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GENEVA, Oct 6 (Reuters) - European children are absorbing dangerous chemicals into their blood from computers, textiles, cosmetics and electrical appliances, according to a new study released on Thursday.
The conservation body WWF said results of its first European Union-wide family testing survey found a total of 73 man-made hazardous compounds in the blood of grandmothers, mothers and children from 13 families in 12 countries.
The highest number of chemicals, an average of 63 and including some which are now banned like DDT, was recorded among the oldest generation tested, while the middle generation -- the mothers -- registered only 49.
But tests on the children in the 13 families showed an average of 59 dangerous chemicals -- many of them new products in widespread use like flame retardants, the WWF said.
"It shows that we are all unwittingly the subjects of an uncontrolled global experiment, and its is particularly shocking to discover that toxic chemicals in daily use are contaminating the blood of our children," said WWF specialist Karl Wagner.
"How much more evidence is needed before industry and European politicians accept that these hazardous chemicals cannot be adequately controlled?" he asked.
In the tests, blood samples from the 13 families were analysed for 107 different man-made persistent , accumulative or hormone-disrupting chemicals from five main groups.
The WWF, based at Gland near Geneva, said one flame retardant, used in printed circuit boards in electronic appliances, was found at its highest level in one of the children tested.
Of 31 different flame retardants of another type analysed in the survey, 17 were found among the children tested compared to 10 among the grandmothers and eight among the mothers.
The tests matched conclusions of similar sampling last year from 14 EU environment and health ministers which showed contamination by 55 chemicals, some banned years ago and others in daily use.
The latest survey, WWF said, raises the question of whether future generations will be more exposed to potentially cancer- producing and endocrine-disrupting chemicals that accumulate in human bodies to increasing levels over a life-span.
The latest tests were carried out in Belgium, where two families were involved, and on one family each from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Sweden and Luxemburg.
The full report is available on the WWF website: www.panda.org/detox.
© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.++++++Children often more contaminated than their mothers, new WWFreport showshttp://www.panda.org/campaign/detox/news_publications/news.cfm?uNewsID=23635
6, Oct 2005
Brussels, Belgium/Gland, Switzerland ’ -- Results from WWF's first European-widefamily bloodtesting survey released today found a total of 73 man-made hazardouschemicals in the blood of 13 families (grandmothers, mothers and children) from12 European countries.The highest number of chemicals was detected in the grandmothers' generation(63). However, the younger generation had more chemicals in their blood (59) than their mothers (49), and some chemicals were found at their highest levels in the children.
WWF’Äôs Generations X survey (with participants aged 12 to 92) confirms theresults of previous tests on Members of the European Parliament, EU ministers, scientists, and celebrities."It shows we are all unwittingly the subjects of an uncontrolled global experiment, and it is particularly shocking to discover that toxic chemicals in daily use are contaminating the blood of our children," said Karl Wagner, Director of WWF's DetoX Campaign.Blood samples were analyzed for 107 different man-made persistent, bio-accumulativeand/or hormone disrupting chemicals from five main groups. Results reveal that everyfamily member is contaminated with a cocktail of at least 18 different man-madechemicals, many found in everyday consumer goods.
Newer chemicals in widespread use, such as chemicals and artificial musks contained in daily use items such as computers, textiles, cosmetics or electrical appliances can befound more frequently and often at higher levels in the youngest generation. In contrast, the grandmothers generation is the most contaminated with older, banned chemicals, such as DDT and PCBs."How much more evidence is needed before industry and European politicians accept that these hazardous chemicals cannot be adequately controlled?" added Wagner.
"The draft EU chemicals law, REACH, is currently facing a frontal attack from thechemical industry and European legislators seem happy to let them pull the strings while ignoring their responsibility to protect our health."The flame retardant TBBP-A, used in printed circuit boards in electronic appliances, was found in 18 family members (3 grandmothers, 7 mothers and 8 children). The highest level was found in a child. Of the 31 different PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants analyzed in the survey, 17 were found in the childrens' generation, compared to ten in the grandmothers' and eight in the mothers'. And the highest level of Bisphenol-A, an oestrogenic (hormone mimicking) chemical, used for the manufacture of certain plastic bottles and CDs was found in a child.
WWF warns that these results are very worrying as most of the chemicals found onlybreak down very slowly, persist in the environment and accumulate in our bodies toever increasing levels during the life span. The study raises the question of whetherfuture generations will be more exposed to potentially carcinogenic or endocrinedisrupting chemicals that may lead to negative long term health effects.
NOTES:
-- WWF's Generations X study was done in Belgium (2 families), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Sweden and Luxembourg.
-- WWF looked for 107 different man-made chemicals from 5 main groups and threesubstances: 12 organochlorine pesticides (including DDT); 44 polychlorinatedbiphenyls (PCBs); 33 brominated flame retardants; 8 'non-stick' perfluorinatedchemicals (PFCs), including PFOS and PFOA; 7 artificial musks (used in cosmetics andcleaning products); 2 antimicrobial (triclosan and it's breakdown product, methyl triclosan); and the polycarbonate plastic monomer Bisphenol-A (an endocrine-disrupter). [Emphasis added.]-- This study was done with the support of the EEN (EPHA Environment Network)and Eurocoop (European Community of Consumer Cooperatives).
For further information:Noemi Cano, Communications ManagerWWF DetoX CampaignTel: +32 2 743 8806Olivier van Bogaert, Senior Press OfficerWWF InternationalTel: +41 22 364 9554--
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