Personal Care Products

An ideal fragrance policy would disclose what chemicals/ingredients "fragrance" represents or contains. Many companies use fragrance but use it to keep a formula secret or too not fully disclose all the ingredients a personal care product or cleaning product contains. It's important for the consumer to know all ingredients that are in their purchased goods so they then can make the most informed decision for them and their families. For example, a mother may buy her toddler baby shampoo and see fragrance as one of the ingredients listed, she may be quick to think that it is only what gives the shampoo the nice scent but may be unaware that what fragrance actually is is harmful and toxic to her small developing child. The ideal fragrance policy would give each and every ingredient in the fragrance so they mother or the consumer has the ability to research said ingredients, should they choose too, so they have a better idea of what it is they are using on their bodies. 

I would develop a national awareness campaign to radon by collaborating with local news stations and local newspapers, and through flyers distributed at elementary, middle and high schools in the parent envelope to make sure all parents are aware that there are free kits available. Coming from the school will increase their motivation to test their homes after realizing their family's health may be in danger.  I would also collaborate with the American Lung Cancer Association (ALCA) and other lung associations to increase awareness through their platforms. I would like to form these partnerships with the stakeholders prior to January, which is the national radon action month, so the media messages, flyers, and PSA's are ready to be distributed January 1st. I would ideally like that the news station mentions the free test kits weekly. In the newspaper it would be great if the free radon test kits could be shown as a coupon so families are more inclined to cut it out and put it

The social determinants of health are,"the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life" (WHO, 2017). For example, how environmental justice fits into this is that the city, the neighborhood, the street, the proximity to oil refineries where people live have a direct effect on their health. Unfortunately due to institutionalized racism, the lack of diversity in jobs where people make decisions about where companies are going to be built, people of color are missing from that decision making process and occupation. The connection between environmental justice and racism to health is undeniable. Blacks and African Americans have been disproportionately been affected all their lives by injustices and discrimination. On almost every public health article I have ever read, African Americans are always the one with the highest rates of obesity, highest rates of preterm births, birth mor

We can not only focus on sedentary lifestyles and diets anymore when talking about the obesity epidemic. After learning further about the lack of chemical regulation and the new knowledge about chemicals and BPA exposures, we must demand policies be put in place immediately that protect us and make companies prove they are safe before they are sold anywhere in the U.S. Enough is enough. Our health, the health of our children, and even the health of the government officials' children are at risk without appropriate regulations. I remember listening to Dr. Rishi Munchanda's presentation on NPR last year. He makes important points about not just treating the symptoms of a disease but looking at ways to decrease exposures to chemicals that contribute to diseases like migrane headaches and asthma. Health truly does begin where you live, work, and play. As the women in his story shed light on her living conditions, more began to be unraveled about the contributing factors of he

  The top 3 polluters in 94533, Solano County, are Valero Refinery, Ball Metal Container Corp., Rexam Beverage Can Co. The percent of homes in 94533 that have lead-based paint is 1%. I am happy that only 1% of homes in Solano County have a high risk of lead hazards. In 2004, Solano County was considered one of the safest/cleanest counties in the U.S. There is one superfund, Travis Air Force Base in my hometown of Fairfield. A superfund is US federal government program  designed to fund the clean up of toxic wastes. There were three landfills used in 1943-1977 that had solvents, cyanide, pesticides, and other industrial chemicals. The water in the Suisun Marsh was threatened, this can lead chemicals into the San Francisco Bay and further harm wildlife there too. The air quality is among the dirtiest counties in the nation according to data from 2003. There are high levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, PM-2.5 PM-10, sulfur dioxide, and volatile organic compounds emissions.

Transportation is essential to everyday life whether its via automobile, Bart, or walking. Unfortunately, for me I have to drive my car and public transportation is not an option though I wish it were. I work 30ish miles from home, I commute 60ish  to USF campus, and I commute throughout the county to do nutrition and physical activity promotion. I also commute 80ish miles to San Jose to visit my significant other. The implications for my health are sitting for too long in the car during traffic. It hurts my back and affects the circulation in my body just as it would if I was just sitting and watching TV I would assume. Even though I run regularly, prolonged sitting has a negative effect on my overall health. The health of the communities specifically  Richmond city that is adjacent to Chevron refinery, next to freeways and or train tracks, these communities of color's health is more affected due to high levels of  pollution and  decrease in air quality they are exposed to every

 After getting lab tests done to screen for certain chemicals, I would feel anxious, stressed and overwhelmed. I would tell myself to prepare for the worst and to keep a positive outlook. Upon receiving the news that I tested positive for dioxins, DDT, organophosphate, lead, solvent, PCBs, and phthalates I would be devastated and I would feel helpless learning that there are no safe levels. I would then ask the doctor to refer me to specialist that could help me detox my body from these chemicals and try to deduce how I was exposed and eliminate those products from my immediate environment. Reflecting on the DDT in my body, it may have bee due to the 10 days I was in Honduras on a medical brigade where because of risk of mosquito borne illnesses we were told to where DDT around the clock and when we slept. I would be completely devastated but after this class I would accept it as a reality because of all the chemical toxins and exposures that are around us everyday. It would feel s

After finding out how harmful the chemicals were in my personal care products, I was anxious to find out what further research on my household products would reveal. The most commonly used household product is Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner and Lysol Disinfectant Wipes. Upon further research through the Household Product Database I was surprised to find that Pine-Sol's toxicity rating is slight. The level of severity for acute exposures is 1 which means that this chemical's ingredients, hydroxyacetic acid and alcohol can cause eye or skin irritation. Based on OSHA Standards, Pine-Sol is considered hazardous. It does not contain any carcinogenic ingredients. Lysol wipes toxicity rating is moderate. The level of severity is 2 which means that the ethanol and alkyl dimethylbenzylammonium chloride. There are no known carcinogenic ingredients. Caution again is advised as it may cause some skin or eye irritation and surfaces or appliances that come in contact with food should be r

After looking up Biore Pore Strips and Suave Moisturizing Shampoo, Almond and Shea Butter on the Safe Cosmetics Database: http:www.ewg.org/skindeep/. After looking up these products I found that Biore Pore Strips are generally pretty safe however, areas of high concern are methylparaben due to endocrine disruption, allergies/immunotoxicity, biological and cellular changes. It also contains PEG-12 Dimethicone and Titanium Dioxide both ingredients which cause organ system toxicity (non-reproductive). There are more ingredients, but these ingredients are which gave the Pore Strips a score of 2 and are the most concerning ingredients. I use this product to get rid of whiteheads and to learn that it contains things that cause not only organ system toxicity but also causes changes at the cellular level is startling! The second product I looked up was Suave Moisturizing Shampoo, Almond and Shea Butter. This product received a score of 5.  The first three ingredients the fragrance, dmdm hyda