Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Glymes, shymes - what the???
The US EPA is about to crack down on Glymes (glycol ethers)- solvents used in thousands of everyday household products including paints and paint strippers, carpet cleaners, inkjet cartridges, lithium batteries, brake fluid, polycarbonate plastics, adhesives and sealants, and during the production of hypertension, asthma and anti-depression drugs.
Concerns were first raised in 1995 as a result of a significant increase in miscarriages in semiconductor manufacturing workers. More recent studies have also highlighted these concerns (Schenker, 2010). As a result of the fact that glymes are potent development and reproductive toxins, the European Union has enforced that labels of products containing monoglyme or diglyme must warn consumers that they “may impair fertility” or “may cause harm to the unborn child.” No such labelling exists in US or Australia to date.
Concerns were first raised in 1995 as a result of a significant increase in miscarriages in semiconductor manufacturing workers. More recent studies have also highlighted these concerns (Schenker, 2010). As a result of the fact that glymes are potent development and reproductive toxins, the European Union has enforced that labels of products containing monoglyme or diglyme must warn consumers that they “may impair fertility” or “may cause harm to the unborn child.” No such labelling exists in US or Australia to date.
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