I envision a future where large-scale, international businesses adopt values of truth and transparency when it comes to the products they sell. Studies estimate that nearly 1 in 10 Canadians suffer from a thyroid disorder and about 50% of the affected population is undiagnosed. The thyroid gland is a vital part of our endocrine system, a system that regulates the many significant activities of our body on a daily basis. Under normal endocrine function, small changes in hormone levels can cause strong biological effects. For example, with hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone and untreated this can lead to health problems like obesity, infertility and heart diseases. Endocrine disruptors are natural or man-made chemicals that are known to cause adverse developmental, reproductive, brain and immune system problems by interfering with the natural function of the endocrine system.
Recently, I’ve been shocked with the amount of posts that I see on social media exposing how common shampoo and body wash brands contain a concerning amount of endocrine disruptors (Dove, for example). Every time I walk into the shampoo aisle at the grocery store, I have a hard time purchasing a shampoo and body wash due to a lack of natural chemical-free options. Companies like Dove are not transparent about the high amount of endocrine disruptors in their products yet lead campaigns like the “Dove Real Beauty Pledge” where they “invite all women to realize their personal potential for beauty by engaging them with products that deliver superior care.”
Perhaps stronger environmental laws and awareness among people are possible interventions that can address this problem. The Canadian Environmental Protection Act states that with the release of toxic substances one must ….
Take all reasonable measures consistent with the protection of the environment and public safety to prevent the release or, if it cannot be prevented, to remedy any dangerous condition or reduce or mitigate any danger to the environment or to human life or health that results from the release of the substance or may reasonably be expected to result if the substance is released; and
Make a reasonable effort to notify any member of the public who may be adversely affected by the release or likely release.
Processes that allow the manufacture and release of goods such as cosmetics and beauty products can become more strict to ensure that products with harmful chemicals no longer make their way into the homes of people. Social media is playing a strong role in exposing such companies and advising people to make the switch from the brands we’ve trusted for years. We can continue to use large platforms to raise awareness and influence the decisions of individuals.
It was the first time I knew that such harmful substances existed in shampoos and body washes, which was a bit scary and unacceptable. I think companies should be more transparent, and the government should designate stricter policies to regulate the behavior of companies by law to ensure that products containing harmful chemicals do not enter people's homes.
I think a combination of stronger laws and widespread awareness is definitely the right approach towards this issue. It is important to let more people know about the environmental problems current existing in many businesses, and potentially influence the companies so that they would be pressured to change when faced with public backlashes.
Transparency is so important especially when it comes to the ingredients of products we use on our bodies! I hope that we can work toward and advocate for a future where companies are required to be transparent and where consumers can rest assured that they know what they are purchasing.
Hi Shanzeh,
Great job at such an eye-opening post! Before your post, I was unaware of endocrine disruptors and its shocking to know that there is evidence proving their detrimental health effects yet big brands still use them! It is definitely mind boggling to know this now after seeing so many of their commercials that brag about their "wholesome" sustainable actions. I agree, these inconsistent attitudes by these big brands need to be addressed and stronger laws can help us achieve that. Even better, is the usage of social media alongside this!
We definitely need more laws that protect the consumer better from bringing harmful and unsustainable products into their homes unknowingly.