That ‘new shower curtain smell’ gives off toxic chemicals, study says

Vinyl shower curtains sold at major retailers across the country contain toxic chemicals that may cause serious health problems, according to a report released today by a national environmental organization.

The curtains, sold at Bed Bath & Beyond, Kmart, Sears, Target and Wal-Mart, among other major retailers, contained high concentrations of chemicals that may be released into the air and are linked to liver damage as well as damage to the central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems, said researchers for the Virginia-based Center for Health, Environment & Justice.

The Virginia-based organization commissioned the study about two years ago to determine, among other reasons, what caused that “new shower curtain smell.”

“This smell can make you feel sick, give you a headache, make you feel nauseous, or other health effects,” said Michael Schade, a co-author of the report.

In the study, five unopened polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic shower curtains were purchased from Bed Bath & Beyond, Kmart, Sears, Target and Wal-Mart and tested for their chemical composition. One of these curtains was then tested to determine the chemicals it released into the air.

The study found that these shower curtains contained high concentrations of phthalates and varying concentrations of organotins and that they released as many as 108 volatile organic chemicals into the air, some of which persisted for nearly a month.

Seven of these chemicals, which include toluene, ethylbenzene, phenol, MIBK, xylene, acetophenone, and cumene, were identified by the EPA as hazardous air pollutants, said Stephen Lester, the organization’s science director and also co-author of the report.

Potential health effects included developmental damage as well as damage to the liver and central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems.

Tami.abdollah@latimes.com