PVC and Vinyl Floors Linked to Autism

I've referred to PVC as the poison plastic, along with the Center for Health, Environment and Justice for quite some time. The plastic is loaded with phthalates, sometimes lead, and other potent chemicals and is unsafe for everyone.

Now the CHEJ has found a new study that links PVC and vinyl flooring with Autism. According to the CHEJ, "The study found that children who live in homes with vinyl floors, which can emit phthalates, are twice as likely to have autism. The is the first study to link PVC flooring with autism spectrum disorder, and adds to a growing body of scientific evidence linking phthalates in PVC flooring with asthma and other respiratory problems in children and adults. The study focused on vinyl flooring in the home but children are routinely exposed to this toxic material in their schools as well."

Happily, phthalates have been banned in toys. But for many kids, they are surrounded by phthalates in vinyl flooring and can suffer the same health consequences due to exposure. Again, according to the CHEJ,

“'A number of studies have found a correlation between phthalates found in PVC flooring and asthma. Now for the first time – scientific researchers found a connection between phthalates in PVC flooring and autism. While phthalates have been banned in children’s toys, they’re commonly found in PVC building materials in schools. This new study underscores the need for school districts coast to coast to use healthier PVC-free flooring materials when renovating and building new schools. In light of the growing evidence that PVC is toxic from production to disposal, we’re launching a new campaign to encourage schools to use PVC-free flooring and other building materials,' says Mike Schade, CHEJ’s PVC Campaign Coordinator."

I'll certainly be paying attention. We've got to find the reason(s) for the growing numbers of children with Autism in our country.

image: Vinyl Flooring by wendizzle on Flickr

Rocket Fuel in Baby Formula and Your Water?

The CDC released a report awhile back that not many people noticed. It revealed that perchlorate, a rocket fuel chemical, is in some baby formulas and in drinking water. The chemical is a byproduct of the Cold War era rocket and missile tests (another lesson in all actions having far and wide reaching results, even decades later).

The Environmental Working Group is drawing attention to this report, especially in light of our new EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson's pledge to set standards for this chemical in public water supplies.

The trouble with ingesting rocket fuel (other than the obvious-- it can't be good for you! -- response):

According to the EWG, "Studies have established that the chemical is a potent thyroid toxin that may interfere with fetal and infant brain development (Kirk 2006).

The CDC team warned that mixing perchlorate-tainted formula powder with tap water containing “even minimal amounts” of the chemical could boost the resulting mixture’s toxin content above the level the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers safe. Many scientists contend that the EPA “safe” level is too high to protect public health."

Multiple exposures, from multiple sources. Has anyone heard me mention this concept before?

What the EPA considers "safe" is being questioned. Especially for teeny babies. Again according to the EWG, "The risk to infants being fed cow's milk-based formula may be even greater than the CDC assessment suggests. A CDC study in 2006 found that trace perchlorate exposure considerably below the EPA’s “safe” level (0.7 micrograms of perchlorate per kilogram of body weight per day, called the reference dose, or RfD) altered women’s thyroid hormone levels (Blount et al 2006a).

What to do? Well, contact new EPA head Lisa Jackson, and ask her to set new standards for perchlorate in drinking water. The EWG recommends more action steps, including contacting your infant formula about perchlorate. The CDC doesn't list the brands it tested (boy, is that mighty unhelpful!), but at least this way we know we can't shop our way out of the problem.

Toxic Bath Video (Oh, give a mama a camera and a cause and look out!)

Check out this hysterical video from the Green and Clean Mom, Sommer, who motivated us green moms to post our emergency Green Moms carnival, featuring the Johnson and Johnson media campaign and the news of their use of two cancer causing chemicals in their products. Once you are done laughing, see the action steps on the video, or read yesterday's post for ideas about how to help keep toxic chemicals out of products for children.