The average consumer is exposed to more than one hundred chemicals a day through personal care products (PCPs) alone, according to a Rutgers Health study that examined the chemical exposures occurring through the specific products used daily by study participants. The study in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology examined nearly 9,350 specific products used by 593 study participants, and though most people used dozens of potentially dangerous chemicals, high exposure levels weren’t universal: participants who expressed concerns about product safety and sought safer alternatives used products with less hazardous ingredients.
“Average exposure was high, but there was a silver lining,” said Emily Barrett, lead author of the study and vice chair of the Rutgers School of Public Health’s Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology. “We saw signs that people who tried to limit exposure succeeded in doing so, so it’s certainly possible for others as well.” The researchers collected information about product usage in the last 24-48 hours and general demographic data from a cohort of students, faculty, staff and others affiliated with Rutgers University. Participants reported using an average of 14.5 personal care products daily, ranging from basic items such as soap and toothpaste to cosmetics, fragrances and hair styling products. To read the full story.