Canadian environmentalists Rick Smith (Executive Director of Environmental Defence Canada) and Bruce Lourie decided to test everyday pollutants on their own bodies to gauge absorbtion levels. The result is this highly readable book with the amusing yet unsettling title, Slow Death by Rubber Duck: How the Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Life Affects Our Health. (2009, Canada. Knopf Canada)
At first blush this type of experiment sounds rather rash, even dangerous. Are these authors mad, poisoning themselves? Not as crazy one might would think. The authors merely tested themselves for substances after exposure to an array of (seemingly) innocuous every day products. Things like frying pans, grooming products, kiddies toys, canned fish full of mercury. It's amazing to learn how common these chemicals are to our every day environment.
Unfortunately, people unwittingly absorb these mysterious substances every day into their bodies. We’re like huge sponges, being dipped into a cocktail of unfathomable toxins.
Types Of Chemicals We Absorb Into The Body
Most of us have a limited knowledge of chemistry, and when confronted with the acronym-heavy names of these industrial chemicals, the mind quickly draws a blank. What are phthalates, perfluorochemicals and polybrominated diphenyl ethers? What about bisphenol A, or BPA as it’s commonly known?
The names of these chemicals don’t sound too appealing, and that’s because they’ve been linked to health problems like cancer, abnormal genitalia, infertility, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, to name but a few.
The most alarming thing about the tests the authors conducted on themselves was the high levels of some chemicals even before the testing had started - and these guys are chemical conscious and try to limit their exposure to what they consider to be risky products. The results only went to prove how impossible it is to avoid becoming human test tubes full of chemicals.
The authors put the situation quite nicely:
“If they want to, future archeologists will be able to easily define toxic eras in human history from the telltale levels of these potent, globally sprinkled chemicals in our race’s desiccated remains. The classifications might go something like this: Era PCB (1950-2030); Epoch PBDE (1980-2075); Age of Firemaster 550 (2005 - ?). Like the rings of a tree or layers in a sedimentary rock.”
In a lot of ways, Slow Death by Rubber Duck reads like an updated version of Rachel Carson's classic Silent Spring. In that book, which inspired the green movement, Carson looked at the effects of pesticides on humans. She warned of the possible carcinogenic effect such chemicals might have on the body.
Chemical Intake Widespread and Chronic
Things have changed since then, but in a kind of lopsided way. Where once our chemical intake was more local and intense, it is now far more widespread and chronic. We absorb and store chemicals in our bodies from a wide range of sources. Our environments are full of these chemicals, in places you never, ever thought possible. Simple things like contact lenses and children's toys.
The authors again:
“The truth of the matter is that toxic chemicals are now found at low levels in countless applications, in everything from personal care products and cooking pots and pans to electronics, furniture, clothing, building materials and children’s toys. They make their way into our bodies through our food, air and water.”
How To Protect Yourself
How is a person to protect themselves from this toxic environment? The authors recommend two routes. While you can't entirely eliminate these chemicals from your life, you can do your best to avert them. This requires knowledge and research.
It also takes some noisy, hands-on political action. Rick Smith is a father with two young boys. One of the bad chemicals, bisphenol A, a known hormone disrupter, more commonly known as BPA, is prevalent in a lot of items that children use. As part of his Toxic Nation campaign, he enlisted a lot of angry mums to protest the use of BPA in children's products – most notably feeding bottles. As a result of the campaign Canada became the first jurisdiction in the world to ban BPA from children's products.
Slow Death by Rubber Duck will make you think twice about things you never ever usually gave a moment’s thought about. It will spark an interest in reading the contents of your aftershave or shampoo, or cause you to look again at what goes into your cooking products, and may prompt you to make different purchasing decisions. And in our consumer ruled world that’s the closest thing to making revolutionary change.
Chris Saliba - Chris Saliba is a freelance writer. Read more of his workplace articles at chrissalibafreelancewriter.blogspot.com
Join the Conversation