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THE COLOR OF CLIMATE
Phthalates in Common Household Items Are Especially Dangerous for Women and Children of Color
But replacing them might not be as easy as previously thought
This is The Color of Climate, a weekly column from Future Human exploring how climate change and other environmental issues uniquely impact the future of communities of color.
A group of public health and environmental researchers from across the United States are calling for reforms in how we regulate a group of chemical compounds that are harmful to women and children.
In a paper published in the American Journal of Public Health in February, the group recommended policies that they hope will eliminate the use of the chemicals in consumer products.
Ortho-phthalates, the chemical group in question, are neurotoxins that have been linked to learning, attention, and behavioral disorders in children. They are used in a variety of consumer products, including food packaging, toys, medical supplies, personal hygiene products, and cosmetics.
Phthalates, as the group is often abbreviated, can be used to make plastic and made into a solvent in liquids like perfume. Pregnant women may face the greatest harm from these chemicals…
