I think it’s time the EPA had a name change. How about the IPA – the Industry Protection Agency?
Because there’s a bombshell report detailing the cancer danger from formaldehyde – and since that would likely put any industry or manufacturer that uses the chemical in a pot of regulatory hot water, it’s currently being hidden away in a broom closet at EPA headquarters.
Although industry-friendly officials there are fighting tooth and nail to keep it under wraps, bits and pieces have managed to leak out — and the findings are truly frightening.
Word has it that this report confirms – with clear scientific evidence and support from the EPA’s top scientists – formaldehyde as a cause of leukemia and other cancers.
But we don’t need to wait another minute for all of the dreadful details to be released. We know enough right now to say that doing everything within our power to avoid exposure to this incredibly toxic cancer-causing chemical is urgent.
And that’s something you can put into action right away if you know what to look out for – starting in your shower.
From preserving corpses to straightening curls
If that hair product or cosmetic came in a bottle that said “embalming fluid” on it, you probably wouldn’t buy it!
Yet formaldehyde, the substance used to preserve the bodies of those who have passed, is also used to preserve lots of other things you come into contact with every day.
And while this chemical has been scientifically recognized for some time as being an extremely toxic substance – even the EPA considers it a “probable human carcinogen” – this embargoed study is said to contain the “smoking gun” that positively links it to leukemia and cancers of the head and neck.
The study, completed over a year ago by an elite group of independent EPA researchers from special division called IRIS (for Integrated Risk Information System), was about to be released and reviewed by a panel of experts at the National Academies of Sciences. In fact, the agency had already paid half a million dollars to the NAS to thoroughly go over it!
But then, everything came to a screeching halt before the NAS had the chance to confirm those IRIS results.
The next step would be for much more stringent regulations – both state and federal – regarding how formaldehyde is used.
But to the industry, that means that the slap-happy use of formaldehyde in everyday products would go the way of smoking in a plane or adding cocaine to Coca-Cola!
As I mentioned, the knowledge that formaldehyde can cause life-threatening diseases isn’t new. Studies done on people who are frequently exposed – like funeral home workers — found that their risk of dying from ALS is three times higher than those in other professions.
And it has been known to be a carcinogen for over four decades now!
This IRIS study would simply be the final nail in the coffin, so to speak. And tighter regulations would hit several industries right where it hurts the most.
For example, hair products (especially ones to straighten and smooth your locks) often contain lots of formaldehyde. In fact, OSHA air testing in salons found that levels of the chemical were typically above the safe occupational limit for factory workers!
It’s also common to find this toxin in cosmetics, body soaps, lotions, and shampoos — even ones made for babies.
And that stink from the new TV stand or kitchen cart you just spent the whole day putting together? It’s most likely formaldehyde “off-gassing” right inside your home.
New clothing and as sheets, especially ones made out of that miracle fabric called “permanent press,” are also common sources of formaldehyde fumes. What you smell from new fabric is a signal that it’s also off-gassing formaldehyde and some other nasty chemicals.
It may sound like formaldehyde is as unavoidable among the living as it is the dead, but there are some simple steps you can take to limit your exposure:
- Be aware that some products, including the popular Brazilian Blowout brand, have been cited by OSHA for failing to list formaldehyde on product labels. And some labels may only list chemical names that indicate the presence of formaldehyde — such as methylene glycol, formalin, Quaternium-15, and DMDM hydantoin. So, only buy personal care products that contain as few ingredients as possible – and make sure you can pronounce all of them!
- Don’t buy “pressed” wood furniture, which is probably one of the surest ways to fill your home with formaldehyde vapors. Almost every one of these items emits a strong odor when you get it out of the box, and it often takes weeks for the smell to dissipate. Instead, look for furniture made from real wood, metal, and glass. (And don’t assume that things aren’t made from pressed wood just because you’re shopping in a furniture store!)
- Wash all new clothing before wearing and stop buying fabrics that don’t need ironing. (Seriously, does anyone really care that much if there are some wrinkles in the sheets?)
It’s obvious that we can’t wait for the EPA to get its act together when it comes to formaldehyde, and we’re going to have to take matters into our own hands. Because if we don’t do something soon, we may very well end up being embalmed before our time.
“Politico: EPA intentionally delayed release of cancer study, officials say” Jamie Ehrlich, July 6, 2018, CNN, cnn.com
