Some hazards in the home are easy to see. Like a loose electrical socket. Or torn carpet on the stairs. But others are harder to spot. And some are invisible, in the very air you breathe. These include lead, mold, and radon.

But there are ways you can find and fix these unseen hazards. Learning about possible toxins in your home may be concerning. But knowledge can help you take action.

Getting the Lead Out

Lead is a naturally occurring metal. It’s used to make many products, like car batteries. But it doesn’t belong in your body. It causes damage to the brain and nervous system. Lead exposure is especially dangerous for children. There is no “safe” level of lead in the bloodstream.

Lead exposure causes problems with thinking, learning, and memory, says Dr. Aimin Chen, an environmental health researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. This can affect how well children do in school. “It’s also linked with attention problems and hyperactivity,” he explains.

These effects aren’t just found with high levels of lead. “Even at lower levels, which are more common in children, you see some of these associations,” Chen says.

Lead used to be added to gasoline and paint. These uses are no longer permitted. But paint lasts in homes for a long time. If you live in a house built before 1978, it likely has lead paint somewhere.

If older paint isn’t chipping or peeling, it’s not likely to create lead dust, says Chen. But paint can sometimes get damaged where you might not see it. Such areas include door frames and window sashes, Chen explains. Paint on the outside of a house can also chip and fall into the dirt where kids play.

Lead can get into drinking water through old lead pipes, faucets, and fixtures, too. Find out how to test for lead in paint, dust, and drinking water.

Testing for lead is especially important for younger children, up to the age of six, Chen explains. Your health care provider can check with a simple blood test. If your child has very high blood levels of lead, your health care provider can advise on whether they need to be treated and how.

You will also need to have the lead source cleaned up by a certified professional. Your local health department can provide information on what to do with lead paint. It’s not safe to try to fix it on your own.

Water and Mold

If you’ve ever left a loaf of bread or piece of fruit out too long, you’ve likely seen mold grow. Most types of mold are harmless. But some can be dangerous. They can produce compounds that trigger allergies or asthma attacks.

Mold can grow in buildings when water gets in, explains Dr. Matthew Perzanowski, an allergy and asthma researcher at Columbia University. And any type of dwelling can potentially get water damage, he says.

“In urban communities, it’s often poor ventilation in the bathroom, or a leak in another apartment,” says Perzanowski. “But water can also come from storms, or floods, or other kinds of leaks. And if you live somewhere with high outdoor humidity, that makes it harder to dry things out inside the home.”

Sometimes, you can see mold on walls or other surfaces. Other times, such as with a leak behind the walls, you may just smell it, Perzanowski says. Some people describe this smell as musty, stale, or damp.

If you find mold in your home, “you have to make sure that the water source goes away,” he says. “Cleaning and painting won’t do any good if you don’t get rid of the water.”

You can clean small areas of mold growth—less than three feet by three feet—yourself, Perzanowski explains. But take precautions not to breathe in the mold.

“Wear an N95 mask and goggles. Use warm soapy water and towels you can throw away,” he says.

You may need to remove and replace sections of caulking or walls that are moldy. Or throw out fabrics or rugs that can’t be cleaned. Large areas of mold damage may require professional help.

Perzanowski’s team is currently tracking whether a large-scale mold removal program in New York City helps reduce asthma symptoms in both children and adults. Learn more about mold cleanup from the EPA and CDC.

Radon on the Radar

You likely know that smoking cigarettes is one cause of lung cancer. But cigarettes aren’t the only toxin that increases that risk. An odorless, colorless, radioactive gas called radon can cause lung cancer, too.

Radon gas is found naturally in nearly all types of rock, in all parts of the country. It’s a risk if it gets inside. It can seep through cracks in floors, walls, and the foundations of homes and other buildings.

Even buildings without basements can have dangerous levels of radon, says Dr. Ellen Hahn, a nursing researcher who studies cancer risk reduction at the University of Kentucky.

Exposure to radon gas is most harmful to people who also smoke tobacco, says Hahn. “But breathing radon is really dangerous for everyone,” she explains. “There is no risk-free level of radon.”

Low-cost and free tests can measure radon levels in the home. If levels are high, a certified radon professional can vent it outside to make the home safe again. This process is called radon mitigation.

