Vinyl shower curtains a 'volatile' hazard, study

Tag : Volatile organic compounds

The shower curtains also contained phthalates (DEHP), alreadybanned in children's toys in California, Washington and theEuropean Union. Canada has listed DEHP as a "toxic" substance andhas recommended it be banned in children's products, but has yet toimplement the recommendation.
Two of the chemicals detected, toluene and ethylbenzene, are alsoon California's Proposition 65 list. The law prohibits companiesdoing business in the state from exposing individuals to chemicalsknown to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity without first givingconsumers a clear warning.
Several other chemicals found in the curtains are considered ahuman health concern under Canada's Environmental Protection Act,including ethylbenzene, but are not regulated.
The Canadian Environmental Law Association and EnvironmentalDefence released the results in Canada. The report, titled VolatileVinyl: The New Shower Curtain's Chemical Smell, was done by theVirginia-based Center for Health, Environment and Justice.
"Everybody knows that smell, and it's not a particularly pleasantsmell. It's like a confirmation of common sense. Things that have aheavy chemical smell are probably not good for you. This just putsnumbers to it," said Rick Smith, executive director ofEnvironmental Defence.
More importantly, said Smith, it draws attention to the "largelyinvisible, insidious" problem of indoor air pollutants.
"This study is yet further confirmation that indoor air quality,the toxic ingredients of run-of-the-mill consumer products in ourhomes, are perhaps an even more serious source of pollution thanbelching smoke stacks."
The groups are calling on the federal government to ban PVC inshower curtains altogether, and declare the chemicals emitted fromPVC in consumer products as hazardous indoor air pollutants andregulate their use in consumer products.
Smith, a parent of two young boys, said the amount of time familiesspend in the bathroom makes this case a particularly pressingmatter.
"Kneeling beside the tub giving my two little kids a bath manytimes a week, being eye to eye with the shower curtain, having myyounger son play peek-a-boo, brings you face to face with theshower curtain on the regular basis, not to mention having your sonchewing on it," said Smith.
Some retailers are also moving away from PVC shower curtains.
Sears has developed plans to offer more PVC-free shower curtains,while Ikea plans to phase out PVC shower curtains altogether.

© Canwest News Service 2008