[greenyes] PR: Toxic Fire Retardants in Computer Dust-Campaign Urges Industry to Quickly Find Safer Materials

[Ted Smith <tsmith@no.address>]

The full report can be downloaded from www.computertakeback.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  June 3rd, 2004

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Alexandra McPherson, Clean Production Action, 716-805-1056
Ted Smith,  Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, 408-287-6707

Toxic Fire Retardants Discovered in Dust From Computers in Offices and Schools
Campaign Urges High Tech Industry to Move Faster to Find Safer Materials

In the first nationwide analysis of brominated fire retardants in dust 
samples swiped from computers, the Computer Take-Back Campaign (CTBC) and 
Clean Production Action (CPA) found toxic chemicals known to be 
reproductive and neurological hazards in animal lab tests.  The highest 
levels found were a form of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) called 
deca-BDE one of the most widely used fire retardant chemicals in the 
electronics industry. PBDEs are increasingly being found in human tissue 
and breast milk samples here in the US and abroad.

 "We bought these computer systems assuming that they were safe for us to 
use.  Now, these results indicate we're being exposed to toxic dusts from 
computers on the job." said Ted Smith of Silicon Valley Toxics 
Coalition.  "Consumers should be outraged and demand action", concluded 
Smith.

CTBC and CPA gathered sixteen samples of dust from the monitors of 
computers in a variety of public locations in eight states across the 
United States, including university computer labs, legislative offices and 
a children's museum.

Since the 1970s, the electronics industry has been one of the largest 
consumers of PBDEs, relying on the brominated class of chemicals to meet 
fire safety standards, because bromine is relatively 
inexpensive.  Brominated fire retardants (BFRs), especially PBDEs, are 
persistent in the environment and contaminate the food chain, animals, and 
people.  North American women have the highest levels globally of these 
chemicals in their breast milk and these levels are doubling in the US 
population every two to five years.

"The bromine chemical manufacturers have provided false reassurances that 
these chemicals are safe.  Because these chemicals build up in the body, 
even low levels of deca-BDE and other brominated chemicals found in the 
dust samples are cause for concern" said David Wood of the Grassroots 
Recycling Network.  "Chemicals that persist in the environment and in our 
breast milk, blood, livers and thyroids should not be allowed in 
commercethey are causing a serious chemical trespass to our bodies," 
concluded Wood.

There has been considerable effort both in the United States and Europe 
over the last two years to assess the potential public health and 
environmental impacts of the PBDEs. Available scientific data prompted the 
European Union to take action to phase-out all PBDEs in consumer 
electronics sold in Europe by 2006.   However, deca-BDE, the most used PBDE 
in commerce, has been fiercely defended by the bromine industry and is 
still in use in the United States.

The United States lags behind Europe in working to reduce human exposure to 
these chemicals, despite action to ban PBDEs in a handful of states. Maine 
recently became the first state to ban the sale of products containing 
deca-BDE assuming safer alternatives are available.  California banned the 
production and use of penta- and octa-BDE in 2003. Variations of these 
bills are being developed in other states, including New York, 
Massachusetts and Wisconsin.
The state of Washington also has an Executive Order to develop a phase-out 
plan for all PBDEs.

"We have enough evidence to act now", said Beverley Thorpe of Clean 
Production Action.  ""The good news is that some companies are replacing 
these toxic chemicals with safer materials and we urge all brand name 
companies to move faster in implementing safer solutions", concluded Thorpe.

The report released today evaluates the latest advancements in company 
research and adoption of non-brominated fire retardants.  Some companies 
such as Apple, Toshiba, Dell, NEC and Hewlett Packard are redesigning their 
electronic products to avoid the use of toxic fire retardants and still 
meet top level fire safety standards.  Much of this activity comes in 
response to the phase out legislation in Europe, which impacts US 
manufacturers who sell to European customers.

"With PBDEs rapidly accumulating in our bodies, possibly through exposure 
to everyday dust in our homes, and workplaces, the US government needs to 
mandate a shift to less-toxic alternatives throughout the entire 
electronics industry by banning these harmful chemicals" concluded Smith.

The full report can be downloaded from www.computertakeback.com.

The report is being released in the following states:

Maine:  Steve Gurney: (207) 772-2181

Massachusetts:  Kara Reeves: (617) 338-8131

Washington:  Suellen Mele: (206) 441-1790.

Michigan: Marybeth Doyle: (734) 663-2400

New York:  Kathy Curtis: (518) 462-5527

Wisconsin: David Wood: (608) 255-4800

Texas: Robin Schneider: (512) 326-5655

California: Ted Smith: (408) 287-6707

Clean Production Action (CPA) partners with environmental organizations, 
public health advocates, labor unions and community groups around the world 
to develop and build technical support for clean production 
policies.  These policies and strategies promote the use of products that 
are safer and cleaner across their lifecycles for consumers, workers, and 
communities.

Computer TakeBack Campaign (CTBC) is a national coalition of organizations 
promoting clean production and producer takeback in the computer and 
electronics industry.  The campaign seeks to protect public health and the 
environment from the hazards of high-tech products by requiring brand 
owners to take financial responsibility for the life-cycle impacts of their 
products.
######





Leslie Byster


Ted Smith
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition/Computer TakeBack Campaign
760 N. First Street,San Jose, CA 95112
408-287-6707-phone;  408-287-6771-fax
http://www.svtc.org/    http://www.computertakeback.com