Green Science Policy Institute Newsletters

Body burdens of brominated flame retardants and other persistent organo-halogenated compounds and their descriptors in US girls, by Gayle C.Windham et al, published on-line in Environmental Research.
The pdf is attached and a press release follows.

In a paper published on line on May 18, 2011 in Environmental Science & Technology, Heather Stapleton and colleagues found that 80% of baby products tested contained toxic or untested flame retardant chemicals. Foam from 100 changing table pads, nursing pillows, car seats, and other baby products were tested. Here are a few of the findings:

• 36% of the baby products contained the same cancer-causing Tris removed from baby pajamas in 1977
• Levels of Tris were up to 12% of the weight of the foam
• 79% of the products contained toxic or untested flame retardants

Dear all,

There has been excellent press coverage of research from Arnie Schecter and his colleagues finding high levels of a flame retardant in butter.
http://news.discovery.com/human/flame-retardants-butter.html#mkcpgn=rssnws1
Please see the abstract of the research below. Write us if you would like a copy of the entire article.

CHE Alaska call: Health Hazards of Toxic Flame
Retardants in Everyday Products
http://www.healthandenvironment.org/wg_calls/8627
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
10 a.m. Pacific / 1 p.m. Eastern

Two new papers discuss how PBDE congeners can cross blood–placenta and blood–brain barriers, causing subtle changes in some parameters of neurobehavior, changes in circulating thyroid hormone levels, and changes in reproductive endpoints. Some of these effects appear to be irreversible. Please let Rebecca know if you would like a pdf of either of these papers.

1) Kodavanti PRS, Curras-Collazo MC (2010); Neuroendocrine actions of organohalogens: Thyroid hormones, arginine vasopressin, and neuroplasticity, Front. Neuroendocrinol. doi:10.1016/j.yfrne.2010.06.005

Here are a couple current stories on the flame retardants around us:

1. Significant PBDE levels detected in “organic" compost distributed in San Francisco
2. New review of PBDE contamination in birds

1. Dr. Robert Hale has measured an average total of 731 ppb of PBDEs in sewage sludge-derived "organic" compost which the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has distributed to gardeners since 2007.

The report prepared by Dr. Hale can be found here: http://www.sourcewatch.org/images/2/2f/Compost2010_analysis-5.pdf

From an NPR program discussing flame retardants and neurodevelopmental effects.
"the kids with the highest exposure scored on average about five points lower in IQ than the kids with the lower prenatal exposures."

As predicted by dozens of animal studies, PBDE exposure during human development appears to scramble brain development and reduce IQ just as lead exposure does.

Dear all,

I recently met with Paul Anastas who heads EPA's Office of Research and Development and is considered the "Father of Green Chemistry" to suggest research ideas on the impacts of halogenated flame retardants in buildings.

Below are excerpts from two interesting articles from yesterday:
1. A news article about chlorinated tris flame retardants in Ikea furniture from Slate
2. A press release from a UC Berkeley study showing that pentaBDE, used in furniture and baby product foam, may alter human thyroid function which, in pregnant women, may impact birth outcomes.

Arlene

My Ikea Couch Reeks of Chemicals:
Why are flame retardants required in furniture, anyway?
By Florence Williams
http://www.slate.com/id/2255573/pagenum/all/#p2

Here are a couple excerpts form the Slate article:

The Green Science Policy Institute has three project updates to share:

(1) We are conducting a new research study on the association between the TB117 label and the flame retardants present in couches. To find out if there are halogenated flame retardants in your couch, please consider joining our Couch Study. Contact Michelle Gabriel for the criteria to join our study. Your donation of a foam sample from your couch will contribute to our efforts to reduce toxics in our homes and bodies.