Staff Writer

After building her dream home, Elisa Boxer-Cook was excited to spend her first night there five years ago. She woke up the next morning barely able to breathe. 

“I was very, very sick and no one knew why,” she said.

After visits to various doctors and allergists, Boxer-Cook discovered her illness was caused by chemicals leaching from building materials used during construction. The chemicals saturate people’s immune systems, effecting them on a cellular level, meaning even people who do not show symptoms can develop cancer later, she said. 

Boxer-Cook, 37, of Scarborough, said chemicals causing harm in homes have the “new” smell associated with new carpets, materials and cars.

“I felt I was the only one in the world back then,” she said. “I found out a lot of other people have had the same reaction.”

Boxer-Cook began researching toxic chemicals and how they affect people, especially children who are more susceptible to the effects of toxins. Boxer-Cook and her husband Doug have one son, five-year-old Evan.

“It became very important for me to protect my family,” she said.

The research turned into a “passion” for educating consumers about the harmful chemicals used in a variety of products. In addition to her research, Boxer-Cook testified and promoted various bills aimed to protect children and at times has worked with local legislators. In 2006, she testified in Augusta before the legislature’s Education Committee about toxic cleaning products and pesticides used in schools.

Boxer-Cook was recently presented with the 2008 Natural Resources Council of Maine Environmental Award for her work to pass legislation safeguarding the health of children from the threat of toxic chemicals in consumer products. 

“[The award] really meant a lot to me because I spent the past six years researching the effects of chemicals on health, especially children’s health,” Boxer-Cook said. “It’s absolutely horrifying the chemicals we use have been scientifically proven to cause cancer and other diseases.” 

Under the LD 2048, “An Act to Protect Children’s Health and the Environment from Toxic Chemicals in Children’s Products,” the Maine Department of Environmental Protection will develop a list of the “worst of the worst” chemicals used in consumer goods, Boxer-Cook said. Manufacturers will then have to disclose chemicals used and could be required to make safer products to sell in Maine. 

“One thing I find preposterous is manufacturers don’t have to tell if the chemicals are in the products. As the laws are now, manufacturers don’t have to disclose if cancer-causing chemicals are in the product,” she said. “[The bill] is a victory for kids, for families.”

Boxer-Cook said many people are not aware of harmful chemicals and how they affect the human body. A common reaction from parents is to argue they can’t protect their children from everything, she said, calling that argument “an effective scare tactic manufacturers use.”

“It’s true, there is so much out there and we can’t protect ourselves from all of it,” she said. 

Another common argument she hears is that simply because animals react to chemicals doesn’t mean humans will. Boxer-Cook said this argument ignores that response mechanisms in humans are nearly identical to animals. 

While there has been much talk about lead contamination in toys, Boxer-Cook said parents should also be aware of chemicals leaching from products used for children. The chemical plasticizer Bisphenol A (BPA) was developed in the 1930s as a cheap hormone replacement but was not marketed because it was toxic, she said. It is now added to plastic to harden it, meaning it is used in products such as baby bottles and lines most cans of food, including baby formula. 

While the chemical leaves the body quickly, people are constantly exposed to it as it leaches into food, Boxer-Cook said. She said she finds the recent availability of BPA-free products “very encouraging.”

Another major concern for consumers should be the presence of phthalates in manufactured products, she said. Phthalates are a common plasticizer used in toys and fragranced products, including body lotion, shampoo and perfume. The chemical makes plastic soft and leaves a scent, she said.

“They’re very, very toxic,” Boxer-Cook said. “Unfortunately, they use them in a lot of baby toys. That means your child is breathing is something that has been shown to cause harm.”

Boxer-Cook said the toy industry knows what people want and an increasing number of toys are marketed as phthalate-free. While she recommends basic wooden toys, she said parents can easily call toy companies to inquire about the chemicals companies use, which she has done in the past.

“I don’t want to have to worry if my son is breathing in something toxic when he’s playing with his favorite toy,” she said.

Boxer-Cook said she is also passionate about educating people about harmful pesticides. She said many companies are now using green products instead of chemicals that have been linked to brain cancer, Parkinson’s disease and lymphoma. Her condominium association will be voting soon on whether or not to use chemical pesticides on the lawn.

“It really frightens me that there may be toxic chemicals applied to the lawn where my son plays,” she said. “I don’t know why anyone would make the decision to use something so dangerous.”

In an effort to further reduce chemical exposure for Maine children, Boxer-Cook assisted with an effort to distribute lists of safer cleaning products to schools. She said the list is designed to raise awareness, not force schools to stop using products that are “toxic to teachers, kids and custodians.” Many schools have switched to safe products that haven’t been linked to decreased liver function and cancer, she said. 

Boxer-Cook said using safe cleaning products at home such as baking soda or vinegar is easy and can save money. A common misconception is safer products don’t clean as well, but she said this is not true. People interested in learning more about safe alternatives can easily turn to the Internet for more information, she said.

“It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by this because there is a lot of information out there,” she said. “It’s actually very easy to keep your family safe.”