By Ben Harder
Household exposure to synthetic chemicals commonly used in plastics and other products appears to increase a person’s risk of developing allergies. At least two such chemicals, called phthalates, are more abundant in dust from homes where children have allergy-related illnesses than in dust from the homes of symptomfree children, a Scandinavian study has found.
Phthalates are ingredients in soft plastics, such as those used to make vinyl flooring. They’re also used as softening agents in cosmetics and plastic toys.