New concerns about plastic shower curtains may be overblown

Tag : Chemicals And Plastic

TORONTO — A new study says some plastic shower curtains maybe hazardous to your health, but industry members and healthexperts call it "fear-mongering" and say more research needs to bedone.
The U.S.-based Centre for Health, Environment and Justice sayspolyvinyl chloride (PVC) shower curtains release 108 toxicchemicals into the air. The study, released Thursday, found theubiquitous PVC curtains contain harmful substances associated witha litany of adverse health effects to the lungs, central nervoussystem, liver and kidneys.
Some experts say the concerns have been exaggerated.
"It's not a big issue," said Warren Foster, a professor in theobstetrics and gynecology department at McMaster University inHamilton.
"There's no question that chemicals such as these are potentialhazards to human health. However, the difference between hazard andrisk is great, and without knowing the actual human exposure, it'spremature to make any judgment."
The study, conducted by Environmental Defence and the CanadianEnvironmental Law Association, examined shower curtains purchasedin the U.S. from Bed Bath and Beyond, Kmart, Sears, Target andWal-Mart stores. The vinyl shower curtains are also common in mostmajor Canadian retailers.
A spokeswoman for Bed Bath and Beyond in Canada said Thursday theretailer is aware of the study's findings and is moving away fromPVC curtains.
The study's authors are calling on Ottawa to ban PVC curtains andforce manufacturers and retailers to instead sell cotton ones.
"The study results speak for themselves," said Theresa McClenaghan,executive director for the law association. "These are extremelyhigh results for the initial period for sure, for indoor air."
The study tested five brands of shower curtains and found more than100 volatile organic compounds were released into the air over a28-day period. Each curtain contained some chemicals already bannedin toys in some U.S. states and the European Union. In Canada,they're simply listed as "toxic."
Foster said the groups releasing the study are "heavily biased" andlooking to confirm a hypothesis. A truly scientific study, he said,would look to test the hypothesis and also include controls andrandom sampling.
Vinyl shower curtains have been on the market for decades with noreported incidents of harm, said Marion Axmith, director general ofthe Vinyl Council of Canada.
"We want to reassure the public that shower curtains are notharmful," she said.
"This report is a blatant attempt to manipulate consumers andretailers into thinking shower curtains pose a danger, and theydon't."
McClenaghan said she wasn't aware of any specific studies of peoplebecoming ill from the curtains.
"There are a lot of anecdotal reports of people getting sick, interms of very bad headaches and nausea and that sort of thing," shesaid.
She added the groups are more concerned with getting a message outabout reducing exposure to all types of products that might giveoff harmful chemicals.
"Would it be the shower curtain alone that would be linked to thatkind of health effect?" she asked. "It's more likely that would beone source of many, over time."