GROUP:

EWG Study #2, flame retardants in breast milk

health & safety concerns:	chemicals found
	on average	indivi- dual range	entire group
Reproduction and fertility	25	20-30	35
Brain and nervous system	25	20-30	35

Group members:

(20 People)

Jenna Meyer
Katrina Alcorn
Tiffany Kimball
Teri Olle
Margaret Hardin
Susan Comfort
Angela Strother
Jill
Anonymous
Rani Corey-Sheaffer
Anonymous
Meredith Buhalis
Darcy White
Jennifer Scheinz
Laurie Yung
Lisa
Anonymous
Leila Feldman
Susanne Green
Erika Schreder

Locations:

San Francisco, CA
Oakland, CA
La Habra Heights, CA
Evergreen, CO
Washington, DC
Gainesville, FL
Canton, GA
Dorchester, MA
Jamiaca Plain, MA
Ann Arbor, MI
Raytown, MO
Helena, MT
Missoula, MT
Portland, OR
Nashville, TN
Austin, TX
Burke, VA
Seattle, WA

about this group:

In the first nationwide tests for chemical fire retardants in the breast milk of American mothers, EWG found unexpectedly high levels of these little-known thyroid toxins in every woman tested. Milk from several of the mothers in EWG's study had among the highest levels of these chemicals yet detected worldwide.

Group: EWG Study #2, flame retardants in breast milk
Found 30-35 of 44 tested chemicals (20 participants)

The breast milk of the "EWG Study #2, flame retardants in breast milk" group contained 30-35 of 44 industrial compounds, pollutants and other chemicals tested, including chemicals linked to reproductive toxicity and fertility problems, brain and nervous system toxicity,

Summary of chemicals found in EWG Study #2, flame retardants in breast milk

chemical family	level found in group	health effects	exposure routes
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)	25% high 50% moderate 25% low	Reproduction and fertility, Brain and nervous system	Foam furniture, carpet padding, computers, televisions, contaminated house dust, food

Detailed report by chemical (return to summary)

polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes)

30-35 of 44 found

Fire retardants in furniture foam, computers, and televisions. Accumulate in human tissues. May harm brain development.

• geometric mean: 64.5 ppb lipids in breast milk
    [excludes PBDE-154/PBB-153]
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Anonymous, Erika Schreder, Teri Olle, Susan Comfort, Jenna Meyer, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Susanne Green, Anonymous, Meredith Buhalis, Leila Feldman, Jennifer Scheinz, Tiffany Kimball, Katrina Alcorn, Laurie Yung, Jill, Angela Strother, Margaret Hardin, Anonymous, Lisa, Darcy White

9.51	ppb lipids in breast milk	1080

PBDE-3

In PBDE chemical family - fire retardant in furniture foam, computers, televisions; may harm brain development and hormone systems.

• geometric mean: 0.0555 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 2 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Jennifer Scheinz, Lisa

0.1	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.2

Decabrominated diphenyl ethers

Brominated fire retardants currently used in plastics and fabric. The major use is in electronic devices; the minor use is as a backcoating on industrial fabrics. Are directly toxic to mammals and breakdown to more dangerous forms in the environment.

PBDE-209

A fire retardant used in TVs, monitors and electronics. Growing evidence that chemical breaks down in the environment to more persistent and toxic forms.

• geometric mean: 0.134 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 16 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Teri Olle, Susan Comfort, Angela Strother, Leila Feldman, Erika Schreder, Anonymous, Meredith Buhalis, Laurie Yung, Lisa, Margaret Hardin, Jill, Anonymous, Susanne Green, Darcy White, Jennifer Scheinz

0.08	ppb lipids in breast milk	1.23

Dibrominated diphenyl ethers

Brominated fire retardants used in polyurethan foam and plastics. These PBDEs are neurotoxic and persist in people and the environment. They were withdrawn from the market in the U.S. in 2005.

