It’s in the food you eat; the pencil eraser your child may be chewing on; the wallpaper, furniture, flooring in your house; the hair spray, nail polish, deodorant, perfume you put on; in your children’s toys and, if you have one, in your sex toy, too. We’re referring to the much-talked-about phthalates, which not everybody knows a lot about. Well, when it comes to phthalates, it’s never too late to learn.
Fact is, a Reuters report recently dished out some facts about phthalates. According to the report, the global chemicals industry produces nearly six million tons of phthalates every year. Phthalates (a family of industrial chemicals used as plastic softeners or solvents in many consumer products) are suspected to be the culprits behind “the massive drop in male fertility globally over the past decades.” In the developing world, for instance, studies repeatedly show sperm counts have decreased by about 50 percent in the past half century. Phthalates have been believed to interfere with the sexual development of boys in the womb.
Phthalates can damage the lungs, kidneys, and liver.
The report points a finger at food as the main source of phthalates via plastics used in the food processing machinery. A conglomerate of environmental groups has zeroed in on the dangerous chemicals that are present in everyday consumer products that we use from erasers to adhesives, raincoats to shower curtains, hair spray to perfume, deodorant to nail polish (and many other beauty products), children’s toys to sex toys.
Sex toys? According to the Reuters report, a Berlin lab tested samples from the shaft of a smooth blue vibrator and found it had 55 percent DEHP (diethylhexyl phthalate) by weight while another called Prince Charming had 63 percent (how’s that for a deadly Prince Charming?).
While there’s no law covering objects such as pencil cases and erasers, environmentalists believe that consumers should be given full information on the chemical properties of the products that they buy.
Now, I’ll buy that.
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The risks of changing flat tires
Do you know how to change a flat tire? I don’t — and I don’t think I want to learn. Driving is hard enough. To have to change a flat tire is, to me, a fate worse than death. Besides, none of my lady friends who drive know how to change a flat tire so why should I be an exception to the rule?
This safety reminder is for all those motorists who may find themselves having to change a flat tire. Yes, you know fully well it’s inconvenient and will get your hands dirty. But that’s probably the least of your worries. Because there are real risks/dangers that lurk when you’re on the road and you end up with a flat tire.
Sadly, there have been many cases where people changing tires have been hit or run over by other speeding cars. Especially if you get a flat tire on the highway and your vehicle is not parked in the shoulder lane, where you can safely change the tire. So other cars could be flying past you while you’re trying to change a flat tire.
Tyre Guardian, the biodegradable concentrated liquid gel that offers preventive protection for all types of tires against punctures, gives us a blow-by-blow account of what happens in a case like this:
“The person changing the tire cannot watch out for approaching traffic. In some cases, the person may be under the car and his feet are exposed on the side where there are oncoming cars. In instances like these, it is best to have a companion who can re-direct the traffic. Having an early warning device is also another must in this kind of situation, especially if the driver is by himself.
“Yes, this happens not only in the movies but in real life as well. Sometimes, a car may not be jacked up properly and it can literally fall on top of the person tending to the tire if he must get under the vehicle.
“If a driver is not changing his tire on a level surface, there is a risk of getting run over by his own car. Therefore, it is ideal that changing tires be done on a level surface. This kind of accident can also occur if the car is not set in “park” and the handbrake not locked in before changing tires, and there are no chocks or wedges to keep the wheels from rolling over the driver.
“Should a flat or a blowout happen, the driver must make sure to avoid ending up in the aforementioned situations by being prepared with the right equipment and a good presence of mind.
Of course, in dangerous situations, there’s wisdom in the saying “An ounce of prevention is worth pound of cure.” Made in Australia and exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Autobrod Inc., Tyre Guardian is designed to protect tires from flats caused by objects that are up to 3mm (tube tires) and 6mm (tubeless tires) in diameter throughout its lifespan.
A few more words about the hardworking Tyre Guardian: It will not affect wheel balance at all and not cause wiggling. Beyond puncture prevention, this lightweight gel even prolongs the life of tires and also helps maintain adhesion of retread tires for commercial applications. It even reduces tire heat, prevents rust, helps control under-inflation (the number one tire killer), and improves fuel consumption by up to 10 percent.
For inquiries, call Autobrod Inc. at 659-68—62, 0917-8449174, 09212835763 or e-mail tyreguardian.philippines@gmail.com. For more information, visit wwww.tyreguardian.com.
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