I'm an injury lawyer - there's a popular home accessory I'd NEVER touch: 'It causes all sorts of health problems'
A lawyer has warned consumers against using three potentially cancer-causing products commonly found in homes.
American lawyer Tom Bosworth, who specialises in wrongful death cases, said carcinogens silently reside in items like non-stick pans, weedkiller and air fresheners.
In a video posted to Instagram thethe attorney, from Pennsylvania,
shared three products that he personally 'would never use or buy'.
One was 'any non-stick frying pan' like those used in Teflon kitchenware.
He explained: 'The Teflon non-stick material has been shown to contain forever chemicals or PFOAs or PFOS—which are extremely volatile, dangerous and toxic.'
Mr Bosworth said these chemicals can leach into your food when the pan is heated up to a very high temperature—like when cooking on a stove.
'That in turn can be extremely damaging to your health because you are obviously eating food made on those things,' he said.
Studies on animals have shown chemicals used in non-stick pans increases the risk of tumours in the liver, pancreas and testicles of lab animals, as well as reducing their fertility.
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A post shared by Tom Bosworth (@lawyertombosworth)
Other possible risks include weight gain, hormonal changes, thyroid disruption, low birth weight and inflammatory bowel disease
Medics have also issued similar warnings about avoiding non-stick pots and pans.
Dr Poonam Desai, a US-based GP, previously said she opts for cast iron and stainless-steel pans because her family's health is her priority,
In an Instagram video, she said: 'Scratched or chipped, nonstick cooking pans, can leech millions of micro plastics into our food.'
The second product Mr Bosworth said he would never have in his home was scented plug-in air fresheners.
'I get it I've had them before, but they're toxic, they contain really bad chemicals,' he said.
If then sprayed into your room in your house, as you breath them in, it can cause 'all sorts of health problems' he explained.
'You're spraying these in an enclosed space inside your house, so it's building up, building up, building up over time.
'And even though they might smell good, they can hurt you,' he warned.
He explained that the danger is linked to a substance called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are tiny chemicals the sprays expel into the air which can then seep into your lungs.
In the short term, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns they can then travel to the brain causing dizziness, headaches, concentration lapses and visual disorders.
And long term exposure has been linked to heart and lung problems, fertility issues, hormonal imbalances and even cancer.
The final product Mr Bosworth highlighted was the weedkiller Roundup with explaining it contains glyphosate and other toxic chemicals.
'Over the years it's been demonstrated over and over and over again, that there's a causative link between Roundup use and certain blood cancers,' he said.
Roundup, originally made by company Monsanto, is the UK's most widely used weedkiller with the amount used in the agricultural sector rising by 16 per cent between 2016 and 2020, revealed an Ends Report.
But since the 90s, studies have found its active ingredient glyphosate to be linked to liver and kidney disease, infertility, birth abnormalities and cancer.
Bayer, the company which purchased Monsanto in 2018, has denied claims that Roundup or its active ingredient glyphosate causes cancer, claiming studies have shown the product is safe.
However, there have been approximately 181,000 lawsuits filed against the weedkiller Roundup as of January this year, according to the Bayer website.
In 2020, Monsanto agreed to pay almost $11billion (£8billion) to settle most Roundup cancer claims, and additional trials are expected to resume this year.
In the UK, the controversial chemical glyphosate remains legal for use until December this year—when the government has to decide if it will approve its use for another 15 years.
It follows an urgent warning from scientists last month after they found toxic chemicals in UK tampons.
Experts tested 15 boxes of tampons from UK retailers across a range of popular brands including Tampax, Lil Lets, Superdrug, Tesco and Boots.
Analysis revealed one sample, which has not been named, contained 0.004mg/kg of glyphosate – a toxic chemical that is the world's most popular weedkiller.
While this may seem like a small amount, this is 40-times the level permitted in drinking water.
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