Secret of Health

Toxic chemicals must be removed from schools and child care centres

Toxic chemicals must be removed from schools and child care centres
American Public Health Association - 04/11/2011American Public Health Association calls for a Phase of vinyl plastic toxic in schools, child care centres and hospitals

(Washington, DC) More than 13,000 professionals of public health across the country gathered in Washington, DC this week to the American Public Health Association (APHA) annual public meeting when a major political resolution, reducing PVC in facilities with vulnerable Populations was adopted. The political resolution, "urges Governments, the States and federal and decision makers to consider gradually the use and purchase of flexible PVC in building materials, products of consumption and suppliers of Office in the schools, centres, child care, medical care facilities, nursing homes, social housing, of facilities for special needs and disabled and other facilities with the vulnerable when there are cost-effective alternatives.".

"This resolution by one of the largest association of professionals of health in the United States a significant new voice call for Government to take measures to reduce the risks posed by flexible PVC products, said Stephen Lester, Director scientific of the Centre for health, environment & Justice." APHA has now formally recognized the dangers that represent the PVC and phthalates to the health of children in schools and day care centres. »

PVC is a plastic found commonly in materials such as floors, carpets and roofing, product who buy schools, hospitals and other institutions, such as computers, cell phones, backpacks, lunchboxes, 3-ring binders, IV bags and other medical devices. Chemicals such as phthalates, which are added to make PVC soft and flexible, are released from these products in PVC and preventable public health risks.

This comes at a time when a growing chorus of large companies and health institutions support the efforts to reduce the use of PVC. Corporations like Wal-Mart, Target, Apple and Google have announced policies to reduce or gradually PVC in products and packaging. A few weeks, the largest purchasers of health care in America, with a purchasing power of $ 130 billion, announced that they will ask the suppliers or their products contain phthalates and toxic plastic PVC. The U.S. Green Building Council LEED program offers incentives to avoid creating materials such as PVC release toxic persistent bioaccumulative (TBP) and contain phthalates.

A 2011 than PVC is the most widely used hazardous plastic in the world. Congress passed a law banning phthalates in PVC toys for children, but they are very common in other PVC products in schools, hospitals and other institutions with vulnerable populations. Because of phthalates environmental health risks, the EPA has recently developed a "chemical action plan" for phthalates, 90% are in PVC products.

The policy was adopted by APHA in light of the dangers generalized flexible PVC poses to children from other vulnerable populations by the release of chemical substances dangerous phthalates, dioxins and vinyl chloride. APHA policy statement:

• Urges Government to educate the administrators, staff, employees, parents and caregivers on the risks of PVC and safer alternatives in schools, centres of child care, medical care facilities and other facilities with vulnerable populations.
• Urges the State and the Federal Government to consider requiring PVC used in labelling products and consider the requiring manufacturers of products in PVC products for schools, centres of child care, medical care facilities and other facilities with vulnerable populations to warn purchasers of the amount of PVC and additives used in individual products specific chemical name.

Urges the Federal and State to consider providing financial incentives for schools, centres of child care, medical care facilities and other facilities with vulnerable populations for the development, purchase and use of safer alternatives to PVC. Urges Governments, the Federal and States and decision-makers to consider gradually the use and purchase of PVC flexible in construction materials, consumer products and suppliers of Office in schools, daycare centres, medical care facilities and other facilities with vulnerable populations when there are cost-effective alternatives. Urges State and federal Governments, through experience, to examine the policies that mitigate the economic impacts in the short term on the population active PVC production and also consider economic benefits for workers in safer alternatives manufacturing industries. Urges the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and other agencies federal research the link between asthma and other impacts on health and exposure to phthalates and other additives in PVC products released. The American public health Association is the oldest and the most diverse public health professionals organization in the world. There are more than 22,000 members APHA. The Association seeks to protect all Americans and their communities from preventable, serious health threats and strives to ensure the health community diseases and promotion of prevention activities and preventive health services are universally accessible in the United States.

SOURCE: Centre for health, environment & Justice (CHEJ)