I did a little shopping last week for some household goods, and found out a little later the same day while browsing the news, that a couple of my purchases were potentially toxic. Not something I expected from shower curtain liners.
The curtains I picked up were made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, and are the kind targeted by a study on shower curtains from the Center for Health, Environment & Justice, the Washington Toxics Coalition, citizens’ group People for Puget sound, the Toxic Free Legacy Coalition, and the Work Group for Safe Markets.
That “new shower curtain smell” supposedly goes away after a month or so, and the potentially toxic chemicals that cause them also disappear. Adverse health effects supposedly include:
- Respiratory irritation,
- Central nervous system, liver and kidney damage,
- Nausea,
- Headaches, and;
- Loss of coordination
Inspite of the American Chemistry Council response in a press release, my new shower curtains are still in their bags, and I’m looking around for some organic cotton shower curtains instead.
Makes one wonder about the old “New Car Smell
See also the Washington Toxic Coalitions new report on Toxic Toys.