http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/06/12/2008-06-12_shower_curtains_could_mean_curtains_for_.html
Shower curtains could mean curtains for you, says watchdog group
BY JORDAN LITE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Thursday, June 12th 2008, 8:30 AM

Plastic shower curtains and liners sold at big-box retailers release chemicals associated with cancer, liver and nervous system damage, an environmental group contends.

The Center for Health, Environment and Justice wants the feds to recall and ban all polyvinyl chloride bath curtains and liners.

"The familiar 'new curtain smell' may be toxic to your health," said Mike Schade, the center's PVC campaign coordinator. "It's really surprising that retailers are manufacturing products that contain and release harmful chemicals in our homes."

The Washington, D.C.-based group tested five house-brand curtains and liners sold by Wal-Mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, K-Mart and Sears.

All contained phthalates, chemicals that make plastic soft, and metals.

One curtain made by Wal-Mart expelled high levels of gases called volatile organic compounds for the first three days after it was opened.
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"There's no justification whatsoever for the agency to take any kind of action," said Julie Vallese, a spokeswoman for the Consumer Product Safety Commission. "The claims being made about the dangers of shower curtains are phantasmagorical. It's ridiculous."

The environmental group said consumers should buy organic cotton products and avoid those with a "3" inside the recycling symbol, or that say "vinyl," "PVC" or are unlabeled.

A New York pediatrician specializing in environmental exposure said consumers needn't be alarmed.

Airing out a plastic curtain for a week before hanging it up should bring volatile organic compounds down to acceptable levels....

Have you  tried the regular big box fabric kind?  They claim to have a water-repellent coating, though I wonder if it will work.  I'm thinking of trying one of those next time I get a new one.  Health issues aside, the plastic products just seem to be stinking more and more.  I did have to air the one I have now in the garage for a few days.  (Got it in the winter.)  It stunk up the garage!  They give me a headache.

I mail-ordered a PVC raincoat once and had to send it back.  It just wouldn't stop stinking and that just wouldn't do with something you wear.  Also threw out the last tub mat I bought from a big box due to a noxious smell that never quite went away.  I replaced it with a made-in-the-USA product and it is better.

 

Thanks!  I'm going with that next time then.  Paying a little more is worth it.  There are better grades of vinyl, but some of the stuff out there is just plain noxious so I hope they ban the stinky stuff for whatever reason.  The big-box stores stink so bad in general of outgassing materials that even if something is out of a package it's hard to tell how bad it smells until you get it home.  Foget it if it is wrapped up like most plastic shower curtains are.

I have friends that replace their clear plastic shower curtain liner every 6 months or so.  The plastic absolutely reeks & I don't know how anyone can put up with that smell for any lenghth of time.  I found a great fabric shower curtain that is light weight & tightly woven.  It works very well & I can just throw it in the washer when it needs cleaning.  I've had it for 3 years & it still looks new.

BTW on the topic of plastic, Whole Dog Journal just had an interesting article about plastic dog toys & how a number of them are bad for dogs, same issues as the shower curtains here.  You have to choose pet toys (& kids toys too) carefully to avoid the bad plastics.

Bamboo shower curtains !! ??  Sounds interesting!

petslave, the bamboo shower curtain was fabric, not like a window shade, which would be more interesting
I have read that bamboo fabric towels are absorbent (and naturally anti-bacterial) so I did wonder how effective the shower curtain would be.

I just got some bamboo cloth gardening gloves yesterday at Fred Meyer.  They felt very comfortable and seemed like they'd be more breathable than similar gloves.  They mentioned the natural anti-fungal, antibacterial properties of the cloth.

Also, the tag said that bamboo is more environmentally friendly than cotton.  The company name is 'Handmaster' and the line is 'Garden Bamboo.'

Great topic. Was just doing a search for organic shower curtains last week. Found one in blue to match my blue background with butterflies on it outer curtain. Made out of cotton duck cloth and washed with no bleach. Cost about $32.00 but safer than plastic. Every time it gets steamed up by the hot water it off gasses even if we can't smell it. Anything replaced in my house will be organic or natural like wool carpeting rather than who-knows-what chemical is in the carpet material. My dog walks, sleeps and is the closest to it so want it to be a safe as the food I buy and home cook for her.