. Doctors were concerned that carrying a skincare product touted as “safe” and “green” might confuse their patients into thinking the products they are using now could be toxic (um, excuse me… they are toxic!) The doctors are convinced their products are safe because toxic chemicals are only used “in trace amounts.” None of the doctors I met with bothered to ponder that teens in the U.S. use on average 11 personal care products every single day, and often twice or more per day. I’m sorry, doctors, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that the sum of using these products multiple times daily for years and years leads to toxic contamination of the blood and urine.

So, what do we do to protect ourselves if nobody is going to protect us? We need to get educated. We need to seek out safe green products. And we need to err on the side of caution. In a prior article for this website, I touted the benefits of organic coconut oil for its sun protection. This was before I checked out EWG’s website and found there is absolutely no scientific proof that SPF sunscreens reduce the risk of skin cancer and in fact, most high SPF sunscreens could increase the risk of cancer in some patients. When I first heard about using coconut oil in the sun, I ignored the advice because it came from well-meaning hippies. Clearly, they know something the rest of us haven’t figured out yet: Natural products are healthier and less dangerous.

Of course, you must take caution when considering how to properly dispose of paraben- and nanoparticle-containing products. We don’t want these products to leach into our soil or water supply (much like our skin), therefore we need to treat these chemicals as hazardous waste and dispose of them at approved facilities. That’s a big deal, considering how many products currently in your home possibly contain these toxins.

To seek out safe products check out Skin Deep: the Cosmetics Database by EWG.

Where to find dioxane

Due to the fact that dioxane is not required to be disclosed, there is no sure way of knowing how many cosmetic products include it as an ingredient. This chemical is most commonly found in liquid soaps, shampoo and bubble bath. Safecosmetics.org states that it is found in 97% of hair relaxers, 57% of baby soap and 22% of all skin products. It’s alarming to know that many baby products designed to “safely” wash a baby’s skin contain this potentially harmful ingredient.

What is it?

Be careful what you're massaging into your scalp.

Brace yourself — this isn’t going be pretty. Dioxane is a byproduct of ethoxylation, a process where ethylene oxide is combined with chemicals to lessen their harsh effects. For example, if a chemical causes a reaction on the skin, ethoxylation is added to ensure the final product keeps the skin looking and feeling normal. One of the most alarming aspects of this process is that ethoxylation is a known carcinogen linked to breast cancer. This chemical is an unnecessary additive because its primary function is to make soaps lather better (something we could probably live without if we knew it was harmful).

Concerns

Aside from the known carcinogen effect the chemical has, dioxane is absorbed by the skin at a fast rate. Safecosmetics.org states that the EPA has classified dioxane as a probable human carcinogen, and it is on the National Toxicology Program as an animal carcinogen. It is suspected to cause birth defects and harm to kidneys and respiratory tracts.

The use of dioxane in one product may not result in any harm at all, but the continual use of multiple products containing dioxane over years may lead to health concerns. This is the main concern, especially for babies. A baby can be exposed to dioxane in his or her shampoo, bubble bath and body wash all in one sitting. This has become the growing concern for many parents. Using certified organic baby products and adult cosmetic products will guarantee no exposure to this chemical. Organic certification does not allow the use of this additive to any products intended for humans.

Avoid the use of over-the-counter, mainstream soaps. Instead of using three different products, use a single bar of natural soap to clean your entire body. Bar soap is easy to find in its natural state and can be used as shampoo, hand soap, face soap and body soap. Using natural soap benefits the environment because it is nontoxic and earth friendly. Dioxane, on the other hand, can contaminate ground water because it doesn’t break down in soil. In fact, disposal of dioxane is rather difficult. At boiling temperatures, dioxane can be distilled and separated from water, but it should be regarded as hazardous waste when disposing. Find a drop-off location near you here.

Are the chemicals in your soap suds reason to worry?

Now I’m no chemist, in fact quite the opposite — just ask my high school chemistry teacher. I do, however, wish to discuss two chemical compounds that are used in everyday products: diethanolamine and petroleum distillates.

Diethanolamine (DEA) is a nasty creature commonly contained in cosmetics and personal products, and petroleum distillates are a “high-volume chemical” with usage exceeding 1 million pounds annually. And, that’s just in the United States, according to scorecard.org.

It is common knowledge that many chemicals just aren’t all that healthy — not for the environment at large and not for humans or other living beings. Would it surprise you to learn that DEA is a carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemical? What if I told you that it can be found in something most people use every day? According to preventcancer.org, DEA is, “used as a wetting agent in shampoos, lotions, creams and other cosmetics. DEA is used widely because it provides a rich lather in shampoos and keeps a favorable consistency in lotions and creams.” That’s right, a commonly known, cancer-causing agent is something many of use unknowingly scrub into our scalp and skin on a daily basis. Awesome.

