PBDE levels are on the rise in your blood stream

From Green Guide

For the past 30 years, flame retardants have been collecting in the bodies of humans and have been shown to cause learning deficits and reproductive problems in animals.

PBDE levels are on the rise in Americans and are now comparable to those levels linked to lower sperm counts and damaged ovaries in animal tests. PBDE's, widely used in polyurethane furniture foam and plastic TV and computer monitors, readily migrate into the environment.

In some cases, blood levels of PBDEs in Americans have surpassed the levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are known to harm the developing brain and nervous system in humans and have been banned in the U.S. since 1978. In animal studies, PBDEs have produced effects similar to the effects of PCBs and the two chemicals are similar in structure as well. Because PBDEs... also cross the placenta, some scientists fear that, as has happened with PCBs, maternal levels of PBDEs may result in children's delayed development, including learning and behavioral problems.

Food is the primary source of high PBDE levels in the human body, with farmed fish possessing the highest levels of PBDEs, on average, of all animal food groups tested. PBDEs are also entering our bodies through the air in our homes. Children's PBDE levels, in particular, may receive occasional spikes from dust encountered while playing on the floor.

What to do:

Eat less farmed fish (no more than once per month), especially European and U.S. salmon, which have been shown to have high levels of PBDE. Choose wild Alaskan, fresh or canned salmon instead.

Shop for PBDE-free computers and electronics, or better yet go without them. Several manufacturers have eliminated PBDEs in their consumer products including: Apple, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, Hewlett Packard, Hitachi, IBM, Intel, Matsushita/Panasonic (removing all brominated flame retardants from products by March 31, 2006), Motorola, NEC, Philips Semiconductors, Sony and Toshiba.

Clean floors with a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner that traps fine particles of dust, soot and pollen, and wet mop regularly. It's also important to keep your home well-ventilated. This will help reduce concentrations of other forms of indoor air pollution.

Cover and seal rips in upholstery that expose polyurethane foam, especially if the foam is loose and crumbling, a condition that may encourage the release of PBDEs into house dust and air.

Contact your mattress manufacturer to see whether your mattress contains PBDEs. If it does, but you aren't ready to replace your mattress, consider purchasing a tightly woven, allergen-barrier mattress casing to reduce PBDEs leaching into your air and a HEPA air filter to capture any that do.

If you buy a new air conditioner, choose one with a HEPA filter and clean it regularly to remove dust.

Eat a heart-healthy diet. In addition to helping prevent cardiovascular disease, a diet low in animal fats will also help reduce your exposure to bioaccumulating chemicals like PBDE.

To read the executive summary of the report, Learning Hazards: Toxic Fire Retardants and How to Avoid them in Consumer Products and Food, go to www.thegreenguide.com.