What You Can Do

Spread the Word: Promotional Graphics
Thank you for helping us spread the word about Is it In Us? Chemical Contamination In Our Bodies. You can download, print our graphics and get graphics for your website here. These are web graphics you can use on your site or blog. Simply right-click on the PC or ctrl-click on the Mac on one of the graphics below to download to your hard drive and then load to your website. Link the graphic to http://www.isitinus.org/.

Spread the Word: Circulate Our Project Booklet
Download the Is It In Us? Project Booklet to print on your home computer. Pages are in the correct order to print on 8 ½ x 11 paper and fold into a booklet for sharing with your family, friends, and co-workers.

consumer Action

Reducing Our Exposure to Phthalates
It is believed that phthalates readily exit our bodies through urinary metabolites. Although people are continually exposed to phthalates because they are ubiquitous, you can minimize re-exposure to phthalates by:

  • Avoid products containing PVC plastic.
  • Avoid the use of PVC/vinyl in building and home remodeling. Use safe alternatives such as those recommended by the Healthy Building Network.
  • Educate yourself as to whether the adhesives, caulk, grout, and sealants you use contain phthalates. In the National Institutes of Health’s Household Products Database, you can search for phthalate as an ingredient.
  • Purchase natural fibers, polyester, or nylon shower curtains instead of vinyl.
  • Avoid plastics marked with the #3 symbol; these are likely to contain PVC.
  • Check with your children’s toy manufactures to see if they have pledged to stop using PVC. Toymakers Brio, Chicco, Early Start, Evenflo, Gerber, Lego, Prime Time, Sassy, and Tiny Love have already made the commitment.
  • Use plastic wrap and food storage bags made from polyethylene, such as GLAD.
  • Use glass or ceramic containers to store food.
  • Phthalate-free Personal Care Products
    • Look at ingredient lists and avoid products listing “fragrance” or phthalates.
    • Choose products from companies that have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. For a listing, check out the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website.
    • Research the ingredients of your personal care products, beyond what is on the ingredient label. Check out the Skin Deep Database for a more complete listing.
  • Know What Is In Your Food
    • Grow and harvest your own food without using pesticides, or purchase organic foods if possible.

Reducing Our Exposure to PBDEs
You can minimize your exposure to PBDEs by taking the following steps:

  • Choose furniture that does not contain PBDEs in its foam and upholstery.
  • Before purchasing furniture, find out which companies offer PBDE-free products.
  • The following websites can help:
    Safer Products Project
    Smart Shopper’s PBDE Card
  • Contact the company directly if you cannot find whether the manufacturer uses PBDEs.
  • PBDE-free electronics: Many companies are beginning to make electronics with alternatives to PBDEs. Certain PBDE-free products are available from Canon, Dell, HP, Intel, Erickson, Apple, and Sony.
  • Reduce your fat intake
    • Choose lean meat and poultry cuts.
    • Cut off visible fat before you cook meat.
    • Choose cooking methods that remove excess fat such as broiling, grilling, and roasting
  • Avoid farmed fish:PBDE levels have been found to be higher in farmed fish because they are given a diet of fat-rich pellets.

  • Choose wild caught salmon if possible.

Reducing Our Exposure to Bisphenol A

You can minimize your exposure to BPA by taking the following steps:

  • Use glass, stainless steel, or polyethylene bottles instead of polycarbonate (hard, shiny, clear plastic) bottles.
  • Avoid heating foods in polycarbonate containers, as bisphenol-A tends to leach faster with higher temperatures. Use glass or ceramic containers instead.
  • Cut back on consumption of canned foods and beverages to reduce exposure to bisphenol A contamination from the interior coating of the container. Also, avoid canned foods with higher fat content, which may have higher levels of bisphenol A.18
  • Before getting dental sealants, check with your dentist about the ingredients in the products they use, as some formulations may leach bisphenol A.18