Breast cancer and hormone health: The hidden dangers of cleaning products

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Across the world people dress in pink to raise money for breast cancer charities and remember everyone who has suffered from this cancer which is the most common in the UK.

October 18th is World Menopause Day and aims to raise awareness about menopause, break the stigma, and improve women’s health and wellbeing.

October is a great time for us to focus on our hormone health and understand the link with cleaning & laundry.

What are the risks?

We know that toxic chemicals often present in conventional household products are linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.  These chemicals include – triclosan; bisphenol A; phthalates; parabens and alkylphenols.   Much of this detailed research was carried out in 2010 and now needs to be updated.

Research in 2015 showed that high levels of chemicals found in plastics, personal-care products, common household items and the environment have been linked to an early decline in ovarian function and early menopause.

Patricia Bischof of Breast Cancer UK (2022) noted that environmental risk factors, including exposure to harmful chemicals such as pesticides can play a key role in elevating breast cancer risk.

Focus on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals EDC’s

More recent research has concentrated on a group of chemicals called Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDC’s).

These chemicals disrupt hormone function and can have serious and sometimes irreversible impacts on our health.  Only low levels of exposure to EDC’s can cause problems, particularly if they happen before birth or during early life.

EDCs are chemicals made outside of the body that can block, mimic or otherwise disrupt normal hormone signals. They are usually synthetic or man-made chemicals that are found in a variety of products including plastics, pesticides, & cleaning products.

Many pesticides used today are EDCs that affect oestrogen and/or cause mammary cancer in animals; these may also increase breast cancer risk. Examples include the insecticide deltamethrin and the herbicide glyphosate (found in many products including “Round-up”), which cause mammary tumours in rodents and interfere with oestrogen. In 2015, glyphosate and malathion (an insecticide used in greenhouses) were classified as probable human carcinogens. Human population studies suggest that past exposure to malathion and the fungicide Captan (used to control plant diseases) increase breast cancer risk. Most studies examining pesticide exposure with breast cancer incidence show an elevated risk.

Some studies suggest an organic diet reduces breast cancer risk however more long-term studies are needed to clarify this.

Green cleaning products reduce levels of toxins – but not always!

Because household products are traditionally made with powerful synthetic ingredients, they often contain EDC’s.  UC Berkeley School of Public Health found that switching to ‘green’ cleaning products did reduce exposure to 17 suspected endocrine disruptors and carcinogens, but high levels of toxins in some green cleaning products still remained.

Avoid artificial fragrances & air fresheners

Artificial fragrances containing synthetic parfum are another important source of EDC’s. Fragrance names like ‘meadow flowers’ or ‘fig and almond’ often indicate that man-made chemicals are being used. Spotting toxic chemicals in cleaning products in the UK can be very difficult as manufacturers do not have to be specific and include all the ingredients on labels – there are no laws that mean companies must do this.

Air fresheners often contain synthetic fragrances which may include harmful chemicals.

Dust and endocrine disruptors

Hazardous chemicals are present not only in cleaning products; they can also build up in household dust.  Keeping your home as dust-free as possible reduces your potential exposure. Here are three ways of reducing your risk:

  • Vacuum and dust with a damp cloth frequently to prevent the build-up of dust. Simply using a cloth dampened with water avoids adding to the amount of harmful chemicals in your home. Avoid using a dry cloth or mop, as these can simply move dust around rather than get rid of it.
  • Ventilate your home by opening windows when you can. This will help prevent the build-up of chemicals in the air and dust inside the home.
  • Consider getting rid of carpets. Carpets often contain harmful chemicals and collect household dust.

There are safe alternatives

There are so many chemicals to avoid it can be overwhelming but have a look at the Greenscents ‘No Nasties Guarantee’ here where most of the offenders are listed.  Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF) has produced a helpful guide to reducing toxins in your environment. You can download it here.

Opt for organic cleaning!

The best approach is to look for household and laundry products certified by well recognised organisations such as The Soil Association in the UK. This is the only way you can be sure that all the ingredients are listed on the label AND the products do not contain EDC’s including pesticides.

Further Reading

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36437676/

https://cerch.berkeley.edu/research-programs/lucir-study

https://source.washu.edu/2015/01/earlier-menopause-linked-to-everyday-chemical-exposures/

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0116057

https://chemtrust.org/cleaning-products/

https://www.pan-uk.org/pesticide-and-breast-cancer-what-are-the-links/

https://www.bcpp.org/resource/cleaning-products/

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