(Beyond Pesticides, December 13, 2021) If you plan to give socks, sweatshirts or other clothing as holiday gifts, you need to be aware that many of these items are treated with toxic chemicals. Such processed items may be labeled "odorless" and may contain nanosilver, triclosan (prohibited to be used in soap, but allowed in textiles and household products) or other hidden behind the brand name (undisclosed ) Chemicals, such as Microban® or FreshIQ. Since it is not always possible to determine which chemicals may be used in these textiles, the best option is to buy organic clothing or locally made clothing. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) exempts processed items from registration requirements under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Although these chemicals may themselves be registered antimicrobial pesticides, the products in which they are found — and the public exposure to them — are not considered pesticides. In addition to clothes treated with antibacterial agents to control odors, the EPA also allows seeds, wood, paint, cutting boards, sponges, mops, and even toothbrushes to be treated with antibacterial pesticides under the exemption-as long as the declaration for the treatment only concerns Protect the processed items. For example, socks manufacturers may claim that the treated socks do not smell, but they may not claim that they can protect the wearer from athlete's foot.

Not treating treated items as pesticides can have serious effects. Manufacturers do not need to disclose the actual chemicals that consumers are exposed to. Studies have found that when nano-silver is immersed in sportswear and other textiles, it will not only be washed off in the washing machine, but also penetrate human sweat and be absorbed by the skin. The size of nanosilver means that it can easily enter the human blood and lymphatic system, and circulate through sensitive areas such as the brain, liver, and heart. Triclosan is associated with a range of health and environmental impacts, from skin irritation, susceptibility to allergies, bacterial and compound antibiotic resistance, dioxin pollution to the destruction of fragile aquatic ecosystems.

EPA does not assess the effects of exposure to these fabrics. It does not apply the risk-return criteria of FIFRA to these purposes. It just treats them as outside the scope of pesticide regulations.

Tell EPA to supervise insecticide-treated items as insecticides, inspect alternatives and require labeling. 

Letter to EPA (Pesticide Program Office and Administrator Regan)

Please cancel the registration exemption for pesticide treatment items (PR-2000-1). The processed items pose uncontrollable threats to human health and the environment. EPA did not decide to allow such use based on FIFRA's risk-benefit standards, but instead applied arbitrary standards based on the advertising statements of the suppliers of processed items.

Who decides that the benefits of seeds coated with neonicotinoid insecticides outweigh the risk of apocalyptic collapse of the insect population? Who decides that the benefits of wood impregnated with toxic copper compounds outweigh the risks for workers and those using treated wood? How does EPA justify ignoring the risks to consumers that cutting boards, toothbrushes, socks, and underwear are exposed to toxic antimicrobial chemicals?

In the absence of data, these decisions should not be made. If there is no indication of the need for pesticides ("benefits"), then nothing should be done. Of course, if there is no complete and transparent disclosure to the consumers of the chemical-rather than a brand name whose characteristics cannot be determined, then none of these uses should be allowed.

In other words, all such "treated items" should be required to be registered as pesticides.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.

This entry was published on Monday, December 13, 2021 at 12:01 AM, and is classified under Antibacterial, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Nano Silver, Nano Silver, Take Action, Triclosan, Uncategorized. You can follow any replies to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a reply. Ping is currently not allowed.

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