Petrochemicals are chemicals primarily derived from processing natural gas, oil, or coal.
These chemicals are used for just about everything, from asphalt on the road, and the paint on our houses to the waxes and oils in our beauty products (Petrolatum).
Our demand for convenient and affordable products has caused the petroleum industry to flourish. The mass production of these chemicals have detrimental effects on not only the health of our families, but the health of the earth. Many petroleum based ingredients have been banned by the European Union (Petrolatum).
Parabens are petroleum based preservatives commonly found in beauty products such as soap and lotions. The petroleum based ingredients in these products can seep into our skin and prevent it from breathing and have been linked to potentially cause cancer (Malkan, 2008). In addition to carcinogenic implications, petroleum based chemicals can also pollute groundwater, and the oceans. Plastic microbeads found in exfoliating products can easily absorb pollutants and can be consumed by marine animals, exposing them to toxic material (Bushwick).
Sources:
Bushwick, S. (2015). What Are Microbeads and Why Are They Illegal? Retrieved June 11, 2017, from http://www.popsci.com/what-are-microbeads-and-why-are-they-illegal
Malkan, S. (2008). The Ugly Side of Makeup. ABC 7 Chicago. Retrieved June 11, 2017, from http://abc7chicago.com/archive/6380103/
Petrolatum. (n.d.). Retrieved June 11, 2017, from http://davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/chemicals-in-your-cosmetics---petrolatum/
Socha, A. (n.d.). Poison [Poison]. Retrieved from https://pixabay.com/en/poison-bottle-medicine-old-symbol-1481596/
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