|
Dioxin
Hazards : Dioxin exposure is associated with a highly increased risk of cancer, even in children. Other health risks include birth defects, learning disabilities, endometriosis, infertility, suppressed immune function, reduced IQ, and hyperactive behaviour in children.
Because dioxin is fat-soluble it accumulates in animals and humans. According to the European Commission, current general population exposure to dioxin and dioxin-like compounds is still above the levels recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO).
Source : Dioxin is a highly toxic and persistent family of chemicals, infamous for their association with Agent Orange, and a byproduct of medical waste incineration and PVC plastic production.
The European Dioxin Directory estimated that medical and municipal waste incinerators are one of the major sources of dioxin pollution outside the industrial sector.
The reason why medical waste incineration produces such large quantities of dioxin is that a large proportion of medical waste is made up from disposable PVC products.
Other major sources of dioxin pollution include paper and pulp mills, municipal incinerators, cement kilns, and the manufacturing of some chlorinated pesticides.
HCWH is working towards eliminating the health care sector's contribution to dioxin pollution by helping hospitals substitute PVC for alternatives, minimise their total waste production, and reuse medical equipment where possible, recycling that which has to be disposed of.
To learn more about the problems of incineration, and non-incineration treatment options for the disposal of medical waste, see the Medical Waste section of this site.
Phthalates/DEHP
At home, at work, and in hospitals, people are repeatedly exposed to phthalates - a family of industrial chemicals that are used as softeners in PVC plastic.
Hazards: DEHP, the most widely used phthalate in healthcare, is classified by the EU as reproductive toxicant. Animal studies have connected exposure to phthalates with damage to the liver, kidneys, lungs and reproductive system - particularly the developing testes.
Exposure: Medical devices made of flexible PVC, such as IV bags and tubing, contain and leach the phthalate DEHP.
Government agencies from a number of different countries have concluded that some patients are likely to be exposed to potentially unsafe amounts of DEHP while receiving medical care.
In particular, infants and toddlers, pregnant and lactating women and heamodialysis patients are at increased risk of DEHP reproductive toxicity, the reason why the European Union has restricted DEHP use in cosmetics and children’s toys.
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health showed that babies in neonatal intensive care units have high exposure levels to this reproductive toxicant.
Outside the health care setting, people are exposed to additional amounts of DEHP and other phthalates from a variety of sources, including beauty products, PVC toys, vinyl shower curtains, car seats, wallpaper and many other consumer products.
HCWH is working with health care providers and manufacturers to identify products that contain DEHP and replace them with safer, affordable alternatives.
---
<< Go back to read about the issues with PVC/DEHP <<
- or -
>> Read about the alternatives to PVC products >>
|