But few households test for radon. Even fewer mitigate. Hahn and her team have been looking for ways to increase radon testing in rural Kentucky. They have been recruiting and training local residents, including high school students, as “citizen scientists.” These volunteers perform home radon testing using digital radon detectors, which can be used over and over again. Standard kits for radon testing can only be used once. Her project also makes digital detectors available at local libraries.

“Libraries are trusted sources of information and resources,” Hahn says, “so why not make them places to check out a radon test kit as well?”

Her team is also looking at ways to get landlords to test for and mitigate radon. Renters can test, but the landlord decides whether to mitigate, she explains.

Certain regions can be hotspots for radon gas.

The products you use for cleaning, carpentry, auto repair, gardening, and many other household uses can contain ingredients that can harm you, your family, and the environment. These include

• Oven and drain cleaners
• Laundry powder
• Floor polish
• Paint thinners, strippers and removers
• Pesticides
• Grease and rust removers
• Motor oil and fuel additives
• Arts and craft supplies

Toxic substances in these products can cause harm if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. People respond to toxic substances in different ways. At high doses a toxic substance might cause birth defects or other serious problems, including brain damage or death.

To avoid problems, keep products in the containers they come in and use them exactly as the label says. Follow label directions or get medical help if you swallow, inhale or get them on your skin.

Clean Regularly

Cleaning with a household cleaner that contains soap or detergent reduces the amount of germs on surfaces and decreases risk of infection from surfaces. In most situations, cleaning alone removes most virus particles on surfaces. Disinfection to reduce transmission of COVID-19 at home is likely not needed unless someone in your home is sick or if someone who is positive for COVID-19 has been in your home within the last 24 hours.

When and how to clean surfaces in your home

• Clean high-touch surfaces regularly (for example, daily) and after you have visitors in your home.
• Focus on high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, tables, handles, light switches, and countertops.
• Clean other surfaces in your home when they are visibly dirty or as needed. Clean them more frequently if people in your household are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19. You might also choose to disinfect.
• Clean surfaces using a product suitable for each surface, following instructions on the product label.

Reduce contamination of surfaces

Take steps in your home to limit contamination of surfaces from airborne particles or from touching surfaces with contaminated hands.

• Ask visitors who are not fully vaccinated to wear masks.
• Follow guidance for people who are fully vaccinated before inviting visitors to your home.
• Isolate people who are sick with COVID-19.
• Have everyone in your household wash hands often, especially when returning from outside activities.

When Someone is Sick: Disinfect Safely

Disinfect your home when someone is sick or if someone who is positive for COVID-19 has been in your home within the last 24 hours. Disinfecting kills any remaining germs on surfaces and reduces the spread of germs. If you are caring for someone who has COVID-19, detailed instructions for caregivers are available. Keep disinfectants out of the reach of children.

How to disinfect

• ALWAYS follow the directions on the label.
• The label includes instructions on how to use the product and specific instructions to keep you safe. Keep disinfectants out of the reach of children. Check the label to find out what personal protective equipment (PPE) you need to use your product safely (such as gloves, glasses, or goggles).

• Clean visibly dirty surfaces with household cleaners containing soap or detergent before disinfecting if your disinfectant product does not have a cleaning agent (check the label to verify).
• Use a disinfectant product from EPA List N that is effective against COVID-19.
  • Read the label to make sure it meets your needs.
  • If products on EPA List N are not available, bleach solutions can be used if appropriate for the surface.
  • Many products recommend keeping the surface wet with a disinfectant for a certain period of time (look at the “contact time” on the product label).
• Ensure adequate ventilation while using any disinfectant by keeping doors and windows open and using fans to help improve air flow.

• Immediately after disinfecting, wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Be sure to wash your hands immediately after removing gloves.
  • If soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. If hands are visibly dirty, always wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Tips for using chemical disinfectants safely

• Always follow the directions on the label of cleaning and disinfection products to ensure safe and effective use. You may need to wear personal protective equipment, such as gloves, goggles, or glasses, depending on the directions on the product label.
• Ensure adequate ventilation (for example, open windows and run fans).
• Use only the amount recommended on the label.
• If diluting with water is indicated for use, use water at room temperature (unless stated otherwise on the label).
• Label diluted cleaning or disinfectant solutions.
• Store and use chemicals out of the reach of children and pets.
• Do not mix products or chemicals.
• Do not eat, drink, breathe, or inject cleaning and disinfection products into your body or apply directly to your skin as they can cause serious harm.
• Do not wipe or bathe people or pets with any surface cleaning and disinfection products.
• Special considerations should be made for people with asthma. Some cleaning and disinfection products can trigger asthma.

