Safe and Sustainable Sex: How to avoid toxins and petrochemicals
Sex is fun, good for your health, and often a key part of the college experience. However, it doesn't come without its risks, and safe sex is incredibly important for personal health and the health of your partner. Many options for safe sex however, come at the expense of the health of the environment. Common condoms, lubricants, and sex toys often contain toxic chemicals that can pose harm to water, air, and soil. There are however several options for more sustainable and safe sex.
The rates of sexually transmitted infections are continuing to rise in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control between 2017 and 2018 rates of syphilis increased by 14 percent, gonorrhea increased 5 percent and chlamydia increased 3 percent. Higher STI rates are related to several factors, most notably decreased use of condoms among young people. A 2013 study by the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada found that half of the sexually active college students surveyed are foregoing condoms. At the University of California Berkeley, increasing rates of STIs are occurring in conjunction with national trends. In 2017, UC Berkeley experienced a record number of cases of sexually transmitted infections.
Despite the immeasurable importance of condom usage, the environmental impacts of traditional condoms and lubricants are significant. The majority of condoms are made from latex, which in its natural state is biodegradable; however, condoms are not entirely made of latex and often contain polyurethane or polyisoprene, synthetic plastics that do not break down. These materials if not properly disposed of can turn into microplastics, small plastic debris degraded from larger waste that easily pass through water systems, damaging aquatic ecosystems. Condoms also typically contain stabilizers, preservatives and hardening agents, many of which have little scientific consensus on how long it takes to biodegrade. Chemicals used in condoms include Nonoxynol-9, a spermicide effective in pregnancy prevention that has also been linked to inflammation in skin tissue damaging the cervix. The World Health Organization has recommended condom makers minimize the amount of Nonoxynol-9 used in their product, however, it is still a prevalent component in many popular condom brands, most notably Trojan condoms.
Commercial lubricants and lubricated condoms often contain parabens, a preservative that prevents bacterial growth and lengthens the shelf life of the products. Studies have shown links between the presence of parabens and breast cancer. Petroleum, another key ingredient in lubricants, also has significant detrimental impacts on the environment, including oil spills, air pollution, and high carbon emissions.
The majority of sex toys contain phthalates, a chemical that acts as an endocrine disrupter impacting hormone levels and resulting in cancer, asthma, and other health issues. Phthalates are incredibly toxic and can be absorbed into soil and water where organisms can then become exposed. Phthalates are known to cause infertility and are especially toxic in children and other vulnerable communities whose immune systems are more susceptible to absorbing toxic materials.
There are several options available for non-toxic and more environmentally friendly condoms, lubricants and sex toys. Lambskin condoms are a natural and biodegradable option, but are not vegan. Sustain condoms use fair-trade rubber from a solar-powered plantation in Southern India. These condoms are vegan as they do not contain nitrosamines or casein, a milk protein used in many traditional latex condoms. Sustain also makes a non-toxic lubricant that uses aloe instead of unsustainable petroleum products and does not include parabens or fragrance. Coconut oil is another alternative to traditional lubricants. Coconut oil is generally safe to use as long as it does not contain added sugar that could potentially cause infection. However, coconut oil cannot be used with latex condoms as it damages the material and leads to breakage. There are also more sustainable options for sex toys. Gaia makes a vibrator that is biodegradable and recyclable. The vibrator is made from starch-based bioplastic, a material made from renewable sources and is biodegradable. The vibrator shell is entirely biodegradable through industrial composting, and the inner pieces can be recycled.
While there is no perfect zero-waste solution for safe sex, there are much safer, less toxic and more sustainable options for condoms, lubricants and sex toys. Using these options ensure better personal health as well as environmental health.
