Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
May 31, 2011 [Liberty Times Reporters Wang Changmin, Wei Yijia, Wu Weigong / Comprehensive Report]
The plasticizer storm has swept across Taiwan. National Health Research Institutes President Wu Kun-yu stated at the Legislative Yuan yesterday that, based on the scale and extent of this contamination, the daily exposure levels of the public are estimated to be 10 to 20 times higher than previously believed. Long-term tracking of its carcinogenic effects and impact on kidneys is necessary.
An ongoing 10-year tracking study by the National Health Research Institutes found that the exposure levels of pregnant women and children in Taiwan to plasticizers are abnormally high. The concentrations of DEHP or DnBP metabolites are two to three times higher than those in Europe and the United States. In recent years, Professor Li Jun-zhang from National Cheng Kung University also discovered that the DEHP metabolite levels in the urine of pregnant women in Taiwan can be up to 13 times higher than those in the U.S. Professor Chen Mei-lian from Yang Ming University tested the urine of 60 individuals and found DEHP metabolite levels five times higher than in the U.S. and nearly six times higher than in Germany.
Wu Kun-yu noted that when these data were first observed, the academic community assumed it was due to excessive use of plastic products by the public. It was only after this incident erupted that they realized it might be because plasticizers had long been added in large quantities to food.
Wu Kun-yu stated that it is currently known that plasticizers can cause liver cancer, leukemia, and testicular cancer in mice. However, since there have been no cases of humans consuming large amounts of plasticizers, there is a lack of research on their carcinogenic effects in humans, making risk assessment impossible at this time. Nevertheless, Wu Kun-yu expressed concern that, based on the estimated doses of plasticizers detected in food this time, the daily exposure levels of the public may be 10 to 20 times higher than previously thought. Whether this will lead to cancer or other chronic diseases requires long-term tracking.
**Highly Likely to Harm Kidneys—Long-Term Tracking Necessary**
Taiwan has the highest rate of kidney dialysis in the world, and the reasons remain unclear. Wu Kun-yu also mentioned that plasticizers are highly likely to harm the kidneys, as such findings have been observed in animal studies. However, the effects of plasticizers are long-term, and the resulting chronic diseases do not manifest immediately.
Associate Professor Chen Jia-yang from the National Taiwan University Institute of Environmental Health pointed out at a public forum that DEHP does not show significant bioaccumulation or biomagnification. Testing for residual plasticizer levels in the body through urine metabolites cannot assess long-term exposure. The public does not need to undergo blood or urine tests due to this incident. However, dialysis and hemophilia patients who use blood bags or injection tubes long-term may be exposed to plasticizers and should take extra precautions.
Since cosmetics such as nail polish, lipstick, and perfume contain plasticizers, the Changhua County Health Bureau inspected drugstores on the 30th, taking domestic cosmetics for testing. Changhua County Health Bureau Director Ye Yan-bo stated that the production process of cosmetics often uses fixatives, which may contain plasticizers. The Department of Health previously announced that cosmetics should not contain plasticizers, but manufacturers reported that it is difficult to avoid residual plasticizers during production. As a result, the Department of Health later announced that "if the presence of phthalate residues is technically unavoidable during the manufacturing process of cosmetics, the total residual amount must not exceed 100 ppm."
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 110531/ 78/ 2sgvj. html
Chinese Population's Phthalate Exposure 20 Times Higher Than Known
The plasticizer storm has swept across Taiwan. National Health Research Institutes President Wu Kun-yu stated at the Legislative Yuan yesterday that, based on the scale and extent of this contamination, the daily exposure levels of the public are estimated to be 10 to 20 times higher than previously believed. Long-term tracking of its carcinogenic effects and impact on kidneys is necessary.
An ongoing 10-year tracking study by the National Health Research Institutes found that the exposure levels of pregnant women and children in Taiwan to plasticizers are abnormally high. The concentrations of DEHP or DnBP metabolites are two to three times higher than those in Europe and the United States. In recent years, Professor Li Jun-zhang from National Cheng Kung University also discovered that the DEHP metabolite levels in the urine of pregnant women in Taiwan can be up to 13 times higher than those in the U.S. Professor Chen Mei-lian from Yang Ming University tested the urine of 60 individuals and found DEHP metabolite levels five times higher than in the U.S. and nearly six times higher than in Germany.
Wu Kun-yu noted that when these data were first observed, the academic community assumed it was due to excessive use of plastic products by the public. It was only after this incident erupted that they realized it might be because plasticizers had long been added in large quantities to food.
Wu Kun-yu stated that it is currently known that plasticizers can cause liver cancer, leukemia, and testicular cancer in mice. However, since there have been no cases of humans consuming large amounts of plasticizers, there is a lack of research on their carcinogenic effects in humans, making risk assessment impossible at this time. Nevertheless, Wu Kun-yu expressed concern that, based on the estimated doses of plasticizers detected in food this time, the daily exposure levels of the public may be 10 to 20 times higher than previously thought. Whether this will lead to cancer or other chronic diseases requires long-term tracking.
**Highly Likely to Harm Kidneys—Long-Term Tracking Necessary**
Taiwan has the highest rate of kidney dialysis in the world, and the reasons remain unclear. Wu Kun-yu also mentioned that plasticizers are highly likely to harm the kidneys, as such findings have been observed in animal studies. However, the effects of plasticizers are long-term, and the resulting chronic diseases do not manifest immediately.
Associate Professor Chen Jia-yang from the National Taiwan University Institute of Environmental Health pointed out at a public forum that DEHP does not show significant bioaccumulation or biomagnification. Testing for residual plasticizer levels in the body through urine metabolites cannot assess long-term exposure. The public does not need to undergo blood or urine tests due to this incident. However, dialysis and hemophilia patients who use blood bags or injection tubes long-term may be exposed to plasticizers and should take extra precautions.
Since cosmetics such as nail polish, lipstick, and perfume contain plasticizers, the Changhua County Health Bureau inspected drugstores on the 30th, taking domestic cosmetics for testing. Changhua County Health Bureau Director Ye Yan-bo stated that the production process of cosmetics often uses fixatives, which may contain plasticizers. The Department of Health previously announced that cosmetics should not contain plasticizers, but manufacturers reported that it is difficult to avoid residual plasticizers during production. As a result, the Department of Health later announced that "if the presence of phthalate residues is technically unavoidable during the manufacturing process of cosmetics, the total residual amount must not exceed 100 ppm."
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 110531/ 78/ 2sgvj. html