POLLUTION
Personal Care Products
Personal Care Products, also known as PCPs, are products used for personal hygiene, grooming, and cleaning (Khalid, 2021). Examples of these can include skin and hair products, sunscreens, perfumes, soaps, toothpaste etc. Basically everything that we use to maintain ourselves is considered a PCP. These products end up contaminating our wastewater systems which go out into the world and in turn contaminate the environment.
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Not only do the residues of these products contaminate our environments, but the entirety of the raw materials, packaging, manufacturing and distribution of the products contribute to even more of the pollution caused by them. As a woman there are definitely more personal care products that I use that are responsible for a chunk of pollution. Pads and tampons produce waste from the box, the plastic coverings, and the disposal for the product once it is actually used. Aside from the bulkier pollution that those products produce there is also residual pollution that we don't realize comes off of us. For example, sunscreen, lotions, perfumes, and even soaps have environmental contaminants than go into the air, water, and land whenever we swim, shower, or even go outside. These wastes create microplastics such as micro beads which commonly come from shower gels, toothpastes, nail polishes, or makeup products. When these micro beads reach the ocean, they float to the surface and mix with other microplastics. Since these contaminants are so small, it makes it easier for them to be ingested by aquatic species. While it may seem like a small ingestion of these plastics is not such a big deal, when an organism is constantly absorbing these plastics, this accumulation can be fatal.
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Many PCPs act as endocrine disruptors, also known as EDCs. These EDCs alter normal function of hormones which can result in reproductive effects in aquatic organisms. (EPA, 2023). These contaminants may present themselves to the species at a young age, but will not be apparent until the species is an adult. This can delay when we see the negative affects until it is too late. Due to this, the EPA has developed a “White Paper Aquatic Life Criteria for Contaminants of Emerging Concern: Part I Challenges and Recommendations”. This paper outlines the modifications the EPA is making to 1985 guidelines in order to help with this contamination.
With new health and cleanliness standards there are more products being used than ever before. Many companies and manufacturers are trying to work harder to minimize the impact that these products are making. A new rush of sustainability practices and biodegradability are making way to a new green world. We have already seen this with paper straws and bamboo cutlery, but taking this change into the home is the biggest way we will be able to see change in our environments.
This was a lot of information that may seem scary. I mean most of these products are necessities and it is hard to avoid using them. Even some environmental scientists admit that they still use their favorite products with suspicious ingredients (Sheikh, 2023). The best thing to do is to gradually shift to safer products and healthier foods. Here are a few steps you can take to reduce your daily impact on the environment.
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First, read the labels of the products that you are buying. Avoid purchasing products that contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment and your own personal health. The FDA had a list of chemicals that are either banned or that you should avoid for safety reasons. Here are some off of that list that you should be aware of, but I recommend doing further research. Diethanolamine (DEA), formaldehydes, and isobutane are some of the chemicals that should cause you to put the product down that you are thinking about purchasing.
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Second, use less! The most prominent issue when it comes to pollution it not always exactly what you are using, but how much of it you are using. Consumption and accumulation are ultimately the most detrimental factors to our environment. Consider using less water and being in the shower for less time. Also consider simplifying your routine to just the core products or versatile products. For example I own a lipstick that also doubles as a blush so I do not need to purchase both products.
Third, ask yourself these questions to help you decide which products to eliminate out of your routine. These questions come from the sustainability project which I will link below if you would like to read the whole article.
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What is the purpose of this product?
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Does this product serve its purpose well?
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How often do I use this product? Will I be able to finish it before the expiration date?
Personal Care Products come in a vide variety of things that we use in our daily lives. While it may seem hard to take care of the environment just by ourselves, these simple steps can actually make such a big difference in the world. The goal is to just start. You do not have to throw away everything you own now, but make small gradual changes in order to get the process started. If we all begin this way, our environment will thank us.
Sources
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Bashir, S. M., Kimiko, S., Mak, C.-W., Fang, J. K.-H., & Gonçalves, D. (2021, April 29). Personal care and cosmetic products as a potential source of environmental contamination by microplastics in a densely populated Asian City. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.683482/full
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Contaminants of emerging concern including pharmaceuticals and personal ... Contaminants of Emerging Concern including Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products. (2009). https://www.epa.gov/wqc/contaminants-emerging-concern-including-pharmaceuticals-and-personal-care-products
Ecological impacts of personal care products. Escarus Blog. (2022, March 16). https://www.escarus.com/ecological-impacts-of-personal-care-products
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Faber, S. (2020). The toxic twelve chemicals and contaminants in cosmetics. Environmental Working Group. https://www.ewg.org/the-toxic-twelve-chemicals-and-contaminants-in-cosmetics
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Khalid, M., & Abdollahi, M. (2021). Environmental distribution of personal care products and their effects on human health. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8170769/
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Mel. (2021, November 11). 3 ways to reduce waste in your cosmetics routine. The Sustainability Project. https://thesustainabilityproject.life/blog/2021/01/30/3-ways-to-reduce-waste-in-your-cosmetics-routine/
Plastic microbeads. DCCEEW. (2021). https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste/plastics-and-packaging/plastic-microbeads
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RC;, T. E. S. T. (n.d.). Potential for plastics to transport hydrophobic contaminants. Environmental science & technology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18075085/
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Sheikh, K. (2023, February 15). Many personal care products contain harmful chemicals. here’s what to do about it. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/15/well/live/personal-care-products-chemicals.html#:~:text=These include chemicals that environmental,, BHA, naphthalene and phthalates.
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Sustainable development report 2023. Sustainable Development Report 2023. (2023). https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/chapters/executive-summary