Chemicals target of state ban
Harmful flame retardant formulas increasingly found in environment, humans, study says
The state departments of Ecology and Health will recommend that the 2006 state Legislature ban certain chemical flame retardants known as PBDEs.
The chemicals, which reduce flammability in a variety of household products ranging from computers to furniture to carpets, are building up in the environment and in the bodies of humans at increasing rates, a just-released state study concludes.
While the health effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have not been studied in people, laboratory animal studies suggest the chemical additives might affect brain development and alter behavior, learning and memory later in life, according to a panel of scientists who worked on the study.
The chemicals are similar to PCBs, which are known to cause health effects, especially in developing fetuses and growing children, state health officer Dr. Maxine Hayes said.
PBDEs have been measured in the blood, fat and breast milk of people all around the world. Levels of PBDEs in Americans are 10 to 100 times higher than levels reported for Europe and Japan.
Production of PBDE products in America is also the highest in the world.
“Finding safer alternatives is important for the public’s health,” Hayes said.
Exposure unknown
The exact way people are exposed to the chemical compounds isn’t fully known. But studies in Canada and the United States suggest 90 percent of a person’s intake is from the food he or she eats. Indoor air and house dust are two other likely pathways of exposure.
“We basically have two problems with PBDEs,” Ecology director Jay Manning said. “They are everywhere, and we are exposed to them on a daily basis. We cannot continue on this course.”
There are three PBDE formulations on the market. Manufacturers of Penta and Octa, the two PBDEs known to be the most harmful, voluntarily ceased production in January.
Deca, the third, accounts for 80 percent of the PBDE market and is continuing to grow. Not known to be harmful in its original state, studies show it can break down into more harmful forms, according to the state agencies’ report.
The two agencies recommend that the Legislature:
- Ban the manufacture, distribution or sale of new products containing Penta or Octa.
- Ban the use of Deca in electronic components, as long as safer fire retardants are available or if additional studies show that Deca harms human health.
- Consider a ban on Deca in products that don’t already contain it, but could in the future, including textiles and mattresses.
- Continue research on PBDE alternatives and monitor the levels of PBDE in the environment.
Environmental groups, which introduced a bill to ban PBDEs in the 2005 state Legislature, but couldn’t get it passed, hailed the state agencies’ plan as a big step forward.
“They’ve condemned all forms of PBDEs and moved closer to our position,” said Laurie Valeriano, policy director of the Washington Toxics Coalition.
She predicted a bill banning PBDE flame retardants stands a much better chance of passage this year. Once again, it will be among the top five issues championed by the environmental community during the session.
This article is republished from The Olympian:
Chemicals target of state ban
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