But don’t worry, preventcancer.org also informs us that DEA is not harmful by itself. However, this website does continue by saying, “DEA can react with other ingredients in the cosmetic formula to form an extremely potent carcinogen called nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA). NDEA is readily absorbed through the skin and has been linked with stomach, esophagus, liver and bladder cancers.” This toxic reaction occurs if these contemporary products sit on grocery shelves or in our cabinets at home for too long.

As for getting rid of the stuff, DEA needs to be handled cautiously. Do not flush the stuff, which is baffling, because it goes down your drain every time you’re rinsing your shampoo or foamy soaps. Well-protected DEA products can be landfilled safely, but your best option is to take the stuff to a chemical recycling center.

Turning our attention now to petroleum distillates, these little buggers make their presence known in many common products. Liquid electrical insulation, building materials and indoor furnishings can all have some petroleum distillates contained. In fact, to further explain how wonderfully capable this compound can be, it can also be used in pesticides.

The best way to rid yourself of your petroleum distillates products? Distillation, of course. Drop them off at an approved chemical incineration facility.

Now that we know this important and mildly terrifying information, what do we do now? As the name would imply, preventcancer.org is a valuable resource on how to stay safe when it comes to preventing cancer, which we can all agree is a pretty good goal. There you can learn what ingredients typically contain these and other harmful chemicals and how to protect yourself and those around you.

PPD lurks in many everyday products. Take caution when disposing.

Think that organic means that something is always safe? Think again, especially when it comes to hair dye; the compound p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) is in almost all hair products. The problem with PPD is simply that it is an allergen, which might explain a slight burning sensation when dying hair. I decided to find out just what is in this compound, list products that contain it, including hair dye, and also offer suggestions on proper disposal and earth-friendly replacements.

The PPD breakdown

Simply put, PPD is bad news because it is a contact allergen. PPD is a colorless solid if pure, but is usually yellowish thanks to oxidation. More importantly, PPD use is controversial because it has been linked to cancer by some individual studies, but those aren’t conclusive enough, according to the EPA. The EPA reported that the only side effect in rats and mice chronically exposed to PPD was a decrease in body weight, but there are no other signs of the chemical being toxic. Still, the jury is out on long-term effects, especially since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers PPD to be an officially labeled allergen upon contact.

What to expect when using PPD

Cotton might be the fabric of our lives, but PPD may be the additive of our lives. It is in many common items, including black clothing, inks, hair dye, dyed fur, leather and henna tattoos. As for hair dyes that are “safe,” here is some bad news: There is no such thing as a natural alternative that doesn’t contain PPD. Herbal and natural hair colors still contain PPD, for several reasons, mostly for the shine and texture it adds.

Alternatives to PPD: Think natural

When in doubt, look to nature for alternatives. In everything from hair dye to shampoo, look for vegetable-based rinses that coat the hair shaft with botanical extracts, including the following: blackberry, boysenberry, licorice root, chaparral, nettle, red sorrel, black walnut and other color pigments. Alternatives are available at most drug stores. When in doubt, look for PPD in the list of ingredients and if it is there, avoid it.

Unfortunately, there is no real way to reuse PPD, so it truly is best to simply avoid. PPD affects the soil it leaks into, and is extremely toxic to aquatic life. In humans, PPD ingestion and bodily contact can also cause serious health concerns and allergic reactions. If you have PPD-containing products you need to get rid of, treat them as you would other household chemicals — do not simply throw in the garbage!

What is it?

Formaldehyde is a colorless gas, and it is widely used in chemical industry and in manufacturing. It occurs naturally as a combustion byproduct, and it can be easily recognized by its pungent smell. Formaldehyde is also called formic aldehyde or methyl aldehyde. In its liquid form, it is found in formalin solution, with up to 40% concentration.

What contains formaldehyde?

Formaldehyde is commonly found in cigarette smoke, pressed wood, particleboard, plywood, fertilizer, cosmetics, some paper products, plastics, dyes, textiles and foam insulation from houses built in the ’70s and early ’80s.

In homes, formaldehyde can be found in cabinetry, subflooring, furniture and wood paneling.

As far as cosmetics are concerned, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics lists items that could contain formaldehyde, including nail glue, nail polish, eyelash glue and hair gel. The site also explains that even though formaldehyde may not be a listed ingredient, personal care products sometimes contain formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (FRPs) that release formaldehyde slowly over time. Some FRPs include quaternium-15, diazolidinyl urea, imidiazolidinyl urea, hydantoin, dimethyl-dimethyl (DMDM) and bronopol.

