Dangerous Chemicals in products targeted at Children and Women SASCHA GABIZON sascha.gabizon@wecf.org Women in Europe for a Common Future Director
Children most vulnerable Persistent pesticides accumulate In the food-chain We give it through our bodies to our children Children are getting 25-70 times max. dosis of toxins!
History: Toxins in Humans (Europe) 1976: Kees Olie proves dioxines in emissions of waste incinerators rs (NL) 1984: The Swiss chemist Gunilla Lindstrom finds dioxines in her own breast-milk 1985: Martin van den Berg finds dioxines in Dutch breast milk, not n in Suriname breast milk 1990-1991: 1991: start Rotterdams/Gronings study of 418 mother-child couples on effects of dioxines en PCBs 1993 : follow-up research age 2-2 3 years (A dam, Zaandam); and in 98 7-11 years 1999: Belgian dioxines in chicken schandal erupts 2000-2005: 2005: Research in NL, France, Germany, Belgium..
Dioxin and dioxin-like PCB levels in different countries (2002) Netherlands 29.84 WHO-TEQ ng/kgmilkfat Italy: 28.95 Sweden 19.39 New Zealand 10.87 Brazil 5.74 Egypt 28.80
So much exposure? From products which are legal! Retardateurs de Flame au Brome Brominated Flame Retardants in Humans Levels in human breast milk (Sweden): Concentrations doubling every 5 years!! Occupational exposure: Levels in blood samples from staff of an electronic dismantling company were 70 times higher than those of control groups Data: 1972 to 1997 Office workers, using computer showed significantly elevated levels compared with the control group
Synthetic Chemicals Synthetic man-made not natural Industrial chemicals - large scale production- 400 Mio t per year (EU) More than 100.000 different chemicals on the market less than 10% researched health Come in contact via food, inhalation, through skin Hazardous chemicals Persistent: remain dangerous long time Bio-accumulative: accumulates in your body Toxic: even lowest doses show effects Carcinogens, Mutagens and Reprotoxic Endocrine disrupters (we want them in REACH)
How do they get into our bodies? Production U S E - Disposal Via diet Accumulate in fish, meat, eggs, diary products Pesticides on food Leach from packaging materials (cans, bottles) Babies suckling on toys, bottles made out of soft PVC
1. Via skin Cosmetics (Women higher level Phthalates) Shampoo (against head lice Lindane) The cosmetics industry uses more than 5,000 different chemicals in cosmetics and toiletries Cleaning products Plastic additives and brominated flame-retardents in textiles, clothing (plastic gloves, t- shirts with PVC print) Plastic children s boots, rain gear (barefoot!) Mattresses
2. Through air Indoor: Evaporation from biocide-treated floorings or wood; plastic additives from construction materials, upholstered furniture Electronics (computers, printers..!) (Greenpeace house-dust study!) Outdoor: use of Pesticides in Gardening. air emissions from waste-incinerators, factories...
Example: Bisphenol A Where?: baby feeding bottles, flooring, nail polish, compact disks, adhesives electrical & electronic appliances, lining of tin cans What: damages immune system, nervous system, reproductive system, linked to breast cancer Health effects in animals detected, 2500 times lower than USEPA lowest observed dose effect
Women and Children are especially affected by chemicals These chemicals are passed on to the foetus in utero (through placenta) and via breast milk Some chemicals have the ability to cross the brain barrier of the developing foetus Women have a different physiology- more hormonal changes; "windows of time" Women have more fatty tissue than men, more chemicals can accumulate and be stored in the body
Products containing Phthalates Food packaging Deodorants, Lotions Perfumes Hair dyes, spray, mousse gel Shampoo Garden hoses PVC-floorings and -wallpaper Air matresses Tents Baby s changing table-coverages Rain gear Carneval masks Synthetic sleeping bags Beach balls
Shown effects Phthalates In animal testing: Reduced numbers of offspring Increased rate of malformations Reduced estrogen and testosteron contents Reduced numbers of sperms Increased cancer rates EU classification Can possibly impair reproduction Can possibly cause harm to babies via breast feeding Can possibly harm unborn children via contamination of the mother
Effect on fetus of DEHPs Research on the toxicological effects of phthalates, especially DEHP, reveal a range of adverse effects on the developing male fetus, especially with respect to growth of the reproductive tract. Greenpeace publication:
Chemicals in Every Day Life- A chemical world? Chemicals in consumer products: Cosmetics, perfumes, body care Household paint Plastic toys/ other plastic equipment Non-stick frying pans Electrical appliances PCs Compact disks Textiles Food Cleaning products Silent, invisible pollution Without our consent or knowledge
Two main problems with regulating synthetic chemicals 1) Of certain chemicals, variety of negative health effects shown 2) Little or no data on environment and health effects of majority of chemicals in consumer products
Chemicals Regulation in the EU Pesticides Biocides Cosmetics IPPC Worker s protection New chemicals law REACH 30.000 Chemicals marketed in the EU
A New Law in the Making: REACH Registration Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals Aims at protecting human health & environment EU takes the lead internationally on managing chemicals proactively, not only their risk
A New Law in the Making: REACH REACH is important Will close the information gap Burden of Proof on Industry-not governments or individuals Data is kept with the help of an Agencystreamlines information The most dangerous chemicals will need an authorization One step further to ensure protection from negative health & environment effects of hazardous chemicals
REACH out and bring an End to the Chemicals Crisis WECF strongly endorses this initiative Work in a big coalition on EU level and national level in order to strengthen REACH Encourage EU to continue taking the lead globally toward a toxic free future - 2020 WSSD target to achieve by 2020 that chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment
REACH out and bring an End to the Chemicals Crisis What you can do: Support us and other NGOs in the Pro- REACH campaign Lobby your government & MEPs directly Be smart consumers- buy products that contain natural ingredients Write to producers to find out what their products are made of
REACH out and bring an End to the Chemicals Crisis What you can do: Demand responsibility from producers to make sure their products are safe and there is enough information about them Demand from your governments to do the same Spread the word and educate others COME WITH US TO MEET YOUR MEPs!