May 2005 | From the Editor
Dusting ourselves off
By Bob Condor
You wouldn’t think household dust would make much of a story line. Fodder for vacuum cleaner commercials, maybe, but not good stories.
That would only mean you underestimate the watchdog organization Clean Production Action, which recently published an eye-opening study about the toxins found in household dust. The Washington Toxics Coalition (www.watoxics.org), along with the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition (www.toxicfreelegacy.org) in Seattle, participated in the research.
Bottom line: Every one of the 70 household dust samples collected around the country was found to contain each chemical being investigated. Ten of those households were here in the Puget Sound area, including my own home. Earth Day founder and Bullitt Foundation president Denis Hayes supplied his household dust too. Check out www.safer-products.org for a detailed version of the report.
No matter how eco-conscious we might be—and I have gone through my share of natural cleaning products to find the ones that work best for me—the dust samples turned up toxic in all categories. The list includes toxic flame retardants (known as PBDEs) and pesticides, plus the suitably nasty-sounding alkylphenols, phthalates, organotins and perfluorinated compounds.
Clean Production Action contends that many of these toxins are “leaching” from common consumer products and contaminating our homes. It has called for tougher legislation by both federal and state governments. Thanks to activism by local groups, a PBDE bill could well be in front of the legislature in Olympia before year end.
But for now, building awareness, one dust sample at a time, is crucial.
“Our federal chemicals regulation needs a complete overhaul,” says Beverley Thorpe, international director for Clean Production Action (check out www.cleanproduction.org). “Our regulations should promote the use of safe chemicals in products, not justify the ongoing use of known carcinogens and reproductive toxins. The issue should not be defined by what level these chemicals are safe to use. The question should be, Why take chances with our children’s health when safer alternatives are readily available?”
Some good news: Universities are beginning to embrace nontoxic curriculums.
“We owe it to the next generation to get our chemicals management in order,” says Thorpe. “Some universities have set up Green Chemistry departments, which is a start, but it’s not the sole solution. The Bush administration needs to reverse the failure of past chemicals regulation. It can begin by targeting the chemicals we now find in our household dust.”
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