The Breast Cancer Prevention Partners describe Alkylphenols this way, “Alkylphenols are used to make alkylphenol ethoxylates, surfactants that increase the efficiency of detergents and other cleaning products. They are also used as raw materials in the production of plastics and pesticides.”
Alkylphenols can be found in detergents, plastics, leather goods, agricultural pesticides, and spermicides, household and industrial cleaners, on food sprayed with pesticides containing alkylphenols, in the meat of cows, groundwater nearby farms using these pesticides, and in sewage water.
Alkylphenols mimic and disrupt estrogen from doing it's main job, to communicate with other cells within the endocrine system, and for protein production. Alkylphenols prevent this important communication from occurring properly in your body causing imbalances. They have also been shown to increase cell growth for estrogen-dependent cancers.
You won't see this listed in the ingredients, but it will be in foods that contain items that've been processed with produce sprayed with Alkylphenols.
WAYS TO AVOID EXPOSURE
- Alkylphenols have many names so read all household cleaning labels. If the ingredients are not listed on the label, DO NOT use the product. Look for these chemical names:
Propylphenol
Butylphenol
Amylphenol
Heptylphenol
Octylphenol
Nonylphenol
Dodecylphenol
Methylphenol
Ethylphenol
- Purchase organic fruit and vegetables when possible, check out the Dirty Dozen Shoppers Guide to help make your dollars go further. You can also join a CSA in your area. What's a CSA? Community Supported Agriculture, it's a program where you buy a share of the produce that the farm harvests. This provides the farmers with customers for the growing season and you get nutritious, freshly picked produce at a fraction of the cost than going to the grocery store.
- Replacing plastic food storage containers with glass containers. Plastic lids are okay if they don’t come in contact with your food. Glass food containers may cost a little more up front but will save you money in the long run, plus glass containers will last for decades.
- Ditch the plastic food containers, utensils, bowls and food prep items. Instead switch to glass, ceramic, metal, bamboo or wood. I purchased a set of glass storage bowls 18 years ago and am still using them today, the initial cost may be a little higher but will save you money in the long run.
- Never reheat food in plastic containers. Plastic containers will start to break down over time, recycle if your plastic containers show any signs at all of wear.
- Purchase grass fed meat from local farmers.
NEXT STEP
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