The Environmental Working Group released last week at new report and study of mothers and toddlers and flame retardants known at PBDEs. The results are another example of why we need better regulation of untested chemicals to protect our children.
In their executive summary, EWG finds in a recent study that toddlers had over 3 times the amount of PBDEs in their blood as their mothers, and that these chemicals have been linked to behavior problems such as hyperactivity, neurological development problems, and effects on the tyroid and reproductive system.
According to the report:
"PBDEs in everyday items like furniture, computers, televisions and other electronics migrate into the home environment and could expose children to concentrations exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended safe level. Children ingest more PBDEs than adults because they stick to kids’ hands, toys or other objects they put in their mouths."
And we know that children's bodies are more susceptible to chemical exposures becuase of their smaller size and rapid development.
The chemical industry is fighting for many dangerous flame retardants to stay on the market. We need the Kid-Safe Chemical Act passed so we can protect our kids from more needless chemical exposures.
What can you do? This is a hard one-- it is in many places. For one, one thing I despise most of all is recommended: vacuuming! PBDEs hide in dust from furniture and electronics. Here are more tips from the EWG on how to limit your family's exposure. To read the whole report, check out any of the above links, where you will see the sections of the report on the right.
The Today Show did a report on this study as well.
What am I going to do? I'm going to suck it up and buy a HEPA vacuum cleaner soon, try to vacuum more (gulp!). And I noticed that latex and natural foams also contain flame retardants (according to EWG), so mattresses made from organic cotton and wool seem to be the best choice (although an expensive one).
3 comments:
I'm so glad you did a post on this. I recently wrote on my blog about a web site that conducted a study of many popular strollers, car seats and baby carriers and if flame retardants have been found in them at a high, medium or low levels.
This is a very serious concern.
Thank you!
http://tryingtobegreener.wordpress.com
I remember when all you heard about was how much parents needed to buy Pj's that had flame retardants. Not to much longer, you started hearing about the effects of the flame retardants.
I know, the pendelum swings. It is hard to keep up! It freaks me out to think of the multiple exposures they are receiving--
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