We spend a lot of time thinking about what we eat, how much we exercise and whether we’re getting enough sleep.
But what about the products we use every day?
From the container you use to reheat last night’s dinner to the pan you cook breakfast in, certain everyday items can expose us to chemicals that researchers have been studying for their potential effects on our health.
That doesn’t mean using one of these products will give you cancer.
Cancer is complicated. Genetics, age, smoking, alcohol consumption, weight, physical activity, diet and environmental exposures can all influence a person’s risk.
Still, some cancer specialists take a precautionary approach when it comes to unnecessary chemical exposure.
In a recent interview reported by the Daily Mail, medical oncologist Dr. Wael Harb revealed five everyday products he personally avoids in his own home because of concerns about long-term exposure and cancer risk.
Here are five worth taking a closer look at.
1. Plastic Containers Used to Heat Food
Plastic food containers are convenient, inexpensive and probably sitting in most kitchen cabinets.
But heat can change the equation.
Some plastics contain chemicals such as bisphenols and phthalates, which have attracted attention because of their potential to interfere with the body’s endocrine, or hormone, system.
Heat, wear and repeated use may increase the migration of certain chemicals from plastic into food.
This doesn’t mean you need to throw away every plastic container you own. Containers specifically labeled microwave-safe are designed for that purpose.
However, old takeout containers, scratched plastic tubs and containers that were never intended for heating shouldn’t automatically go into the microwave.
A simple swap
Transfer food into glass or ceramic before heating it.
And if your plastic containers have become cloudy, cracked or badly scratched, it may be time to replace them.
It’s an easy change that can reduce an exposure you don’t really need.
2. Scratched Nonstick Pans
That old frying pan with the peeling or scratched surface may deserve a closer inspection.
Traditional nonstick cookware has been associated with a large family of chemicals called PFAS, sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals” because some persist in the environment and the human body for long periods.
One chemical previously used in manufacturing nonstick cookware, PFOA, has largely been phased out of cookware production.
That’s good news.
But scientists continue to investigate PFAS exposure more broadly because some PFAS have been associated with health problems, including certain cancers.
Importantly, simply owning a modern nonstick pan doesn’t mean you’re putting yourself at significant risk. The concern becomes greater when cookware is old, damaged or repeatedly overheated.
Check your pans
If the coating is:
- peeling
- flaking
- deeply scratched
- visibly deteriorating
- …it may be time to retire the pan.
Cast iron, stainless steel and carbon steel are alternatives that can last for years—or even decades—with proper care.
3. Heavily Scented Candles and Air Fresheners
A home that smells like vanilla cupcakes or fresh linen may feel clean and cozy.
But that fragrance isn’t necessarily as innocent as it smells.
Candles, plug-in air fresheners, room sprays and other fragranced household products can release volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, into indoor air.
Some VOCs—including benzene and formaldehyde—are known carcinogens at sufficient levels of exposure.
The important word here is exposure.
Occasionally lighting a candle isn’t the same as occupational or prolonged exposure to high concentrations of these chemicals. The actual cancer risk associated with normal candle use remains uncertain.
Still, if you’re constantly burning heavily fragranced candles or spraying artificial fragrance around your house, cutting back is a relatively easy way to reduce unnecessary indoor pollutants.
Try this instead
Open the windows when weather allows and improve ventilation.
If you enjoy candles, use them occasionally and burn them in well-ventilated rooms rather than continuously.
Sometimes the healthiest-smelling house is simply one filled with fresh air.
4. Canned Foods Containing BPA
Canned beans, soups, vegetables and tomatoes can make preparing dinner much easier.
The concern isn’t necessarily what’s inside the can.
It’s what may be lining it.
For decades, manufacturers have used epoxy resins containing bisphenol A (BPA) to line food cans and prevent the metal from corroding.
BPA can migrate from packaging into food, and researchers have studied it extensively because it can interact with hormone signaling in the body.
Many manufacturers have moved away from BPA, so exposure from canned foods has decreased.
However, “BPA-free” doesn’t always answer every question. Some replacement bisphenols are chemically similar, and scientists continue to investigate their long-term effects.
What can you do?
You don’t need to swear off canned beans forever.
Instead, mix things up.
Choose fresh or frozen foods when practical, look for BPA-free packaging and buy foods packaged in glass when it’s convenient.
It’s less about avoiding one particular can and more about reducing unnecessary exposure over a lifetime.
5. Processed Meats
This is where the evidence becomes considerably stronger.
Processed meats include foods such as:
- bacon
- sausage
- hot dogs
- salami
- ham
- some deli meats
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified processed meat as carcinogenic to humans, based primarily on evidence linking regular consumption with colorectal cancer.
That classification can sound terrifying, but it needs context.
It doesn’t mean eating bacon carries the same level of cancer risk as smoking cigarettes. The classification describes the strength of evidence that something can cause cancer—not the size of the risk.
Risk appears to increase with the amount consumed.
You don’t necessarily have to eliminate it
Think of processed meat as something to eat occasionally rather than something that needs to appear on your breakfast or lunch plate every day.
More often, choose minimally processed proteins such as fish, chicken, eggs, beans, lentils or other whole-food options.
Don’t Panic and Throw Away Everything in Your House
Reading about chemicals and cancer can make everyday life sound terrifying.
It shouldn’t.
Cancer usually develops through a complicated combination of genetics, aging, lifestyle and environmental factors—not because you used the wrong frying pan one Tuesday night.
And many suspected household risks are still being studied.
The goal isn’t to create a perfectly “toxin-free” home. That’s virtually impossible.
Instead, think about reducing repeated exposures when an easy alternative exists.
Heat leftovers in glass.
Replace the pan when the coating starts deteriorating.
Open a window instead of constantly spraying air freshener.
Eat bacon occasionally instead of every morning.
Small changes made repeatedly over years may matter far more than obsessing over occasional exposure.
The Cancer Risks That Matter Most
There’s another important point that’s easy to lose in conversations about household chemicals.
Some cancer-prevention strategies have far stronger evidence behind them than avoiding candles or plastic containers.
Among the biggest steps you can take are:
- Don’t smoke.
- Limit alcohol.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Stay physically active.
- Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and other minimally processed foods.
- Protect your skin from excessive UV exposure.
- Keep up with recommended cancer screenings.
Those habits shouldn’t get overshadowed by worrying about trace amounts of chemicals in everyday products.
So you probably don’t need to completely overhaul your kitchen or bathroom tonight.
But the next time a scratched pan needs replacing or you’re deciding whether to microwave dinner in an old takeout container, choosing the lower-exposure option is a simple step that makes sense.
You can’t eliminate every possible cancer risk from your environment. But you can reduce unnecessary exposures—and some of the easiest changes start right at home.
Sources: Daily Mail; International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC); Harvard Health Publishing.
