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PBDES
Our Children's Health, Up in Flames!
Flame Retardant Chemicals Pose Serious Risks to Children’s
Healthy Development!
- Why has the European Union banned the use
of two of the most common flame retardants?
- Why is the Learning Disabilities Association
of California supporting legislation to eliminate their use statewide?
- Why have companies like Motorola, Sony, and
IKEA officially agreed to begin phasing out products that contain
them?
PBDEs are Gaining Worldwide Recognition as Neurotoxicant
Across the world, scientists are studying Polybrominated
Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs), the family of chemicals that act
as flame retardants. The results of their studies are of great concern.
They are finding extremely high levels of these neurotoxic, and
potentially carcinogenic, chemicals in the bodies of humans and
wildlife—levels far higher than those found even ten years
ago.
Animal studies have linked PBDEs to neurodevelopmental
and behavioral deficits, thyroid hormone disruption, and possibly
cancer. PBDEs are used more heavily in the U.S. and Canada
than anywhere else in the world.
PBDEs are believed to be slowly released over the life of the
plastics, foams, and fabrics to which they are added. PBDE molecules
evaporate from the products into the air and can travel through
air currents up to thousands of miles, often accumulating in bodies
of water. Once there, they easily make their way into the food chain
and the human population.
Concerns About the Effects of PBDEs on Children’s
Health are Mounting.
- Large numbers of women in the U.S. may carry PBDEs in their
bodies, passing them on to their babies in the womb during critical
stages of their babies’ development.
- PBDEs may impair the brain function and motor skills of children.
All PBDEs disrupt thyroid hormone balance because the chemical
structure of PBDEs closely resembles thyroid hormones. Thyroid
hormone function is critical to proper brain development both
in the womb and after birth.
- Newborn mice exposed to PBDEs experienced damage to their nervous
systems, resulting in learning and motor deficits that worsened
as the animals grew older.
Polyester is Plastic, and Since Plastic Can Melt…
You’ll find PBDEs in most polyester textiles, polysterene
plastics, and polyurethane foam products, including:
- carpeting
- upholstered furniture
- polyester blankets, sheets, mattress pads, and mattresses
- clothing and kids’ pajamas,
- wallpaper
- computers and other electronic equipment
- polyurethane foam products like pillows, cushions and car seats
- interiors of cars, trucks, buses and airplanes
- and many other sources—they’re everywhere!
Levels of PBDEs are Increasing in People and the Environment
- Swedish studies show that the levels of PBDEs in human breast
milk have increased 40-fold since 1972.
- North American breast milk samples are, on average, the highest
in the world, containing 40 times the amount of PBDEs found in
Swedish samples.
- PBDE levels in trout from the Great Lakes is rising exponentially,
from non-detectable in 1975 to 60ng/gm in 1990 to 200 ng/gm in
the year 2000.
- The levels of PBDEs in North Americans appear to be doubling
every two to five years, says Mehran Alaee, a research scientist
with Environment Canada.
What YOU Can Do to Protect Your Children’s Health!
- Avoid buying children’s clothing and pajamas
made of flame-resistant fabrics. Choose cotton over polyester.
Since cotton won’t melt when near heat sources, manufacturers
don’t need to add chemicals to prevent this risk.
- Feed your kids a diet low in animal fat and large fish.
PBDEs biomagnify up the food chain and are stored in animals’
fatty tissues. Choose low-fat dairy, remove the fat from meats,
and substitute grains and vegetables wherever possible.
- Keep fresh air coming into your house and car.
Heat can encourage plastics to release PBDE molecules, so be sure
to maintain the flow of fresh air to avoid inhaling them. Keep
car windows open for a while before turning on the air conditioner.
- Consider furniture made of organic cotton and wool fill
by Furniture or The Natural Alternative. Wool
is flame retardant and substitutes well for foam. The cost can
be high, but no more so than the cost of high quality furniture
in general. Futon couches and chairs are a lower-cost alternative.
- Buy used cars and furniture (in good condition).
By the time they’re yours, they will already have off-gased
a large portion of their PBDEs. Vacuum old furniture well to eliminate
dust that may contain PBDE residues.
- Use cotton or wool mattresses, mattress pads, and crib
bedding. Futons are an inexpensive, natural mattress
option.
Published by the Institute
for Children’s Environmental Health
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