Petrochemical
Petrochemicals are chemical products made from raw materials of petroleum or other hydrocarbon origin. There are more than 4,000 petrochemical products made from crude oil.
Uses: They are used in products such as detergents, furniture polish, fertilizers, medicines, paints, plastics, synthetic fibres, and synthetic rubber.
Found in: household cleaning products, dishwashing liquids, hand lotions, candles, perfume, shampoo, many plastic products such as milk jugs, prosthetic limbs, tennis rackets, and telephones, and cosmetics such as lip gloss, hair dye and nail polish.
Effects: Acute: poor respiratory health including wheezing, coughing, and bronchitis. Chronic: liver, kidney and brain damage, birth defects, acute asthma, low sperm quality in men, and cancer.
