Toxic flame retardant found in U.S. breast milk

[Guest guest]

Tue September 23, 2003 04:34 PM ET

WASHINGTON, Sept 23 (Reuters) -

 

Several American mothers nursing their infants had high levels of

potentially toxic flame retardant chemicals in their breastmilk, a

U.S. environmental group said on Tuesday. While the study by the

Environmental Working Group was small and did not show any health

effects in the babies, the group said it showed just how widespread

the chemicals are.

 

The chemicals are bromine-based fire retardants and are used in a

wide range of products including furniture, computers, television

sets, automobiles, copy machines and hair dryers to make them less

likely to catch fire. They can build up in the body over years.

 

" Brominated fire retardants impair attention, learning, memory, and

behavior in laboratory animals at surprisingly low levels, " the EWG

report reads.

 

" The most sensitive time for toxic effects is during periods of rapid

brain development. "

 

The EWG, a non-profit group that has publicized the presence of many

different chemicals in products and the environment, tested the

breast milk of 20 first-time mothers across the country, including

Washington, D.C., Evergreen, Colorado, and Los Angeles.

 

" The average level of bromine-based fire retardants in the milk of 20

first-time mothers was 75 times the average found in recent European

studies, " the report reads.

 

" Milk from two study participants contained the highest levels of

fire retardants ever reported in the United States, and milk from

several of the mothers in EWG's study had among the highest levels of

these chemicals yet detected worldwide.

 

" These results confirm recently published findings from University of

Texas researchers, as well as other U.S. studies, that American

babies are exposed to far higher amounts of fire retardants than

babies in Europe, where some of these chemicals have already been

banned, " the EWG said.

 

" In the United States, only California and Maine have acted to

restrict the use of these chemicals. "

 

The group stressed that women should not stop breastfeeding. No study

links intake of the chemicals from breastmilk with any problems in

children.

 

Any health effects probably take place while the children are still

in the womb, the group said.

 

Albemarle Corp. ALB.N of Richmond, Virginia, one of the companies

that makes the flame-retardant chemicals, said it was working to find

out if the chemicals are dangerous.

 

" As an industry group and as a company we are working with just about

any and every scientific group that is doing long-term studies on the

safety of these products, " spokesman Michael Whitlow said.

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