Flame retardants lingering in humans

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http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2005508260337

Flame retardants lingering in humans

Study finds higher levels of chemical in human breast

milk

BETH CASPER

Statesman Journal

August 26, 2005

Like most people, Wykhuis of Portland carries

PCBs in her body.

An industrial chemical banned in 1977, polychlorinated

biphenyls or PCBs accumulate in fish and other animals

eaten by people.

The toxins persist for decades in the environment, and

most people carry low levels in their bodies.

However, a study of mothers' breast milk, including a

sample from Wykhuis, shows that flame retardants are

starting to surpass levels of PCBs in human fatty

tissue.

" Have we created a new PCB problem for ourselves? "

asked -Derry, the research director for

the Seattle-based Northwest Environment Watch. " We

have dug this hole for ourselves. It's like DDT; we

find out it harms birds, and we pull it off the

market. With PCBs, we find it causes health problems,

and we pull it off the market. We have to learn the

lesson. "

The study was released Thursday by the Northwest

Environment Watch and the Environmental Protection

Agency's Department of Toxic Substances Control.

It showed that 13 of 40 mothers tested had higher

levels of flame retardants than PCBs in their breast

milk.

-Derry said flame retardants might pose

similar health threats to those of PCBs, which have

been linked to developmental delays and cancer.

Studies such as this one have raised concerns about

toxins in everyday products. Flame retardants are used

in electronic products and foam cushions.

State Rep. Vicki Berger, R-Salem, sponsored successful

legislation this past session that banned two types of

flame retardants. A third type, deca, was not included

in the ban, although the state is required to review

deca in the future.

" We banned two of them outright, but the industry was

pretty much there anyway, " she said. " We would have

been the first (state) in the nation had we banned the

third one. The problem is that the science on the

third one is not conclusive. "

Drawson of Albemarle Corp., which manufactures

flame retardants, said industry responded

appropriately when information about some flame

retardants emerged.

He also said the deca type saves lives. One study

showed that 190 lives are saved every year in the

United States from the use of deca in television sets.

" Deca is still in use and is a major flame retardant, "

he said. " It makes a significant contribution to the

reduction of fire. Deca itself has a low risk factor.

It is not a product that we would describe as being

toxic. "

Even so, Wykhuis, 33, said she tries to make better

choices to reduce the dangerous chemicals in her body.

" It's continually just kind of a weird feeling that

you are walking around with all sorts of chemicals in

your body that you didn't intentionally put there, "

she said. " It makes me want better options and choices

on how we can prevent these chemicals from being so

prevalent. "

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