News Coverage
Too many products carry chemical danger to children
Published May 31, 2004
LEADING high street stores are still stocking a range of everyday products on their shelves containing chemicals which pose a health risk to millions, according to a new report. Friends of the Earth Scotland (FoE) said more must be done to remove and phase out the risky chemicals as they launched a new UK-wide survey yesterday.
The environmental campaign group canvassed 28 major high street retailers on their policies towards a number of chemicals that are known to accumulate in humans or could affect hormones and which have been linked to health threats such as increases in testicular cancer rates and the apparent earlier onset of puberty in girls.
Unborn babies, infants and children are particularly vulnerable to these chemicals as their bodies are developing so fast, the campaign group said. Products where chemicals of concern may be found include plastic bottles, baby bottles, food cans, electronic equipment, home textiles, clothing, PVC floor tiles, paints, cosmetics and toiletries. The targeted chemicals include brominated flame retardants, which are used in electronic equipment and home textiles, bisphenol, which may be used in plastic baby bottles, and phthalates, which may be used in PVC products. Alkyphenols, used in paints, artificial musks, which are often found in cosmetics, triclosan, which may be used as anti- bacterials and washing-up liquids, were also looked for.
Out of the 28 retailers surveyed Ikea, Body Shop, Marks & Spencer and the Co-op topped the Friends of the Earth's league for replacing dangerous chemicals with safer alternatives. Mothercare, John Lewis, Argos and Waitrose languish at the bottom of the table and Tesco, Asda and Morrisons did not reply to the survey.
Dr Dan Barlow, the head of research at FoE Scotland, said: "Every day unborn babies, infants and toddlers are exposed to risky chemicals in household products. Retailers in Scotland are responsible for the products they sell, and should remove chemicals that have been linked to health threats. Although a number of retailers have started to tackle this important issue, too many stores are still not doing enough to reduce the risks that their products pose."