Mon 20 October 2003

UNITED KINGDOM/London

Tests by independent scientists have revealed that toxic 'gender bending' chemicals are found in everyday children's products like Disney pyjamas. These chemicals can damage the developing foetus and young children; they should not be found in products you put your kids into every night.

Five pairs of Disney pyjamas and one "Bob the Builder" set were found to contain chemicals thought to interfere with human DNA and affect sperm production in mammals. All garments were found also to contain toxic chemicals that are banned from teething toys under emergency EU legislation because they can cause liver, kidney and testicular damage. The highest levels of these chemicals were found in Disney "Tigger" pyjamas.

Tests on a wide range of consumer products revealed toxic chemicals in a variety of products such as baby bottles, perfumes and cleaning products.

The findings come a week before the European Commission will present new legislation to Parliament that aims to bring greater protection to consumers from the uncontrolled use of chemicals. Heavy lobby pressure from the chemical industry has significantly weakened the legislation already, resulting in loopholes that mean the kind of chemicals found in the study - may be unaffected by the new rules.

To find out more about these chemicals, their effects on the body and where in the home you can find them check out the chemical home website. If you are from the UK you can DO something about these chemicals here or everyone can directly lobby the European Commissioners to demand strong legislation before Oct 28.

Our campaigner Mark Strutt said, "On behalf of every parent, we are pushing for a new law on chemicals will make sure that hazardous chemicals that get into children's bodies are phased out and replaced with safer substitutes".

He added, "Replacing these chemicals with safer alternatives will benefit everybody. It's time for the chemical industry to stop polluting children's bodies."

Industry claims that protecting our health and the environment is too expensive and has been using scare tactics over costs and jobs to argue against these new rules. However an independent assessment published recently shows that cleaning up will cost only E2.3 billion or 0.05 percent of the European chemicals industries' annual turnover. On the other hand a recent study estimates benefits of the new legislation at up to E283 billion.

"The costs are peanuts for the chemicals sector," says John Hontelez, of the European Environmental Bureau. "As well as confirming our own estimates, the impact assessment highlights the irresponsibility of those industry representatives and politicians who have tried to kill the reform in recent weeks and months."

The new legislation must mandate that toxic chemicals not be approved where safer alternatives exist. This would help ensure that products in our homes do not contain hidden poisons that end up in our bodies. If the EU acts now and implements strong laws, other areas of the world will follow. If not, a dangerous global experiment on you and me will remain unchecked.