Exercise Equipment Cancer Warning: Hidden Toxins in Your Home Gym

Worried about that exercise equipment cancer warning on your treadmill or dumbbells?

I don’t blame you.

Here at The Goodness Well, we help increase awareness about the toxic hidden chemicals around us and show you how to reduce your exposure to them.

“A treadmill or dumbbell, toxic? How?”

Let’s do a quick dive into the Proposition 65 warning on your workout gear and practical steps to keep yourself safe.

TL;DR

Phthalates in PVC and chloroprene in neoprene, found in treadmills and dumbbells, are toxic to our health and the environment. Although the exact direct impact of low-level exposure on our health isn’t clear, these chemicals and their production aren’t sustainable anyway. Choosing safer, non-toxic fitness gear can protect your health, and contribute to a healthier planet!

California Proposition 65 Warning

You may have noticed a Prop 65 warning label on your treadmill or other exercise equipment.

This warning is from a California law, known as Proposition 65, which mandates that businesses provide consumers with warnings about products containing chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm.

While a lot of controversy surrounds this label, it is something to be aware of if you’re looking to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals.

Treadmills and PVC

If your treadmill has a cancer warning, it’s because the treadmill contains plastic parts made of PVC.

“What the heck is PVC and why should I be worried about it?“

In the context of treadmills, PVC is the large, hard plastic portion of the frame of the treadmill. Some are more heavy on this material than others.

The reason for the cancer warning is that most PVC contains phthalates, a toxic chemical linked to hormone disruption and increased cancer risk.

Yes, I know you aren’t eating your treadmill. So risk averted, right?

Not Exactly.

The problem is phthalates are not chemically bonded to PVC, which allows them to off-gas into the air over time, and become part of what we breathe.

But is this a risk to your health?

While exposure levels are generally low, understanding the specific effects of certain amounts of phthalates on humans, especially the amount a simple treadmill might expose you to, would be hard to assess.

What we do know is, PVC and phthalates are toxic to human health (even if the effects of low exposure isn’t clear) and horrible for the environment.

Dumbbells and Neoprene

Maybe you’re someone that has seen one of these warnings on your dumbbells instead of your treadmill.

This would be due to a material called neoprene.

Chloroprene, a chemical that can cause cancer, is used to make the synthetic rubber we know as neoprene.

However, the Prop 65 website does state that, “Using neoprene products is unlikely to cause exposure to chloroprene. Levels of chloroprene in most neoprene products are very low.”

Also, chloroprene in neoprene forms a very strong bond and is much less likely to leach out into the air, unlike phthalates in PVC which aren’t chemically bonded which causes the phthalates to off gas in the air so easily.

“Yay, science! So this material is safe!“

Sorry, there is a but.

While it might be mostly safe for us, it isn’t for the environment.

neoprene production produces a lot of CO2 and because of its artificial makeup (being made from petroleum), it is non-biodegradable and ends up in landfills.

And this is a reason we still don’t recommend using it.

There’s just too many other better alternatives!

Other Equipment to Be Aware Of:

• Yoga mats: Most yoga mats are made with PVC.
• Exercise balls: PVC is also used in most exercise balls.
• Resistance bands: Can contain phthalates.
• Chrome plated equipment: The chrome plating process produces toxic byproducts like hexavalent chromium which is toxic to your health and the environment.
• Rubber equipment: Some rubber equipment like dumbbells can also contain phthalates to make them pliable.

Taking Action: How to Minimize Risks

To minimize potential risks from PVC-based exercise equipment, follow these steps:

1. Location Matters: If you’ve bought PVC equipment, store it in cool, dry places to reduce off-gassing.
2. Go Green on Your Next Purchase: If you are getting new exercise equipment, or are in the position to return your newly bought equipment, opt for low/non toxic exercise equipment that will reduce your and the environment’s exposure to harmful chemicals.
3. Use grip tape: Some dumbbells will have only portions of it like the handle covered in neoprene. If you’re concerned, you can simply cover it with grip tape.

Oh, and don’t go eating your treadmill.

Final Thoughts

Being worried about a cancer warning on exercise equipment shouldn’t be a thing, but here we are.

With toxic chemicals like PVC, phthalates, and neoprene lurking in our gear, it’s important to be aware and choose better.

We encourage choosing non-toxic, environmentally friendly choices that not only protect the health of you and your family but the environment too (which in turn affects our health!).

Thanks for reading!

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