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Hormone chemicals in our tap water. pipe treatments leach chemicals
14 July 1999
Products tested included epoxy treatments for old water mains. These leached chemicals for around a week after treatment, raising concerns that “short term exposures for some customers at the end of long lengths of 'dead end main' may be high”. Other products leaching chemicals included a cement coating for water tanks and epoxy coatings for water valves and ladders.
Hormone chemicals released included alkylphenols, phthalates and BADGE - and some unidentifiable chemicals. The report does not name the brands of any products. In addition,many companies whose products were investigated didn't reply to letters asking them whether their products contained hormone chemicals. None of the chemicals concerned is listed on the ingredients lists of the product.
Dr Michael Warhurst, Toxics Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:
“This report reveals yet another way in which we are exposed to hormone chemicals. And yet again regulation has failed to protect us. We need a proper regulatory system, banning hormone disrupting chemicals and forcing industry to tell us what's in their products. Sub-standard materials used for lining water pipes must be banned.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
More information about Friends of the Earth's Safe Chemicals Campaign is available from:
/camps/indpoll/suschem.htm
If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.
Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jul 2008
