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從寶寶出生的那一刻起，媽媽們都會用各式各樣的嬰兒用品來溫柔地清洗及呵護自己的寶寶。這些用品包括了肥皂、洗髮精、乳液以及爽身粉，其中有些每天還用了好幾次。
然而，如果當媽媽們發現，這些嬰兒用品居然含有如巫婆配方般的危險成分時，她們會如何反應呢？狂怒地跳腳，應該還算是客氣的說法了。
大部分的問題來自於三類廣泛使用的成分，稱為「潛在致癌物」，包括了被致癌物所污染的產品原料、會分解釋放出致癌物的物質或是本身為致癌物前驅物的成分，而嬰兒對這些物質的敏感度，又比成人高出了約100倍。
在這個人生中最無防備的時期，寶寶接觸到之各式商品，卻可能具有致癌性。（照片提供：美國陸軍）
最大一類的潛在致癌物包括各式潤濕劑及清潔劑，特別是聚乙二醇類（polyethylene
glycols）、月桂醇類（laureths）及棕櫚醇醚類（ceteareths），它們都含有強而具揮發性的致癌物環氧乙烷（ethylene
oxide）與二氧陸圜（dioxane），而業者若肯花功夫，這些致癌物其實是可以在製造過程中被輕易去除的。
此類中的另一成分是綿羊油，目前發現在綿羊油樣品中，大多含有類似DDT殺蟲劑的污染物。
第二類潛在致癌物則是另一種清潔劑三乙醇胺（triethanolamine），其與亞硝酸鹽（nitrite）作用後產生的物質，為強致癌物─亞硝胺的前驅物。
第三類包括季銨鹽類（quaterniums）與尿素醛（diazolidinyl
urea）等防腐劑，會在產品或皮膚中分解，釋放出具有致癌性之甲醛。
另外還要注意另一種常見的防腐劑─對羥基苯甲酸酯類（parabens）。近十年來有為數眾多的研究指出，此類物質具有些微雌激素之效果，會引發異常賀爾蒙反應，如塗抹於齧齒類動物幼兒之皮膚上，會造成睪固酮分泌下降以及泌尿生殖器官異常，尤其在雄性特別明顯。再者，此類物質也被發現會累積於罹患乳癌婦女之乳房部位。
寶寶的皮膚比成人的還更具有滲透性。（照片提供：田納西州政府衛生部）
經常使用滑石粉為主原料之爽身粉，容易因吸入而引發急性或慢性肺炎與相關疾病，像是滑石病（talcosis）甚至是死亡。此外，根據齧齒類動物試驗，滑石粉可能會造成肺癌。
由於要討好身為母親之女性消費者，嬰兒用品通常都添加了香料。目前有許多成分皆屬於此類，但是其中有超過25種已知會引起過敏性皮膚炎。
最後要特別注意的一種成分就是可造成嚴重刺激性的十二烷基硫酸鈉（sodium lauryl
sulfate）。研究顯示，只要成人皮膚接觸到一點點，就可破壞皮膚之微細結構，增加致癌物與其他有毒物質之穿透。
其實這些危險成分全都有安全之替代品，但令人不解的是這些替代品是可輕易取得的。關於這些替代品，癌症防治聯盟（Cancer Prevention
Coalition）的網站上已有長年累積的詳盡資訊，提供給大眾。
那麼，為什麼那些有數十億美元資產的藥妝企業並未依此資訊採取任何行動來改進呢？
答案是藥妝工業貿易協會之首要前提，是為了要「保護企業在公平交易市場上的競爭自由」。
在此同時，協會亦以一個具有高度爭議性的議程來對照其所聲稱的「不合理或不必要之標示及警語規定」。
正如麻薩諸塞州民主黨參議員愛德華甘乃迪（Edward
Kennedy），在1997年FDA（美國食品藥物管理局，Food and Drug
Administration）修正案的公聽會上所發表的聲明一樣：「藥妝業與煙草業的作法，都是把利益置於公共衛生之前」
令人驚訝的是，儘管有1938年聯邦食品、藥物及化妝品法案（Federal Food, Drug and
Cosmetics
Act）授與FDA職權來管理監督，FDA在控管上的失職，使藥妝業的利益仍能持續增加。很明顯，FDA與其說是為人民監督的看守者，還不如說是藥妝業的看門狗。
更值得憂心的是，聯邦政府的國家癌症學會（National Cancer
Institute）以及號稱「非營利性質」的美國癌症協會（American Cancer
Society），有鑑於孩童癌症發生率的逐年上升，居然並未使民眾瞭解在使用嬰兒用品時可避免的致癌風險。而與美國癌症協會在保持沈默無動作的時候，也同時擁有來自一些藥妝業大公司每年超過十萬美元的贊助。
雖出自善意，但照顧寶寶的人卻可能反而使寶寶暴露於致癌物的危險之下。（照片提供：美國堪薩斯州幼兒早期發育服務協會）
美國國會應該監督FDA是否遵循聯邦食品藥物及化妝品法案，但國會在這方面長期的失敗，則逐漸喚起了州議會的關心。
任職於加州參議院公共衛生委員會的加州蒙特瑞公園市民主黨女議員朱茱蒂（Judy Chu），最近提出了一個立法的新里程碑，其內容規定藥妝品中，無論是致癌性、賀爾蒙性還是有毒的成分，都要公開說明。此議案受到消費者、婦女、職業及教會團體的聯力支持，但卻被強勢主流的藥妝同業反對，最後還是無法通過。