When Someone is Sick: Clean and Disinfect Your Home

Keep a separate bedroom and bathroom for a person who is sick (if possible).

If the sick person is able to clean

• Provide dedicated cleaning and disinfecting supplies to the person who is sick.
  • Supplies include tissues, paper towels, cleaners, and EPA List N disinfectants.
• In shared spaces, the person who is sick should clean and disinfect surfaces and items after each use.

If the sick person cannot clean

Put on a mask and ask the sick person to put on a mask before entering the room.

• Wear gloves if needed for your cleaning and disinfection product(s).
• Only clean and disinfect the area around the person who is sick when needed (when the area is soiled) to limit your contact with the person who is sick.
• Open outside doors and windows, and use fans and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) settings to increase air circulation.

After eating

• Wear gloves when handling dishes and utensils for the person who is sick.
• Wash dishes and utensils with soap and hot water or in the dishwasher.
• Clean hands after taking off gloves or handling used items.

Handling trash

• Use a dedicated, lined trash can for the person who is sick.
• Use gloves when removing garbage bags and handling and disposing of trash.
• Wash hands after disposing of the trash.

When Someone Is No Longer Sick: Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home

After the person who was sick no longer needs to be separated

Wait as long as possible (at least several hours) before you clean and disinfect.

• Less than 24 hours: Follow the guidance for cleaning and disinfecting when someone is sick. Clean and disinfect surfaces in the areas that the sick person used (such as the bedroom and bathroom) if you enter these areas less than 24 hours after the person is no longer sick. Wear a mask when you enter the room, open windows and use fans to help increase airflow, and always use disinfectants safely.
• Between 24 hours and 3 days: Clean surfaces (disinfection is not needed) in the areas that the sick person used if you enter these areas between 24 hours and 3 days after the person is no longer sick.
• After 3 days: No additional cleaning (aside from routine cleaning) is needed in the areas that the sick person used if you enter these areas more than 3 days after the person is no longer sick.

Cleaning and Disinfecting Different Types of Surfaces

Soft surfaces

For soft surfaces such as carpet, rugs, and drapes

• Clean the soft surfaces (carpets, rugs, and drapes) with soap and water or with cleaners made for use on these surfaces.
• Launder items (if possible) using the warmest appropriate water setting and dry items completely.
• Disinfect using an EPA List N product for use on soft surfaces, if needed.
• Vacuum as usual. If vacuuming an area occupied by a sick person or someone positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, wear a mask when vacuuming.

Laundry

• Use the warmest appropriate water setting and dry items completely.
• It is safe to wash dirty laundry from a person who is sick with other people’s items.
• If handling dirty laundry from a person who is sick, wear gloves and a mask.
• Clean clothes hampers or laundry baskets according to guidance for surfaces.
• Wash hands after handling dirty laundry.

Electronics

• Consider putting a wipeable cover on electronics (for example, phones, tablets, touchscreens, keyboards, and remote controls) to make cleaning easier.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning the electronic device.
• If needed, use a disinfectant from the EPA List N but note that many of the products for electronics contain alcohol because it dries quickly.

Many household products such as cleaners and pesticides could harm children, pets, or the environment if not used and stored correctly. Choose a product that is labeled for your specific pest. EPA encourages consumers to consider using EPA-registered biopesticides and products with EPA’s Safer Choice label, which are generally less harmful.
Simply reading a products label will help keep your family, your pets, and your community safe.

Keep Your Family and Community Safe with these Tips

✔ Read the Label First

Labels tell you:

• How to use a product safely and effectively.
• How to store the product safely.
• First aid instructions.
• Phone numbers to call for help or more information.

✔ Follow All Label Precautions

• Warnings and directions tell you how to use products safely and correctly.
• Follow warnings to open windows, wear gloves, and not breathe product dust.
• Keep pets and children away from treated areas as directed on the label.

✔ Keep Products in Original Containers

• It is very dangerous to put products in food and beverage containers. Children think that something in a familiar bottle is safe to drink or play with.
• Containers without tight fitting lids can easily spill.
• If you throw away the original container, you throw away important information needed in case of an emergency.
• If the label tells you to mix a product in another container, use all of the mixture. If you can’t use all the mixture, label the new container for use in the future.

