THE next time you buy new PVC shower curtains, be wary of that distinctive whiff when you unwrap them.

It may have as many as 108 toxic chemicals that are linked to serious health problems.

A study by US-based Center for Health, Environment and Justice reveals that some curtains sold at US retailers such as Wal-Mart, Sears and Target "contained high concentrations of chemicals that are linked to liver damage as well as damage to the central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems".

So, should Singaporeans who have PVC shower curtains be worried? The answer is not so clear-cut.

Mr Tan Jin Thong, the president of the National Safety Council (NSC) of Singapore, said: "From my knowledge as a fire safety expert, plastic only causes harm when subjected to heat. The harmful substances are not chemically bonded to the curtains, so they will dissipate after the smell is gone."

So, when would PVC, which is in everyday products like toys and clothes, pose a danger?

Professor Sam Li Fong Yau, from the department of chemistry in the National University of Singapore, said: "One of the major ingredients (in PVC) is chlorine.

"When chlorine is heated at very high temperatures of a few hundred degrees in the presence of hydrocarbons, carcinogens are produced." Carcinogen refers to any agent involved in the promotion of cancer.

He added: "It's not probable for a bathroom to be hot enough to activate this process."

When contacted, spokesmen for the Ministry of Health and the Health Sciences Authority said that the chemical safety of PVC is not under their purview.

Stores my paper checked with say they do not stock PVC curtains. A staffer at household goods store Universal Union Enterprises said: "Shower curtains are not popular nowadays. The ones we sell are made of 'treated fabric', not PVC.

Ikea is one company, which for more than a decade, has avoided PVC shower curtains.

Ms Karen Chua, a public relations executive at Ikea, said: "Our shower curtains are made from chlorine-free Polyethylene Vinyl Acetate (PEVA), an alternative to PVC."

However, NCS' Mr Tan cautioned: "It is impossible to avoid contact with PVC, and we cannot prove or disprove every finding conclusively. Paranoid parents should simply replace their PVC shower curtains with other types of shower screens."

Mr Kevin Cordeiro, a chief operations manager and father of three, goes one step further. He does not use shower curtains at home at all.

"Kids tend to hold the curtains, which are unstable. They may lose their balance and fall. It's a safety risk. Parents with common sense should do away with them," he said.

cheryll@sph.com.sg

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