不過，對罔顧消費者安全的主流藥妝業，這次的阻嚇作用，至少代表了州政府開始提案嘗試保護消費者與寶寶們遠離成分不明之危險產品的傷害。
安全之替代用品與原料，包括有機產品，也已開始逐漸為非主流性藥妝公司所使用。
※Samuel S.
Epstein醫生，為美國伊利諾州立大學芝加哥分校公共衛生學院環境職業醫學所的名譽教授、癌症防治聯盟的主席以及2005年史懷哲人道精神金質大獎得主。Email:
epstein@uic.edu
※Ronnie Cummins為位於美國「有機消費者協會」全國總部會長。Email:
ronnie@organicconsumers.org
全文與圖片詳見：http://ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2005/2005-03-03-inseps.asp
版權歸屬Environment News Service (ENS)，台灣環境資訊協會 (林芊 譯，廖健森、蔡麗伶 審校)
中英對照譯稿請見：http://e-info.org.tw/issue/surround/2005/su05072601.htm
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HICAGO, Illinois, March 3, 2005 (ENS)
From shortly after birth, mothers tenderly wash and
pamper their infants with a wide range of baby products. These include
soaps, shampoos, lotions, and dusting powders, some of which are used
several times daily.
However, how would mothers react if they discovered that
these baby products contain a witch's brew of dangerous ingredients?
Hopping mad could be a reasonable understatement.
Most disturbing are three groups of widely used
ingredients known as "hidden carcinogens" - ingredients which are
contaminated by carcinogens, or which break down to release carcinogens,
or which are precursors of carcinogens - to which infants are about 100
times more sensitive than adults.
At the most vulnerable time in their lives
babies are exposed to commercial products that may be carcinogenic. (Photo
courtesy U.S. Army)
The largest group of hidden carcinogens includes dozens
of wetting agents or detergents, particularly polyethylene glycols,
laureths, and ceteareths, all of which are contaminated with the potent
and volatile carcinogens ethylene oxide and dioxane. These carcinogens
could readily be stripped off during ingredient manufacture, if the
industry just made the effort to do so.
Another hidden carcinogenic ingredient is lanolin,
derived from sheep's wool, most samples of which are contaminated with
DDT-like pesticides.
