In Dioxin We Trust?

Just when I was going comment on the California Gold Standard for carpet allowing PVCs and dioxins back into the carpet standard, ENN sources a story on how dioxin pollutants are causing the birth of more females than males. Maybe I need to rethink this. (Just kidding)

Seriously, this is bad news. Dioxins found in PVCs have been proven to cause cancers and now this new finding shows how they are also messing with the reproductive system. That's why they are part of the dirty dozen of chemicals that Stockholm banned in 2001.

"The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, (signed in Stockholm, May 23, 2001) is intended to eliminate or restrict the production, use and/or release of twelve chemicals that, due to their persistence in the environment, can affect human health throughout the globe, regardless of the location of their use.  The twelve chemicals include; pesticides (Aldrin, Chlordane, DDT, Heptachlor, Hexachlorobenzene, Dieldrin, Mirex, Toxaphene), industrial products (PCBs, polychlorinated biphenyls) and byproducts, i.e., unintentionally formed chemicals (polychlorinated dioxins and furans)."

This is just one of the reasons I've been behind the SMART Sustainable Standard from the start. Not only does it work to bring down CO2 emissions, but it also requires the elimination of Stockholm persistent pollutants. The SMART standard also can't be bought and changed by industry giants.

As you can imagine a tough standard doesn't win friends in industry. Yet producing a toxic free carpet can be done as Milliken carpet has proven. If they can do it, so can the rest of the carpet industry.

If you're shopping around for carpet, check out Milliken first. Not only do their carpets keep the dirty dozen out of our environment, but they are also keep CO2 emissions low.

Comments

[marguerite manteau-rao]

Mary,thanks for stopping by my blog. You are doing some great work. I totally support what you do and believe in. Setting sustainbability standards for all products and services is key. And women, as main nurturers and primary shoppers for the household, are the gatekeepers for greener purchases.

marguerite
http://lamarguerite.wordpress.com