Toxic Chemicals Found In Swedish T-Shirts
Posted on: Thursday, 18 September 2008, 12:30 CDT
A chemical that can cause birth defects and cancer has been found in T-shirts that have been sold in Sweden, an environmental group says.
Swedish Society for Nature Conservation officials say that traces of the chemical nonylphenol ethoxylates, typically used for textile washing, were found in 19 of 20 T-shirts tested by the group, The Local said Thursday.
SSNC head Mikael Karlsson said in a statement that nonylpenol, a byproduct of the chemical, has been found to cause hormonal changes in humans and is toxic to marine life.
"The negative environmental and health effects of nonylphenol ethoxylates have been known for a long time. Therefore it's worrying that textile companies don't have control over what their imported clothing contains," Karlsson said.
Nonylphenol ethoxylates use is banned by the European Union but there are no regulations in place banning the importation of foreign goods that contain the chemical.
The group told The Local the T-shirts with the highest amount of the chemical were produced by the brands Worn By Original, Just a F***ing T-Shirt and Levi's in the United States, along with Germany's Puma brand.
Source: United Press International
