Sarah (Steve) Mosko, Ph.D.

Earth Resource Foundation

Health Effects of Health Effects of Petroleum-Based Petroleum-Based

Plastics Plastics

04/18/23

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1973 1979 1985 1991 1997 2003

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Production

Recovery

Annual US Plastic Resin Production & Recovery

Low melting point, 210 - 480 °F SooooooSoooooo many different types

Why isn’t plastics recycling simple?

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Common plastics additives

• Antimicrobials• Antioxidants• Antistatic agents• Blowing agents• Catalysts/curing agents• Colorants• Fillers• Free-radical initiators

• Impact Modifiers• Lubricants/mold releasers• Reinforcers• Heat stabilizers• Ultraviolet stabilizers• Plasticizers• Flame retardants

(www.Mindfully.org; Stringer et al, 2001)

Since they’re just “mixed in” they can migrate out!

Plastic Resins

V or PVC - Polyvinyl chloride

PS - Polystyrene

Others - Polycarbonates

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#3 PVC around the house#3 PVC around the house

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PVC Medical Devices with DEHP

flexible bags

flexible tubing

vinyl gloves

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Pre-natal phthalate exposure in rats causes demasculinization of male reproductive tract

(J Otby, 2000/EPA; LE Gray, Jr., 1999)

Seminal VesiclesSeminal Vesicles

EpididymisEpididymis

Control DEHPControl DEHP

Control DBPControl DBP

TestesTestes

Control DEHPControl DEHP

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Can phthalates subtly alter boys?

(Swan et al., 2005)

Boys with the highest exposure to multiple phthalates were 90 times as likely to have a short anogential distance as boys with the least exposure.

Short anogenital distance was linked to… smaller penis volume undescended testes indistinct scrotum

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Estimated daily phthalate exposure levels in mothers whose sons had

short anogenital distances were 100 times lower than EPA’s current safety

threshold level for phthalates.

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Bisphenol-A:Bisphenol-A: …in #7 polycarbonate plastics

…estrogenic

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Bisphenol-A from drinking water

bottles produced aneuploidy.

Exposure levels as low as 20 ng/g body wt

(ppb) for one week produced aneuploidy.

(Hunt et al., 2003)

Congression failure in oocyte meiosis from Bisphenol-A

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BPA and Miscarriage:BPA and Miscarriage:

Recurrent miscarriage -Blood BPA levels were 3x’s higher in women with 3+ consecutive miscarriages.

Of those who became pregnant again, ½ miscarried again –¼ of those fetuses had the wrong chromosome number.

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Bisphenol-A was present in all blood

samples. Exposure was at levels

causing reproductive toxicity (prostate

enlargement) in mice.

Bisphenol-A concentrations in human fluids

(Schonfelder et al., 2002)

Bisphenol-A concentrations in pregnant women and fetuses

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#6 Polystyrene safety concerns…

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Brominated Flame RetardantsBrominated Flame Retardants

Consumer ProductsComputers

PrintersHair dryers

ToastersCoffee makersFoam furniture

(PS, up to 15% by wt.)

PBDEsNeurodevelopmental

toxins (e.g. learning & memory) EDCs (sex & thyroid)

Breast milk

(Environmental Working Group, 2003, 2005, 2004)

House Dust

Umbilical Cord BloodRecord

levels

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Levels of fire retardants rose 60-fold in Swedish breast milk from 1972 to 1997

(MeironytŽ & Bergman, 1999)

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(Schecter at al, 2003)PBDEs in U.S. Breast Milk Samples(per gram lipid)

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Government Accountability Office report:

1. Of 80,000 chemicals in use, health data available on only 15%.2. EPA has sought info on dangers of only 200 chemicals.3. Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 doesn’t protect public e.g. no substance has been banned since 1989 (asbestos ban was later overturned in 1991 for lack of proof).

“EPA Is Faulted as Failing to Shield Public from Toxins” LA Times 7-13-05

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70-100,00070-100,000 man-made chemicals introduced into human society since WII: 1. A chemical or product is widely introduced with little or no testing. 2. Health effects are reported in a subsection of the population. 3. Testing is undertaken to discover what chemicals and mechanisms cause

the effects (at taxpayers’ expense).4. An exposure limit level is devised to protect the population from these

health effects.

Introduce then test policy

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Precautionary Principle

When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established

scientifically. The proponent of an activity, rather than the public, should bear the burden of proof.

Declaration of the Rio Conference on Environment and Development, 1992

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Precautionary Principle

The Precautionary Principle seeks to prevent harm before it happens.

It shifts the current approach toward decision-makingfrom "risk assessment" - asks "how much harm is allowable?"

to "alternatives analysis” - asks "how little damage is possible?"

For example, instead of asking “how much arsenic in arsenic-treated wood is allowable in children's playground equipment?” look instead for alternatives

to arsenic-treated wood.

San Francisco Adopts the Precautionary Principle 2003

The City adopted the Precautionary Principle as its policy frameworkto develop laws for a healthier and more just San Francisco.

Every San Franciscan has a right to a safe and healthy environment.

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EU R.E.A.C.H. System(Registration, Evaluation & Authorization of Chemicals, 2001)

“Precautionary Principle”1. Shifts responsibility to industry

for testing and risk assessment.

2. Places stringent controls on dangerous substances

(carcinogens, reproductive toxins, chemicals that are persistent or bio-accumulate).

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CREDO Cluster(Cluster of Research into Endocrine

Disruption in Europe)

Links together >60 research laboratories in Europe to understand the causes of escalating reproductive disorders in humans and in wildlife and to examine the impact of mixtures/low dose exposure to EDCs.

(www.credocluster,info)

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1996 US Congress mandated testing of all 1996 US Congress mandated testing of all synthetic chemicals for endocrine disruptionsynthetic chemicals for endocrine disruption

EDSTAC (Endocrine Disruption Screening and Testing Advisory Committee) recommended a 14-assay protocol in

1998

As of 2005, none of the assays have been approved

EPA’s lack of funding and staff is cited

US efforts to test for endocrine disrupting chemicals has stalled

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EU leaves US in the dust

R.E.A.C.H. Directive

CREDO Cluster

Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976

EDSTAC

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US corporations phasing out PVC

MicrosoftHewlett-PackardWal-MartJohnson & JohnsonCatholic Healthcare WestAvedaBath and Body WorksCrabtree & EvelynThe Body ShopVictorias’s SecretNikeAdidas

(Center for Health, Environment & Justice 12/07/05)

Firestone Building ProductsKaiser PermanenteShaw CarpetGerberSamsungSC JohnsonToyotaVolvoHondaVolkswagenLego System

Wooden computing from EcoGeek

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