Childhood Asthma Linked to Disposable Diapers
There has been a huge rise in childhood asthma in the last few
decades--in Ft. Saskatchewan, 13% of schoolchildren have asthma;
in Louisiana, more than 15% of schoolchildren have asthma.
According to a study in the Archives of Environmental Health,
the plastics and other materials used in disposable diapers emit
the toxic gases: toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, dipentene, isopropylbenzene,
trimethylbenzene, and anisaldehyde. These gases can produce acute
respiratory toxicity.
Other studies show that the chemicals emitted by fabric softener, air freshener, fresh paint, plastics, new carpet, and fragrance and perfumes also are linked to asthma.