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Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder which manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests, and patterns of behavior. Although the specific etiology of autism is unknown, many researchers suspect that autism results from genetically mediated vulnerabilities to environmental triggers.
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All 35 tested have household toxins
Effects of chemicals in body unclear
November 9, 2007
BY TINA LAM
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
A project to test 35 people in seven states, including five Michiganders, for industrial chemicals common in household products found all had the toxins in their bodies -- though none at levels posing immediate health concerns.
Still, the chemicals shouldn't be in humans, but most people don't know they're being exposed, said Dr. Ted Schettler of Ann Arbor, physician for the study.
The chemicals are found in tens of thousands of consumer products including wallpaper, furniture, carpet, linings of tin cans, plastic water bottles, shampoos, lotions, baby bottles, nail polish, perfume and toys.
A Michigan legislator and a New York woman who grew up in Michigan had high levels of PBB, or polybrominated biphenyl, which Schettler said likely came from cattle feed that was accidentally contaminated with PBB in 1973.
"The point is not the levels, but the fact that these things get into all our bodies," said Genevieve Howe of the Michigan Network for Children's Environmental Health, which helped with the study. "They are not being regulated."
Exposure to certain amounts of these chemicals is linked in animal and some human studies to birth defects, problems with brain development, cancers, reproductive problems, liver damage and other conditions.
Some of the tests show other effects at lower levels of exposure for some of the chemicals. But the scientists agree that more is unknown than known about their effects.
For example, exposure to PBB occurred 30 years ago and the two Michiganders with measurable levels aren't sick.
The three classes of chemicals studied are phthalates, used in flexible plastics; bisphenol A, found in food can linings and plastic bottles, and flame retardants, or PBDEs.
Those tested in Michigan were state Rep. Terry Brown, 48, a Democrat from Pigeon, and his son Bryan, 12; Donele Wilkins, 48, and her son Payton, 18, of Detroit, and 46-year-old Free Press Twist magazine editor Laura Varon Brown of Bloomfield Hills. Wilkins is director of Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice.
The 30 other people were tested in Alaska, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York.
Rep. Brown said that because he lives in a rural area, he figured his family was relatively safe from chemical exposure. "This shows how ubiquitous toxins are," he said. "It's scary."
Brown and his son were the only people among those tested who showed levels of one flame retardant often found in furniture and electronics. They still haven't been able to figure out what their source of exposure might be.
Brown said companies should use safer alternative chemicals when they're available, and more testing should be required.
The chemicals are legal and registered under the Toxic Substances Control Act. But the act has not been updated since it was passed in 1976 and companies are not required to do testing to see if products are safe for humans before marketing them.
What is needed are safer alternatives, more labeling and more required testing before manufacturers put the chemicals in household products, Howe said.
A bill to ban deca-BDE, a widely used flame retardant, is awaiting a hearing in the Michigan House. The chemical industry voluntarily ended production of two other flame retardants, penta-BDE and octa-BDE, in 2004 after they were found in breast milk., but another deca form is still used in furniture, mattresses and consumer electronics.
Contact TINA LAM at 313-222-6421 or tlam@freepress. com.
Copyright 2007 the Detroit Free Press. All rights reserved.
.
All 35 tested have household toxins
Effects of chemicals in body unclear
November 9, 2007
BY TINA LAM
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
A project to test 35 people in seven states, including five Michiganders, for industrial chemicals common in household products found all had the toxins in their bodies -- though none at levels posing immediate health concerns.
Still, the chemicals shouldn't be in humans, but most people don't know they're being exposed, said Dr. Ted Schettler of Ann Arbor, physician for the study.
The chemicals are found in tens of thousands of consumer products including wallpaper, furniture, carpet, linings of tin cans, plastic water bottles, shampoos, lotions, baby bottles, nail polish, perfume and toys.
A Michigan legislator and a New York woman who grew up in Michigan had high levels of PBB, or polybrominated biphenyl, which Schettler said likely came from cattle feed that was accidentally contaminated with PBB in 1973.
"The point is not the levels, but the fact that these things get into all our bodies," said Genevieve Howe of the Michigan Network for Children's Environmental Health, which helped with the study. "They are not being regulated."
Exposure to certain amounts of these chemicals is linked in animal and some human studies to birth defects, problems with brain development, cancers, reproductive problems, liver damage and other conditions.
Some of the tests show other effects at lower levels of exposure for some of the chemicals. But the scientists agree that more is unknown than known about their effects.
For example, exposure to PBB occurred 30 years ago and the two Michiganders with measurable levels aren't sick.
The three classes of chemicals studied are phthalates, used in flexible plastics; bisphenol A, found in food can linings and plastic bottles, and flame retardants, or PBDEs.
Those tested in Michigan were state Rep. Terry Brown, 48, a Democrat from Pigeon, and his son Bryan, 12; Donele Wilkins, 48, and her son Payton, 18, of Detroit, and 46-year-old Free Press Twist magazine editor Laura Varon Brown of Bloomfield Hills. Wilkins is director of Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice.
The 30 other people were tested in Alaska, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York.
Rep. Brown said that because he lives in a rural area, he figured his family was relatively safe from chemical exposure. "This shows how ubiquitous toxins are," he said. "It's scary."
Brown and his son were the only people among those tested who showed levels of one flame retardant often found in furniture and electronics. They still haven't been able to figure out what their source of exposure might be.
Brown said companies should use safer alternative chemicals when they're available, and more testing should be required.
The chemicals are legal and registered under the Toxic Substances Control Act. But the act has not been updated since it was passed in 1976 and companies are not required to do testing to see if products are safe for humans before marketing them.
What is needed are safer alternatives, more labeling and more required testing before manufacturers put the chemicals in household products, Howe said.
A bill to ban deca-BDE, a widely used flame retardant, is awaiting a hearing in the Michigan House. The chemical industry voluntarily ended production of two other flame retardants, penta-BDE and octa-BDE, in 2004 after they were found in breast milk., but another deca form is still used in furniture, mattresses and consumer electronics.
Contact TINA LAM at 313-222-6421 or tlam@freepress. com.
Copyright 2007 the Detroit Free Press. All rights reserved.
.
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