 |
 |
 NEWS
|
 LEGISLATION
|
ABOUT US
|
Problems with substituting DEHP in PVC blood bags causes debate
Despite the UN downgrading DEHP, Svend Auken will still not rule out the possibility that the substance is carcinogenic
01-05-2000
On 14 April the newspaper Aktuelt published an article "From the ashes into the fire" on alternative plasticisers for blood bags. The article says that three years ago the blood bank at Rigshospital replaced phthalates with another material that is now showing problems in the working environment. Employees dealing with hundreds of blood bags every day can suffer great discomfort from the effects, says the article. Some have swelling around the mouth and face, and have breathing difficulties. Their hands become red and cracked, and the skin between their fingers flakes off. Up to now there have been 16 reports to the Danish Working Environment Authority.
Bio-analyst from the blood bank, Therese Hvid, said to Aktuelt that “the bags we had before (plasticised with DEHP – red.), that were very slightly carcinogenic, exposed patients to a tiny risk in the long term. Now it is us who are suffering, and some with great and acute discomfort”.
The Aktuelt article has now given rise to a question from the Folketing’s Environmental and Planning Committee to the Minister for Environment, who has been asked to comment on the article. In his reply, Svend Auken says that he would like to emphasise that substitution of phthalates should be with alternatives that do not cause negative effects, either in the working environment, with users, or in the external environment. At the same time, Mr Auken makes it clear that although the UN has recently removed DEHP from the list of carcinogenics, he will still not rule out that DEHP could be carcinogenic.
Furthermore, researchers throughout the World are continuing examination of the harmful effects of DEHP. Japanese researchers from the university of medicine at Kagawa have just published a study in which they demonstrate that the harmful effects of DEHP on sperm quality in rats can be combated with vitamin C. When rats are exposed to DEHP, their testicles become smaller, and their livers grow in size. The reason for this is still unclear. During the study, the rats were given food containing 1 and 2 percent DEHP. Both concentrations resulted in enlarged livers, while only the higher dosage had an effect on testicle size and sperm quality. The researchers then supplemented the food containing DEHP with vitamins C and E. The researchers found that the vitamin supplement prevented the harmful effects of DEHP. They concluded that larger amounts of DEHP are necessary to damage the testicles than the liver, and that antioxidant vitamins can protect against damage to the testicles.
Join our news alert list by sending us an e-mail to pvc@pvc.dk - marked "News"
  PVC DESIGN
|
CONTACT
|
HOME
|
DANISH
|
|
PVC INFORMATION COUNCIL, Nørre Voldgade 48, DK - 1358 Copenhagen K. |