The European Union does not allow formaldehyde in cosmetics, and cosmetics containing FRPs must be labeled “contains formaldehyde.” Japan, Sweden and Canada have similar restrictions on formaldehyde.

Is it harmful?

According to the EPA, formaldehyde “can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea and difficulty breathing in some humans exposed at elevated levels (above 0.1 parts per million).” It is also thought to be a carcinogen, as studies have shown that it causes cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans as well. When humans are exposed to formaldehyde in large amounts, it can trigger asthma. Other health issues associated with formaldehyde are skin and/or eye irritation, coughing, vomiting and diarrhea.

Disposal

Formaldehyde is considered hazardous waste; therefore, it must be disposed of properly at a hazardous waste drop-off point near you. Since it is a toxin, formaldehyde cannot be recycled or reused.

Are there alternatives?

Many companies make cosmetics that do not contain formaldehyde. A simple search will help you find safe cosmetics. Nail polish doesn’t have to be toxic! Holistic Beauty sells cosmetics without harmful products like formaldehyde and toluene.

As far as alternatives to formaldehyde in particle wood and plywood in your home, if you dig deep, you can find formaldehyde-free options. Eco Wise sells bamboo and formaldehyde-free plywood. Chicago-based Whitney Wood Works prides itself on being a sustainable business, and it offers cabinetry and children and baby furniture that’s safe for you and the environment. Taylor Made Cabinets in New England has formaldehyde-free kitchen options.

Do you really want this stuff entering your waterstream and potentially your body?

First, let’s explore the basics. When coal, a highly combustible sedentary rock that generates the majority of our global energy (as well as a hefty amount of our carbon dioxide emissions), is processed, a dizzying array of heavy metal-laden waste products are left behind. In particular, highly flammable and carcinogenic coal tar — which contains roughly 10,000 chemicals, including heterocyclic compounds, phenols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (the latter of which actually smells pretty good) — has been used in everything from Egyptian mummy preservation and the surface coating of roads to color-resistant fabric upholstery dyes and water-resistant roof shingle sealants.

Back in 1856, a man by the name of William Perkins tried in vain to create a synthetic form of quinine and realized during his laboratory experiments that coal tar came in handy as a dye ingredient. His findings have resulted in the substance migrating into many of our modern day personal care items, which is probably not such a good thing now that the European Chemicals Agency has deemed it to be a toxic and/or carcinogenic “substance of very high concern.” Oddly enough, the FDA and the National Psoriasis Foundation still seem to think that it’s safe enough to use in skin and scalp treatments such as DHS Tar, Oxipor, Neutrogena T/Gel and Polytar as well as in hair dyes, soaps, deodorants, cosmetics and even foods, but there are some serious health concerns that consumers should keep in mind.

Hair color devotees who never let a month pass without touching up their locks might want to pay close attention. According to a 2001 USC School of Medicine study, “women using permanent hair dye (containing coal tar) at least once a month for a period more than one year more than double their risk of bladder cancer,” and that risk increases more than four times when they’ve dyed their hair consistently for 10-plus years. Laboratory animals also succumb to coal tar’s carcinogenic effects, but the substance has also been proven to irritate the skin, eyes and mucous membranes; cause blindness; depress the central nervous system and result in respiratory and cardiovascular system issues.

And, of course, there is the disposal of coal tar and products that contain the toxin. Coal tar products have been known to leach into soil and work their way into municipal waterways, creating a host of gastrointestinal and thyroid issues, and raising risk for lupus, immune system deficiencies and rheumatoid arthritis. Consider coal tar a hazardous waste item. Please bring it to your nearest drop-off location instead of dumping coal tar-containing items in the trash or down the drain.

The best course of action for consumers interested in ensuring their health and safety is to avoid coal tar altogether by paying close attention to product labels and purchasing natural/organic versions whenever possible. If going au naturel with your hair color is not a bridge that you’re willing to cross, then consider exploring nontoxic, plant-based permanent coloring products such as Aubrey Organics’ Color Me Natural instead. If you have a psoriasis issue that needs addressing, there are multiple home remedies that are worth trying, including the application of cashew nut oil, marigold lotion or a cabbage leaf compress to the affected area. Although many conventional cosmetics utilize coal tar-derived colorants, it is easier than ever to purchase 100% natural versions manufactured by such companies as SANTE Cosmetics, Ecco Bella, Human Nature, Nvey Eco and Lavera.

More than anything, it is imperative that we all commit to becoming well-informed consumers who take responsibility for our own health and wellness. The days of blind faith are long behind us, so keep a scrutinizing eye on all product labels and support companies that are dedicated to sourcing ethical, sustainably harvested ingredients that are botanically based. Your whole body and the earth around you will thank you for it!