"Disposable"
Nappies and TBT"Disposable"
Nappies and TBTInformation from the Women's Environmental Network
The Women's Environmental Network www.gn.apc.org/wen can be contacted on 020 7247 3327
• A baby wearing five nappies a day could be in contact
with up to 3.6 tirnes the World Health Organisation's estimated tolerable daily intake.
(We can't say whether it transfers from nappy to baby or how much.)
• TBT shouldn't be in any household product, let alone
something that is being worn next to babies skin.
• The fear is it could be absorbed into the body and
disrupt the child's sex balance.
• Manufacturers have known about this for some months
but,are still selling nappies containing TBT.
• The Womens Environmental Network is calling for
immediate action by manufactures to remove TBT from nappies and
for the government to sign up to a global ban on production and the
use of TBT by 2003.
• Parents should avoid products with plastics in them and
choose washable cloth nappies instead.
A chemical compound of tin, carbon and hydrogen - one of several
organic compounds of those elements, known as organotins.
It was first introduced in the 1960s and is used in anti-fouling
paint on boats/ in the shipping industry, as an additive in PVC and other plastics and can
be present as an impurity in catalysts used to make plastics, especially PVC and
polyurethane. It is also used in wood preservatives, textile disinfectants and as a
pesticide in some pulp and paper rnills.
• It interferes with hormones and causes shellfish to
change sex (Royal Society report: 'Endocrine disrupting chemicals, June 2000' re effect on
dog whelks in Plymouth Sound and other research; see also website www.royalsociety.ac.uk).
• It interferes with the immune system by destroying the
function of immune cells which combat bacteria.
• Research in 1999 by scientists at the University of
Bonn's institute for clinical biochemistry suggested it is a potential endocrine disruptor
which can damage the human hormonal system.
*More research needs to be done on this but WHO has set a tolerable
daily intake (TDI) level of 1 5 microgrammes for a 60kg - average weight - adult. This was
based on tests on shipyard workers exposed to anti-fouling paint.
* A microgramme (lug) is a millionth of a gramme.
*Wen estimates, on the basis of the WHO TDI, that as little as
1ug per day could be the limit for a 4kg
(8-10lb) baby.
Greenpeace Germany released the results of tests in May this year
which showed it was present in three brands of nappies on sale there.
* Raised the issue at a real nappy (washable cloth nappies)
conference in Manchester in June.
* Ordered the tests in June.
* The tests were done in July and the results sent to us on 24 July.
Benetton 802 midi unisex
Boots high performance newborn
Huggies newborn (Kimberly Clarke)
Sainsbury's performers, ultra dry unisex mini size
Pampers baby-dry new born (Procter & Gamble)
Specimens for analysis were taken through the whole thickness of the
nappy in several different places - from the body of the nappy not particularly from the
obviously plastic bits such as the cuffs.
All the brands contained some TBT. The highest level was 24 parts per
billion. It may sound small but it is not insignificant. We calculate that a baby wearing
one of those nappies, changed five times a day, would be in close contact with 3.6 times
the tolerable daily intake.
You'd have to ask the manufacturers but we know nappies contain
various plastic components: in the cuffs and fastenings and as part of the lining or
proofing. TBT is used as a catalyst in the production process of certain plastics or as a
stabiliser in PVC.
• Nappies are in constant contact with babies' skin
all day long.
• TBT can be absorbed through the skin, although we
don't know how much or how easily.
• Greenpeace Germany have evidence that TBT can
leech out of things, such as plastics.
• Babies' skin is thinner than adults'. We can't
rule out that they might absorb it and it is better to be safe than sorry.
• If TBT is in nappies it is likely to be in other
household products, notably sanitary towels, which are made in similar ways and can
contain various layers to lock moisture away from the skin and prevent leakage.
• We need to be cautious about plastics in general
(eg plastic pants) until more research is done.
• Removal of TBT from the production process.
• It may be extreme to suggest current stocks be removed
from sale - that is up to the manufacturers and retailers based on their assessment of the
risk and practical and marketing considerations.
• The government to sign up to agree to phase out of all
uses of TBT by 2003, as proposed by various agencies. The Austrian and German Environment
Agencies are calling for an EC wide ban and the International Maritime Organisation is
pushing member states to sign up to a ban on its use on all ships by 2003.
* Use cloth nappies and covers.
* Wash them at home or use a nappy laundry service (WEN has
details).
* Avoid nappies containing plastics, particularly polyurethane
and PVC.
* Write to supermarkets and other retailers asking them to
withdraw current stocks and replace them with stocks which do not contain TBT.
* Join WEN/ make donations to help us commission more research
and do further work on this and other issues.
It seems Procter & Gamble have known about this since at least
January this year.
They have told the Danish Environment Agency that three different
materials in their nappies were changed to eliminate TBT between January and April this
year. However, they withheld this information when approached by Environmental Data
Services (publishers of the widely-respected ENDS report) in June.
In June P&G told Greenpeace Germany that they knew how to
eliminate TBT from their nappies worldwide yet continued to sell the nappies in the UK in
July.
Have we contacted the manufacturers?
Not yet. We wanted to get the results of the independent tests first
to find out if TBT was present in UK nappies. We will now be writing to them asking them
to take immediate action as above.
Information from the Women's Environmental Network
The Women's Environmental Network www.gn.apc.org/wen can be contacted on 020 7247 3327