The second group includes another detergent,
triethanolamine which, following interaction with nitrite, is a precursor
of a highly potent nitrosamine carcinogen.
The third group includes quaterniums and diazolidinyl.
urea preservatives which break down in the product or skin to release the
carcinogenic formaldehyde.
Of additional concern is another group of common
preservatives, known as parabens. Numerous studies over the last decade
have shown that these are weakly estrogenic. They produce abnormal
hormonal effects following application to the skin of infant rodents,
particularly male, resulting in decreased testosterone levels, and
urogenital abnormalities. Parabens have also been found to accumulate in
the breasts of women with breast cancer.
Babies have skin that is more permeable
than that of adults. (Photo courtesy Tennessee Health Department)
The common use of talc dusting powder can result in its
inhalation, resulting in acute or chronic lung irritation and disease,
known as talcosis, and even death. Additionally, talc is a suspect cause
of lung cancer, based on rodent tests.
Fragrances, containing numerous ingredients, are commonly
used in baby products for the mother's benefit. However, more than 25 of
these ingredients are known to cause allergic dermatitis.
A final ingredient of particular concern is the harshly
irritant sodium lauryl sulfate. A single application to adult human skin
has been shown to damage its microscopic structure, increasing the
penetration of carcinogenic and other toxic ingredients.
Most disturbing is the ready availability of safe
alternatives for all these dangerous ingredients. Longstanding information
on these alternatives is detailed on the
Cancer Prevention
Coalition website.
So, why is it that the multibillion dollar cosmetic
and toiletry industry has not acted on this information?
The answer is that the major priority of the industry's
trade association is "to protect the freedom of the industry to compete in
a fair marketplace."
At the same time, the association pursues a highly
aggressive agenda against what it claims are "unreasonable or unnecessary
labeling or warning requirements."
As Senator Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat,
stated at 1997 Hearings on the FDA Reform bill, "The cosmetics industry
has borrowed a page from the playbook of the tobacco industry by putting
profits ahead of public health."
Astoundingly, the interests of industry remain reinforced
by the regulatory abdication of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in
spite of its authority under the 1938 Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics
Act. Clearly, the FDA is the lapdog, rather than the watchdog, of the
industry.
Of even greater concern is the reckless failure of the
federal National Cancer Institute and the "non-profit" American Cancer
Society to inform the public of the avoidable risks of cancer from the use
of baby products, especially in view of the escalating incidence of
childhood cancers over recent decades. However, the silence of the
American Cancer Society is consistent with its over $100,000 annual
funding from about a dozen major cosmetic and toiletry industries.
With the best intentions, caregivers may be exposing
babies to carcinogens. (Photo courtesy Kansas Coordinating Council on
Early Childhood Developmental Services)
The protracted failure of Congress to enforce the FDA's
compliance with the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act has evoked the growing
concern of state legislatures.
California Assemblywoman Judy Chu, a Monterey Park
Democrat, who serves on the California Senate Health Committee, recently
introduced landmark legislation that requires disclosure of all
carcinogenic, hormonal, and otherwise toxic ingredients in cosmetics. The
bill was strongly backed by a coalition of consumer, womens',
occupational, and church groups, but, opposed by powerful mainstream
industry interests, the measure failed to pass.
However, this shot over the bows of the reckless
mainstream industry marks the beginning of state initiatives across the
country to protect consumers and their babies from undisclosed dangerous
products and ingredients.
Safe alternative products and ingredients, including organic, are becoming
increasingly available from non-mainstream companies.
{Samuel S. Epstein, MD is Professor Emeritus
Environmental & Occupational Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago
School of Public Health, Chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, and
Recipient of the 2005 Albert Schweitzer Golden Grand Medal for
Humanitarianism. Email: epstein@uic.edu
Ronnie Cummins is National Director of the Organic Consumers
Association based in Little Marais, Minnesota. Email:
ronnie@organicconsumers.org}
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