When ingredient labels do not explicitly state whether their formula contains vegetable-based glycerin, it may be synthetic, petrolatum-based glycerin. Petrolatum, or petroleum jelly, derived from petroleum, is often used in personal care products as a moisturizing agent. When properly refined, petrolatum has no known health concerns. However, petrolatum is often not fully refined in the US, which means it can be contaminated with toxic chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are byproducts of organic material burning (wood fires and grilled food), and are stored in body fat when exposed to humans and animals.
Sources of Exposure: Personal care products, food additives, pharmaceuticals, e-cigarette liquid, antifreeze
Health Impacts: The 15 individual PAHs are suspected human carcinogens based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in experimental animals. They are also endocrine disruptors.