PVC flooring chemicals taken up by children’s bodies

Higher levels of the potentially harmful plastic chemicals known as phthalates have been detected in the bodies of children from homes with PVC flooring.
Phthalates are a group of chemicals widely used in the production of common consumer goods such as toys, cleaning solvents and packaging, Press TV reported. The substances are suspected to cause several chronic health conditions such as asthma and allergies especially in children.
Some phthalates are categorized among endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) which can cause significant harm to human and other species health by interfering with the body’s hormone systems. Researchers from Karlstad University in Sweden have found that children can ingest these softening agents with food but also by breathing and through the skin. They took urine samples from 83 randomly selected children between the ages of two and six months and measured the prevalence of four types of phthalates.
The results revealed that the levels of certain phthalates were higher in babies that had PVC flooring in their bedrooms. “With this study as a basis, we can establish that there are other sources that should be taken into consideration in regard to the uptake of banned chemicals and that we do not only ingest them in our food,” said senior author Carl-Gustaf Bornehag.

Women home-based workers display crafts

ISLAMABAD
APP

As many as 300 women home-based workers displayed a large collection of crafts including dresses, home decors and fashion accessories here Monday in a 2-day exhibition.
Sabah Pakistan (Saarc Business Association for home based women workers) arranged the exhibition to facilitate women workers for earning respectable livelihood.
Products created by the rural craftswomen including items related to women and children, dresses, handbags, home textiles, garments and interior decors attracted a large number of visitors mostly women for getting shopping opportunity of perfect extravaganza.
Sabah Pakistan organised the event to mainstream home based women workers and partner organisations into a business environment and ensure fair wages by social and ethically secure fair trade practices, said an official of Sabah on Monday.
The organisation works with the objectives to economically empower home-based women workers, improve their standard of living and revive indigenous handicrafts to create sustainable income for rural folk and independence by being market-oriented.