Mike Schade, PVC campaign coordinator of the center, warned in a statement, "The familiar 'new curtain smell' may be toxic to your health... It's really surprising that retailers are manufacturing products that contain and release harmful chemicals in our homes."
The CHEJ called on the government to recall and prohibit the sale of all kinds of polyvinyl chloride shower curtains and liners. Its warning was based on tests done on five house brand curtains and liners sold at Wal-Mart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, K-Mart and Sears. The brands all tested positive for metal and the controversial chemical phthalates, which makes plastics soft. A particular Wal-Mart brand released high levels of volatile organic compounds for three days after it was opened.
Spokespersons for Sears and K-Mart did not return media calls, while the Wal-Mart spokeswoman had not issued any comment so far. The two other retailers, Bed Bath and Beyond and Target, pointed out they also sold PVC-free shower curtains as it reduces curtains and liners with PVC content on its inventory.
Websites of the five retailers carry comments from consumers complaining that plastic shower curtains and liners caused headaches and nausea after being removed from their packaging.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission, through spokeswoman Julie Vallese, sided with the shower curtain vendors. In a statement, Vallese said, "There's no justification whatsoever for the agency to take any kind of action... The claims being made about the dangers of shower curtains are phantasmagorical. It's ridiculous."
