Health Impacts
We evaluate potential health effects of products, helping you avoid harmful substances while identifying products that actively promote wellbeing. This assessment is guided by the most significant and prevalent health impacts documented in global environmental health research.
Table of Contents
What We Prioritize
Our health impact assessments focus on the most prevalent and harmful environmental exposures identified by global health research, particularly those with irreversible effects, especially for vulnerable populations like children and pregnant people.
Priority Categories (ordered by global disease burden and severity):
8 Priority Health Categories
1. Air Pollutants (Especially PM2.5)
Global Impact: Responsible for 4.14 million deaths annually (62% of air pollution deaths) and 4.2% of global disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Linked to ischemic heart disease, lung cancer, COPD, lower-respiratory infections, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and adverse birth outcomes.
How products matter: Furniture off-gassing, personal care products, cleaning products, and heating systems contribute to indoor air quality.
Source: WHO Global Burden of Disease Study 2021; State of Global Air 2024
2. Synthetic Chemicals: PFAS ("Forever Chemicals")
Global Impact: Widespread human exposure through contaminated water, food, and consumer products. Found in non-stick cookware, water-resistant textiles, food packaging, and firefighting foams. Linked to kidney disease, liver damage, thyroid disorders, immune system suppression, and potential cancer risk.
Why critical: Called "forever chemicals" because they don't break down in the environment or human body, accumulating over a lifetime. No safe exposure level identified.
Source: U.S. EPA PFAS Emerging Contaminant Assessment; NIEHS; Multiple epidemiological studies
3. Microplastics
Emerging Crisis: Microplastics are now found in every human biological system studied, including blood vessels, lungs, placenta, and breastmilk. Linked to cardiovascular disease (doubles risk of heart attack/stroke), cellular and genetic damage (increasing cancer risk), respiratory disorders, neurological effects, and immune system dysfunction.
How products matter: Fast fashion (shedding 700,000 microplastic fibers per wash), synthetic textiles, plastic containers and bottles, non-stick cookware, and personal care products all shed microplastics.
Source: Stanford Medicine 2025; Nature Medicine 2024; ACS Environmental Health 2024; Multiple peer-reviewed studies
4. Lead Exposure
Irreversible Neurotoxicity: Most common preventable childhood poisoning. Causes permanent brain damage, including reduced IQ, behavioral issues, attention deficits, learning problems, and increased antisocial behavior. No safe blood lead level identified—even 3.5 µg/dL is associated with adverse effects.
Why children are vulnerable: Children absorb 40% of ingested lead (vs. 5-15% in adults), spend time on contaminated floors, and have immature detoxification systems.
Source: WHO Fact Sheets; American Academy of Pediatrics; CDC; NIH/PMC research
5. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)
Broad Health Effects: Includes BPA, phthalates, and chemicals in synthetic fragrances. These mimic or interfere with hormones, causing fertility loss, reproductive disorders, developmental abnormalities, early/delayed puberty, obesity, diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, immune suppression, neurological problems, and increased cancer risk.
Sources: Plastic bottles and containers (BPA), vinyl and flexible plastics (phthalates), fragrances and personal care products ("fragrance" label can hide 100+ chemicals).
Vulnerable windows: Greatest harm during pregnancy and childhood when development is accelerated.
Source: NRDC; Frontiers in Toxicology 2025; MDPI 2024; EWG; Cleveland Clinic
6. Flame Retardants
Persistent Toxins: Brominated (BFRs) and organophosphate (OPFRs) flame retardants are applied to furniture, textiles, and foam. Off-gas into homes for years. Linked to endocrine disruption, thyroid disorders, neurotoxicity, developmental/reproductive harm, immune suppression, and cancer.
Key findings: TBBPA (most-produced brominated flame retardant) classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (IARC 2018). OPFRs have replaced legacy chemicals but show higher toxicity in cell studies. Children at higher risk due to hand-to-mouth behavior and greater hand-floor contact.
Source: NIEHS; Nature Environmental Science 2023; Oxford Academic/Endocrinology 2024; PubMed/JAMA Network
7. Pesticides and Agricultural Chemicals
Neurotoxicity and Beyond: Linked to neurotoxic effects (particularly in children), reproductive and developmental harm, endocrine disruption, and cancer risk. Exposure occurs through dietary residues, occupational exposure, and environmental contamination of water and soil.
How products matter: Food sourcing practices, textiles (pesticides used in conventional cotton), and indoor pest management products.
Source: WHO; EPA; Global Burden of Disease studies; Environmental Health Perspectives
8. Ultra-Processed Foods
32+ Health Conditions Linked: Strongest evidence for cardiovascular disease (50% increased risk), type 2 diabetes (23% increased coronary heart disease risk), anxiety, depression, and metabolic disorders. Additional links to cancer, respiratory issues, and gastrointestinal disorders.
Mechanisms: High free sugars, unhealthy fats, sodium, additives, and chronic inflammatory responses. Health disparities: low-income populations have higher exposure due to cost and food access.
Source: BMJ Umbrella Review 2024; PubMed Meta-analyses; World Cancer Research Fund; NIH/NHLBI 2025
How We Evaluate Health Impacts
Safety Score (1-10)
Overall health safety rating based on materials used, chemical exposure risks, and safety certifications. A score of 10 indicates the safest products with no known health concerns. We prioritize assessment of the 8 major health threat categories documented above: PM2.5/air quality, PFAS, microplastics, lead, endocrine disruptors, flame retardants, pesticides, and food processing. Additional factors include heavy metals, VOC emissions, and allergen potential.
Health Concerns
Specific potential health risks associated with the product. This includes chemical leaching, allergens, off-gassing, microplastic shedding, ergonomic issues, or any safety hazards. We list these explicitly so you can make informed decisions based on your personal health needs.
Health Benefits
Positive health attributes of the product. Examples include BPA-free materials, hypoallergenic properties, ergonomic design, natural antimicrobial properties, breathable fabrics, or products that add beneficial elements (like cast iron adding dietary iron). These benefits can actively improve your health and wellbeing.
Research Sources
All sources, citations, and detailed references for this methodology are compiled on a comprehensive references page, which is maintained as a single authoritative source across all methodology sections.
View All Research Sources & References →Note on Research Standards: This health impacts methodology is based on peer-reviewed scientific literature, WHO/CDC reports, and established epidemiological studies with large sample sizes. We prioritize research from institutions with rigorous standards and transparent methodologies over anecdotal claims. All priority categories reflect current scientific consensus about the most significant and prevalent health impacts from environmental exposures and consumer products.