A new report by the US-based Centre for Health, Environment and Justice states that new PVC shower curtains may contain toxic chemicals including volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), phthalates and metals. More than 100 of these chemicals were found to be released from the curtains into the air inside homes where they contributed to indoor air pollution. Some VOC’s were still being detected in the air 28 days after one curtain was unwrapped and hung.

According to the report, the level of total VOC’s measured was over 16 times greater than the recommended guidelines for indoor air quality established by the U.S. Green Building Council and Washington State Indoor Air Quality Program. Seven of the chemicals released by the shower curtain are classified as hazardous air pollutants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Air Act.

Some of the chemicals found in the PVC curtains are said to be associated with developmental damage as well as damage to the liver and central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems. The researchers point out that their testing did not replicate temperature and humidity conditions typically found in a shower, which would likely increase the concentrations of VOC’s released from a PVC curtain into bathroom air. Hence, the concentrations of chemicals are likely to be greater during and after a shower than those they reported.

The report recommended that consumers avoid PVC shower curtains and curtains that are not labelled and purchase PVC-free shower curtains instead. In addition, they call for national chemical policies to be reformed to protect families from toxic chemicals and suggest that manufacturers should phase out the production of PVC curtains.

Reference

Centre for Health, Environment and Justice   2008   Volatile Vinyl : The New Shower Curtain’s Chemical Smell   Online, available at : http://www.chej.org/showercurtainreport