Archived press release

Brain-damage chemicals in plastics

17 August 1998

Research revealed at the conference demonstrates that these chemicals, brominated flame retardants (BFRs):

* Contaminate breast milk. Levels of the BFR polybrominated diphenylether (PBDE)in the breast milk of Swedish women have increased by more than 50 times in the last 25 years.

* Damage brains. Mice which are exposed to PDBE as a foetus show permanent disturbances in behaviour, memory and learning.

* Accumulate in the brain. When pregnant mice are given TBBP-A and other BFRs the chemicals accumulate in the brains of their unborn offspring, passing the protective blood-brain barrier.

* Disrupt thyroid hormones. Several BFRs, including tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBP-A), can disrupt the thyroid system in mice.

* Contaminate the whole environment. BFRs are persistent and bioaccumulative -they don't break down well in the environment, and they accumulate in animals and humans, particularly in their fat. They were recently found to be contaminating the blubber of Sperm Whales living in the remote, deep waters of the Atlantic ocean [2].

BFRs are in widespread use as flame retardants in printed circuit boards, plastic cases and in some textiles. Their persistence in the environment means that it is impossible to avoid exposure to them. A draft EU 'Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment'calls for their use to be banned, but the manufacturers of BFRs are fighting restrictions on the chemicals.

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The Government recently published a consultation paper on the sustainable use of chemicals [3], which Friends of the Earth (FOE) believes is biased towards the chemical industry, with public health relegated to a poor second place. FOE is calling for the Government to protect public health by phasing out BFRs and any other chemicals which persist in our bodies or in the environment.

Dr Michael Warhurst, Toxics Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:

"This disturbing research suggests that common chemicals, which can even contaminate breast milk, could be damaging the development of our children's minds. Breast milk is an important source of nutrition and health for babies,therefore Friends of the Earth advise that mothers should continue to breast feed, however the Government must act urgently to ban such chemicals and reduce this risk.

Even when they are banned they will continue to contaminate our bodies and the environment for many years. The chemical industry knew very well that these chemicals would be persistent, yet cynically carried on using them even though safer alternatives are available. It is time that the industry faced up to its responsibilities and acted to protect human health and the environment."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] The research papers are to be presented at Dioxin'98, a major international conference on environmental pollutants, organised by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, and taking place in Stockholm this week. Their extensive press release, published at 11.00 BST today, "New findings on environmental pollutants"is available at http://www.environ.se/www-eng/dioxin98/diop0817.htm and more information about the conference is available at http://www.environ.se/dioxin98. It is expected that the papers on BFRs will be given on Thursday 20th.

Press contacts: Swedish Environmental Protection Agency: Suzanne Kolare, Tel +46 8 698 16 97, mobile 0708-26 16 97, e-mail suzanne.kolare@environ.se; Stockholm university: Agneta Paulsson, +46-8- 16 22 56,e-mail agneta.paulsson@info.su.se

Background on BFRs in "Swedish research spotlights brominated flame retardant risk" ENDS Report 276,January 1998.

[2] "Do flame retardants threaten ocean life?" Nature vol 394, p28-29, 2nd July 1998.

[3] "Sustainable Production and Use of Chemicals", published by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, July 27th 1998. Open for consultation until October 27th, copies available from DETR: 0870 1226 236, quoting title and reference 98EP0058.

For information on Friends of the Earth's sustainable chemicals campaign, visit our web site.

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