People exposed to 100,000 chemicals in homes

OUR daily expoure to a cocktail of more than 100,000 chemicals must be investigated by the EU to find out their long-term effects, a consumer watchdog urged.

The European Consumers’ Organisation (BEUC) says no one knows how these chemicals react together or what long-term effect they have on people or the environment.

While the European Commission has published a set of proposals called REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals), where manufacturers or importers of more than one tonne of a chemical substance per year must register it in a central database, there are no plans to look at the backlog of chemicals that have been used for years in many household goods.

“While we welcome the REACH proposals, it has the wrong set of priorities. Instead of looking at the amount of chemicals

purchased by manufacturers, it needs to concentrate on finding out the bio-cumulative effect all of these chemicals have on humans and the environment,” BEUC director Jim Murray said.

“We do not want to scare people unnecessarily and we are not saying they present an acute threat to health. The problem is that we do not know which of these 100,000 chemicals could be problematic, since they have not been properly assessed,” he said.

While a number of chemicals have been banned for use in the workplace, the legislation does not

cover their use in items that would be found in every home. For example:

Cadmium has been banned in a number of products, but can still be used to dye textiles such as curtains.

Formaldehyde has been classified as carcinogenic, poisonous, corrosive and allergenic and its use is prohibited, except in the textile industry where it is used as an anti-crease agent in towels and bed sheets.

Brominated flame-retardants, or BFRs, are fire-restraining chemicals that are toxic and accumulate in your body. Their levels in humans are rapidly building up. Out of the 50 or more BFRs, only two have been regulated so far. They will be prohibited in electrical and electronic equipment from 2006. BFRs can be found in sofas, televisions, computers and radio alarm clocks.

Butadiene and nitrosamines are known to be carcinogens. Both have been regulated but not for use in a latex foam mattress.

PVC contains phthalates, which are, over the long term, suspected of leading to a lowered reproduction capability and some may be carcinogenic. Phthalates were banned in 1999 from toys intended to be placed in the mouth of children under the age of three. Using them on T-shirt print is not prohibited.

BEUC also points out that EU legislation requires that substances such as paints and detergents are labelled with a safety warning if they contain dangerous chemicals, yet consumer products such as shower curtains or shoes may

contain exactly the same chemicals, but do not have to carry a warning label.

Tánaiste Mary Harney said recently that it was essential that REACH struck the right balance between environmental, economic and social policy dimensions.

“The proposed regulatory regime must secure a high level of protection for human health and the environment, while at the same time stimulating innovation and maintaining the competitiveness of the EU industry,” she said.

www.chemical-cocktail.org

Home hazards

Living room

Sofa: May contain brominated flame-retardants (BFRS). BFRs are fire-restraining chemicals that are toxic and bio-accumulating and their levels in humans are rapidly building up.

Television: BFRs are added to many electrical appliances to increase resistance to fire. Most of us are exposed to these substances daily when watching TV as BFR can leak from the set and can be breathed.

Furniture: May contain formaldehyde.

Curtains: The heavy metals cadmium and chrome used to dye textiles pose a health risk to consumers. EU legislation bans cadmium in a number of products, but not for use in dyeing textiles.

Bathroom

Toothpaste: May contain triclosan, a biocide designed to kill bacteria, which is also widely used in detergents and plastic kitchen equipment such as bowls and chopping boards. The widespread use of triclosan can help bacteria adapt and become resistant to antibiotics.

Deodorant: May contain BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), which is mainly used as a preservative and additive in food and cosmetics. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency believes it should be withdrawn from use as it is harmful to the environment and poisonous if eaten.

Kitchen

Towels: May contain formaldehyde, classified as carcinogenic, poisonous, corrosive and allergenic. It is not regulated for use in the textiles industry.

Cleaning agents: May contain sensitising substances (irritating to the skin), biocides (to kill bacteria) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can irritate eyes, throat and lungs and cause health problems. Dyes and colouring agents can also cause allergies and be carcinogenic.

Laundry: May contain phosphates that lead to eutrophication, a process whereby phosphates make algae grow in lakes and rivers, causing fish kills.

Bedroom

Bed sheets: May contain formaldehyde.

Mattress: Latex foam may contain butadiene and nitrosamines that are known to be carcinogens. Both have been regulated, but not for use in a mattress. Mattresses may also contain VOCs, BFRs and formaldehyde.

Clock radio: May contain BFRs.

Shoes: Many chemicals can be used in the production of shoes,

including heaving metals such as arsenic, cadmium and lead, but also formaldehyde, azodyes, nitrosamines, VOCs and may also contain. Shoes may also contain PVC.

Nail polish: May contain dibultylphthalate which has been shown in tests to be endocrine disrupting, may lead to a lowered reproduction capability and cause cancer in humans.

T-shirt: PVC may be used in prints on T-shirts. PVC contains phthalates which are, over the long-term, are suspected of leading to a lowered reproduction capability and some may also be carcinogenic.