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New Study Raises Concerns About PVC Additive
Commonly Found in Vinyl Building Products

"Phthalate" Softener May Interfere With Male Reproductive Tract Development

A study released by a world-wide coalition of health care professionals found that certain chemicals linked to birth defects in animals are present in high levels in a number of consumer products, including vinyl building products such as vinyl flooring, roofing film, wall coverings, and cables.

In animal tests considered to be relevant to humans, the chemical additive phthalates have been found to interfere with male reproductive tract development and are toxic to important cells in the testes that produce sperm and hormones. Ninety per cent of all phthalates are used to soften polyvinyl chloride plastic, known as PVC or vinyl. Phthalates were found in a wide variety of vinyl products including building materials, and medical equipment, and also in cosmetics and personal hygiene products where they are used to make application easier.

The report, issued by Health Care Without Harm, warns that the regulatory limits set on phthalate exposure only takes into account individual exposures to products, as opposed to the cumulative effects of multiple exposures via multiple products. A 2000 CDC report found that the highest exposures to phthalates occur in women of childbearing age, a population most vulnerable to potential risks from phthalate exposure to an unborn child.

"This is another black eye for PVC. The vinyl industry has defended its use of phthalates by saying exposures from any given product are minimal. This documentation of widespread exposures at potentially harmful levels invalidates that logic," said Bill Walsh, project director, Healthy Building Network. "It is irresponsible to increase phthalate exposures from vinyl in the built environment, particularly when other materials, including other plastics, are phthalate-free and work just as well."

The Healthy Building Network is a national network of environmental and health activists, socially responsible investment advocates, green building professionals, and others who are interested in promoting healthier building materials as a means of improving public health and preserving the global environment.

For more information, or for a copy of the report, please see www.healthybuilding.net.

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