Publication - October 1, 2003
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Executive summary: Executive Summary
In early 2003, Greenpeace exposed the
presence of persistent, bioaccumulative
chemical pollutants in samples of house dust
taken from homes across the UK. Research
published by Greenpeace in October 2003
reveals that these same chemicals can be
found in many consumer products readily
available on every high street.
This re p o rt completes the loop of chemical
e x p o s u re by illustrating two disturbing developments.
Firstly, that many of the same
chemicals used routinely in consumer
p roducts and present in house dust, are also
p resent in the human body, including in
p renatal and newborn children. Secondly, that
these chemicals are likely to be having a detrimental
effect on the health of children and
the human population at large. Significantly,
the re p o rt also draws together the available
evidence that illustrates how and why
p renatal and newly born children are part i c ularly
at risk from chemical pollutants.
The evidence presented here, from academics,
governments and well-respected international
institutions such as the World Health
Organisation (WHO), is not easily dismissed,
contributing as it does to a growing bank of
international research that reinforces the
conclusion of this report – that current
chemical legislation is failing to protect
children from a harmful chemical assault that
begins from a child’s conception.
The study focuses on seven key chemicals:
alkylphenols (nonyl and octylphenol), bisphenol
A, brominated flame retardants, organotins,
phthalates, chlorinated paraffins and
artificial musks. The report uses available
research to demonstrate:
• the presence of these substances in
children (and the human population at
large)
• the ways in which children are
particularly exposed to these substances
• how this increased exposure increases the
potential for detrimental health impacts
• the different illnesses and diseases that are
now being linked to this chemical
exposure
• the specific health impacts of the key
chemicals listed above.
Studies have shown that alkylphenols,
found in a range of products such as leather
and textile finishers and in some deterg e n t s ,
contaminate children before and after birt h .
Nonylphenol has been detected in umbilical
c o rds, confirming that this horm o n e -
d i s rupting substance is able to cross the
placenta. Pre l i m i n a ry studies show that
nonylphenol may disrupt the human
immune system by adversely eff e c t i n g
g roups of white blood cells.
Likewise, bisphenol A, which is used
commonly in electrical products and as
laminate coatings for the inside of food tins
and bottle tops has been shown to cross the
placenta and has been identified in a wide
variety of human blood and tissue samples,
including foetal tissue. Numerous studies
have demonstrated the ability of bisphenol A
to alter male reproductive organs and affect
behaviour in animals at doses only a little
above the amount that human infants have
been shown to ingest the chemical.
One group of brominated flame retardants
(BFRs) has now been banned in Europe, but
others are still in use and many older
7 Chemical Legacy. Contamination of the Child
products contain the restricted substances.
BFRs have been found in human blood, liver
and adipose tissue, and in breast milk.
Studies have shown that where BFRs are
found at high levels in foetal blood, levels
tend to be high in the mother’s milk and
blood. This indicates that maternal levels of
BFRs are useful in predicting potential foetal
exposure. Some BFRs have been proven to
disrupt the genetic processes in cells, which
in turn is known to provoke a number of
diseases, including cancer.
Research has led to similar findings for
organotin compounds, chlorinated paraffins
and artificial musk compounds. That
research is also described in this report.
Research is now beginning to illustrate that
the exposure of prenatal and newborn
children to these chemicals is likely to be
more significant than the exposure of adults
in the same environment. Recent studies have
uncovered differences between children and
adults in their patterns of absorption, metabolism
and excretion of environmental chemicals.
Children may absorb chemicals more
efficiently, process them more slowly and
eliminate them less efficiently than adults.
The final part of this report focuses on the
kinds of non-infectious disease, such as
cancer, allergies, nervous system disorders,
and developmental and reproductive disorders,
that are on the rise around the world. A
growing body of evidence is pointing to environmental
factors as contributors to these
problems. Many of the chemicals that have
been found in the human body have been
shown to be harmful to human and animal
health, and we now know that it is children
that are particularly at risk. Many of these
illnesses can stem from childhood, and many
are suspected of being caused by damage to
the developing child. This report uses the
available research to illustrate the ways in
which chemicals are able to damage the
immune and nervous systems, interfere with
hormonal activity, promote cancer and lead
to other detrimental health effects.
Num. pages: 54