✔ Prevent Harm to the Environment

• Apply a product according to the label directions to prevent harm to the environment
• Do not apply a product where it could run into ponds, creeks, or other water supplies and contaminate drinking water and kill wildlife
• Spraying products on a windy day can carry the product into nearby water.
• Never pour pesticides or other lawn and garden products down the drain.

✔ Buy the Right Product for Your Needs

• Read the label to make sure you’re buying the right product for the job. This will save you time, money, and frustration.
• Buy only what you need. If you buy too much, pass the product on to someone who can use it, with the label instructions. Some products might not be effective if stored for long periods of time. A larger size is not a good value if you can’t use it.
• Use the right amount. Labels indicate the correct amount to use. Using more can waste the product, your money and can cause harm to people, pets and the environment.

Know Where to Call for Help

• Many labels contain a phone number to call in an emergency.
• Have your local poison control center number and veterinarian’s or local animal hospital number easily accessible.
• Have the product label with you when you call! The label provides those helping you with important information about the product.

Safe Management of HHW

To avoid the potential risks associated with household hazardous wastes, it is important that people always monitor the use, storage, and disposal of products with potentially hazardous substances in their homes. Improper disposal of HHW can include pouring them down the drain, on the ground, into storm sewers, or in some cases putting them out with the regular trash.

The dangers of such disposal methods might not be immediately obvious, but improper disposal of these wastes can pollute the environment and pose a threat to human health. Certain types of HHW have the potential to cause physical injury to sanitation workers, contaminate septic tanks or wastewater treatment systems if poured down drains or toilets. They can also present hazards to children and pets if left around the house.

Some quick tips for the safe handling of household hazardous wastes include:

• Follow any instructions for use and storage provided on product labels carefully to prevent any accidents at home.
• Be sure to read product labels for disposal directions to reduce the risk of products exploding, igniting, leaking, mixing with other chemicals, or posing other hazards on the way to a disposal facility.
• Never store hazardous products in food containers; keep them in their original containers and never remove labels. Corroding containers, however, require special handling. Call your local hazardous materials official or fire department for instructions.
• When leftovers remain, never mix HHW with other products. Incompatible products might react, ignite, or explode, and contaminated HHW might become unrecyclable.
• Check with your local environmental, health or solid waste agency for more information on HHW management options in your area.
  • If your community doesn’t have a year-round collection system for HHW, see if there are any designated days in your area for collecting HHW at a central location to ensure safe management and disposal.
  • If your community has neither a permanent collection site nor a special collection day, you might be able to drop off certain products at local businesses for recycling or proper disposal. Some local garages, for example, may accept used motor oil for recycling. Check around.
• Remember, even empty containers of HHW can pose hazards because of the residual chemicals that might remain so handle them with care also.

Reducing HHW in Your Home

Consider reducing your purchase of products that contai hazardous ingredients. Learn about the use of alternative methods or products—without hazardous ingredients—for some common household needs. When shopping for items such as multipurpose household cleaners, toilet cleaners, laundry detergent, dish soap, dishwashing machine pods and gels, bug sprays and insect pest control, consider shopping for environmentally friendly, natural products or search online for simple recipes you can use to create your own.

Below are some ideas to get you started. Additional information is available from EPA's Safer Choice program.

Regulating HHW

While most hazardous wastes that are ignitable, reactive, corrosive or toxic in America are regulated in America under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Congress developed an exclusion for household waste. Under this exclusion, found in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 261.4, wastes generated by normal household activities (e.g., routine house and yard maintenance) are excluded from the definition of hazardous waste. Specifically, wastes covered by the household hazardous waste exclusion must satisfy two criteria:

1. The waste must be generated by individuals on the premise of a temporary or permanent residence, and
2. The waste stream must be composed primarily of materials found in wastes generated by consumers in their homes.

EPA interprets this exclusion to include household-like areas, such as bunkhouses, ranger stations, crew quarters, campgrounds, picnic grounds, and day-use recreation areas.

Although household hazardous waste is excluded from Subtitle C of RCRA, it is regulated under Subtitle D of this law as a solid waste. In other words, household hazardous waste is regulated on the state and local level.

