Pesticides used in some weed killers, head lice preparations and wood preservatives are carcinogenic in animals. Some chemicals, like artificial musk in bath products or phalates in plastics are hormone-disrupters. Most of these bio-accumulate, which means that they are stored in body fat. Long-term effects and interaction with other stored chemicals are unknown. They may be responsible for falling sperm count in humans, sexual mutation in fish and genital abnormalities in other species.
Breast milk appears to have high concentrations of such chemicals.
Try to use natural bath products, avoid strong chemical cleaners, wood preservatives and other heavy-duty chemicals. Avoid plastic wraps for food. Use searchable web pages to look for organic bargains. Support the World Wide Fund for Nature and Friends of the Earth campaigns to phase out all bio-accumulative chemicals whose long term effects are unknown. Recycling paper, glass, plastic, clothes, and aluminium could make a big difference.