You’ve heard it before, ”Better to be safe than sorry.” There are always some chances in life we can afford to take, but risks that can affect your child’s health should always be prevented. By performing just a few common sense practices in a home, parents can ensure the well-being of their child’s health and future. Play it safe, and no one has to worry.

Most poisonings happen in a child’s home, but some take place outside of it, such as while visiting the home of a friend, family member, or babysitter. For this reason, it’s critical that all caregivers of children make a room by-room inspection of their homes for improperly stored pesticide products, things that are used to control or kill ants, cockroaches, mice, rats, or termites.

What are some common pesticides found around the house?

Common household pesticides include:

• Roach sprays and baits;
• Bath and kitchen disinfectants and sanitizers, including bleach;
• Rat and other rodent poisons;
• Insect repellents;
• Products used to kill mold or mildew;
• Flea and tick shampoos, powders, and dips for pets; and
• Weed killers.

Take a look around your home. Do you know what’s in your household goods and products? Some chemicals can harm your health if too much gets into your body. Becoming aware of potentially harmful substances and clearing them out can help keep you and your family healthy.

“There’s a range of chemicals that you can be exposed to in your home, generally at very low levels,” says Dr. Andrew Rooney, a toxicology and risk expert at NIH. Possible toxic substances can be found in building materials, cookware, cleaning products, shower curtains, furniture, carpet, and other common items.

Not all chemicals are harmful. In fact, most substances in our environment are likely safe, explains Dr. Heather Patisaul, a neuroscience and toxicology expert at North Carolina State University. “Only a small subset is probably toxic,” she says. “Although that’s worrisome, there are many simple things you can do to help minimize your exposure.”

Often, it’s how much you’re exposed to that can make a chemical harmful. The amount that’s “safe” varies for each substance. NIH-funded researchers are working to learn more about how chemicals in the environment can affect our health, so we can better address any issues.

Sometimes it’s obvious when a chemical is hazardous. You may get a rash from spilling a household cleaner on your skin. Or you may start coughing when you breathe in irritating fumes. To avoid known health risks, be sure to read the instructions carefully on your household products, and follow any safety precautions.

Some toxic chemicals cause no immediate or clear symptoms. Lead, for example, is well known for its poisonous effects. Generally, the more lead you have in your body, the more likely you’ll have health problems. Lead can cause high blood pressure, fertility problems, muscle and joint pain, and memory and concentration problems. As a result, lead is no longer allowed in paints, gasoline, and cans used for food. But lead can still be found in lead-based paint used in older homes, household dust, and drinking water pumped through leaded pipes.

“The best way to protect yourself from the health effects of lead is not by treatment but rather by preventing exposure,” Rooney explains. If you live in an older home, check with your local health department about any lead that may be in the paint, dust, or drinking water. Local experts can guide you in steps you can take to prevent lead exposure.

Young children are more vulnerable to lead and many other chemicals. That’s because their bodies and brains are still developing. Kids can also be exposed to toxins from normal childhood behaviors, like playing on the floor and putting their toys or hands in their mouths.

“Chemicals can come out of our products and end up in the air and dust in the home, where they can enter your body,” says Dr. Ami Zota, an environmental and public health expert at George Washington University. Her team recently discovered 45 different chemicals that are commonly found in indoor dust. Many of the identified chemicals belong to a group called “endocrine disruptors.”

When endocrine disruptors get into your body, they can mimic or block the natural hormones your body makes. Evidence suggests that endocrine disrupters might reduce fertility, raise the risk for some cancers, or cause other harms. These chemicals may pose their greatest health risks when people are exposed in the womb or during their first few years of life, when hormones are guiding development of the body’s organs and brain.

Substances thought to cause endocrine disruption include certain fragrances, pesticides, and stain-resistant coatings. NIH-funded researchers study the health effects of several types of chemical classes tied to hormone disruption, including phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates), PFCs (or perfluorinated chemicals), and flame retardants.

Phthalates are a family of man-made chemicals used to make plastics, cleaners, and fragrances. The human health effects of phthalates are not yet fully known but are being studied by several government agencies, including NIH. In animals, phthalate exposure has been linked to many reproductive health and developmental problems. To reduce your exposure, read product labels and avoid using products that contain phthalates. Some—but not all—phthalate-containing products might be clearly labeled: “contains phthalates.” But sometimes phthalates might be listed as a 3- or 4-letter abbreviation, such as BBP, DBP, or DEP. These phthalates must be listed among the ingredients on product labels, unless they are added as a part of the “fragrance.”

“Many hundreds of chemicals can be classified as fragrance,” Patisaul explains. “So when you use a cleaner with a scent, it probably has some phthalates in it—even though the label doesn’t specifically say phthalates.” You can look for “fragrance-free” products. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also provides the “Safer Choice” label, which is used on products made with ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment.

PFCs are widely used to make everyday products more resistant to stains, grease, and water. They can be found in nonstick cookware, stain-resistant sofas and carpets, and waterproofed clothing and mattresses. In animal studies, some PFCs disrupt normal hormone activity, reduce immune system function, or cause developmental problems. Some evidence suggests that certain PFCs may also affect human health, with possible ties to low birth weight, obesity, and testicular and kidney cancers.

Certain PFCs, like those used to make Teflon, are being phased out of use in the U.S. But some older household items, like nonstick pans, may still contain them. If you have an older nonstick pan that is dinged and worn out, try to replace it.

Flame retardants are added or applied to materials to slow or prevent a fire. But a growing body of evidence links many of these chemicals to negative health effects in animals and humans. Flame retardants can be found in foam, upholstery, mattresses, carpets, curtains, and fabric blinds. Flame retardant use has been declining in recent years. But these chemicals are still found in some products. When buying new items, especially for children, try to purchase furnishings filled with cotton, polyester, or wool, instead of polyurethane foam.

“The best thing is to become aware that there are chemicals in your environment, and there are very simple things that you can do to lower your exposure,” Patisaul says.

Chemicals are everywhere, and most are harmless. Limiting the potentially toxic ones in your day-to-day life can help you create a safer, healthier home.

Learn what’s in the products you purchase, and make informed decisions. You can also take steps to get rid of risky chemicals by keeping the dust down in your house. See the Wise Choices box for some useful tips.

Keep Indoor Spaces Healthy

To reduce potentially toxic substances in your home:

• Clean with “Safer Choice” or non-toxic products.
• Dust using a damp rag.
• Use a wet mop to clean floors.
• Vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.
• Open a window or use a fan to improve air circulation when you’re cleaning.
• Have and maintain a good ventilation system in your home.
• Wash your hands and your children’s hands often.

Many chemicals, both natural and man-made, may mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones, known as the endocrine system. Called endocrine disruptors, these chemicals are linked with developmental, reproductive, brain, immune, and other problems.

Endocrine disruptors are found in many everyday products, including some plastic bottles and containers, liners of metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides.

Some endocrine-disrupting chemicals are slow to break-down in the environment. That characteristic makes them potentially hazardous over time.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals cause adverse effects in animals. But limited scientific information exists on potential health problems in humans. Because people are typically exposed to multiple endocrine disruptors at the same time, assessing public health effects is difficult.

What are some common endocrine disruptors?

• Bisphenol A (BPA) — used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, which are found in many plastic products including food storage containers
• Dioxins — produced as a byproduct in herbicide production and paper bleaching, they are also released into the environment during waste burning and wildfires
• Perchlorate — a by-product of aerospace, weapon, and pharmaceutical industries found in drinking water and fireworks
• Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) — used widely in industrial applications, such as firefighting foams and non-stick pan, paper, and textile coatings
• Phthalates — used to make plastics more flexible, they are also found in some food packaging, cosmetics, children’s toys, and medical devices
• Phytoestrogens — naturally occurring substances in plants that have hormone-like activity, such as genistein and daidzein that are in soy products, like tofu or soy milk
• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) — used to make flame retardants for household products such as furniture foam and carpets
• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) — used to make electrical equipment like transformers, and in hydraulic fluids, heat transfer fluids, lubricants, and plasticizers
• Triclosan — may be found in some anti-microbial and personal care products, like liquid body wash

How do people encounter endocrine-disrupting chemicals?

People may be exposed to endocrine disruptors through food and beverages consumed, pesticides applied, and cosmetics used. In essence, your contact with these chemicals may occur through diet, air, skin, and water.

Even low doses of endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be unsafe. The body’s normal endocrine functioning involves very small changes in hormone levels, yet we know even these small changes can cause significant developmental and biological effects. This observation leads scientists to think that endocrine-disrupting chemical exposures, even at low amounts, can alter the body’s sensitive systems and lead to health problems.