PBDE-11 & PBDE-8 [2]

• geometric mean: 0.00521 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 9 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Laurie Yung, Jill, Angela Strother, Anonymous, Jennifer Scheinz, Margaret Hardin, Tiffany Kimball, Lisa, Darcy White

0.005	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.06

PBDE-12

• geometric mean: 0.00518 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 1 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Jennifer Scheinz

0.01	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.01

PBDE-13

• geometric mean: 0.00518 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 1 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Lisa

0.01	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.01

PBDE-15

• geometric mean: 0.602 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Anonymous, Meredith Buhalis, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Susanne Green, Susan Comfort, Jennifer Scheinz, Teri Olle, Jenna Meyer, Anonymous, Angela Strother, Erika Schreder, Leila Feldman, Laurie Yung, Margaret Hardin, Anonymous, Jill, Lisa, Katrina Alcorn, Tiffany Kimball, Darcy White

0.19	ppb lipids in breast milk	17.7

PBDE-7

• geometric mean: 0.00277 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 7 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Jennifer Scheinz, Leila Feldman, Angela Strother, Jill, Margaret Hardin, Lisa, Darcy White

0.003	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.04

Heptabrominated diphenyl ethers

Brominated flame retardants used in plastics. Break down into more toxic and persistent forms in the environment. Withdrawn from the market in the U.S. in 2005.

PBDE-183

• geometric mean: 0.121 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Susan Comfort, Anonymous, Teri Olle, Susanne Green, Erika Schreder, Katrina Alcorn, Tiffany Kimball, Anonymous, Laurie Yung, Leila Feldman, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Jenna Meyer, Angela Strother, Meredith Buhalis, Anonymous, Jennifer Scheinz, Margaret Hardin, Jill, Lisa, Darcy White

0.05	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.46

PBDE-190

• geometric mean: 0.00518 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 1 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Katrina Alcorn

0.01	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.01

Hexabrominated diphenyl ethers

Brominated fire retardants used in foam and plastics. Break down into more toxic and persistent forms in the environment. Withdrawn from the market in the U.S. in 2005.

PBDE-138 & PBDE-166 [2]

• geometric mean: 0.0685 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 18 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Teri Olle, Susan Comfort, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Susanne Green, Jenna Meyer, Anonymous, Leila Feldman, Katrina Alcorn, Tiffany Kimball, Meredith Buhalis, Jennifer Scheinz, Jill, Laurie Yung, Margaret Hardin, Angela Strother, Anonymous, Lisa, Darcy White

0.02	ppb lipids in breast milk	1.76

PBDE-140

• geometric mean: 0.0745 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Erika Schreder, Anonymous, Teri Olle, Susan Comfort, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Jenna Meyer, Susanne Green, Leila Feldman, Anonymous, Laurie Yung, Katrina Alcorn, Meredith Buhalis, Jill, Jennifer Scheinz, Tiffany Kimball, Angela Strother, Margaret Hardin, Anonymous, Lisa, Darcy White

0.01	ppb lipids in breast milk	1.93

PBDE-153

• geometric mean: 8.61 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Anonymous, Erika Schreder, Teri Olle, Susan Comfort, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Jenna Meyer, Anonymous, Leila Feldman, Meredith Buhalis, Jill, Laurie Yung, Angela Strother, Jennifer Scheinz, Susanne Green, Margaret Hardin, Katrina Alcorn, Lisa, Tiffany Kimball, Anonymous, Darcy White

1.07	ppb lipids in breast milk	122

PBDE-154

• geometric mean: 0.389 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Erika Schreder, Anonymous, Susanne Green, Susan Comfort, Teri Olle, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Jenna Meyer, Leila Feldman, Tiffany Kimball, Katrina Alcorn, Meredith Buhalis, Anonymous, Jennifer Scheinz, Laurie Yung, Jill, Margaret Hardin, Angela Strother, Anonymous, Darcy White, Lisa

0.04	ppb lipids in breast milk	11.7

PBDE-155

• geometric mean: 0.0972 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 19 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Susanne Green, Anonymous, Teri Olle, Susan Comfort, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Jenna Meyer, Tiffany Kimball, Leila Feldman, Meredith Buhalis, Katrina Alcorn, Jennifer Scheinz, Laurie Yung, Jill, Margaret Hardin, Anonymous, Anonymous, Angela Strother, Lisa, Darcy White

0.01	ppb lipids in breast milk	2.5

Nonabrominated diphenyl ethers

Brominated fire retardants currently used in plastics and fabric. The major use is in electronic devices; the minor use is as a backcoating on industrial fabrics. Are directly toxic to mammals and breakdown to more dangerous forms in the environment.

PBDE-206

• geometric mean: 0.00404 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 8 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Angela Strother, Jenna Meyer, Katrina Alcorn, Margaret Hardin, Anonymous, Susanne Green, Darcy White, Jennifer Scheinz

0.004	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.04

PBDE-207

• geometric mean: 0.0324 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 15 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Anonymous, Erika Schreder, Lisa, Angela Strother, Susan Comfort, Teri Olle, Meredith Buhalis, Laurie Yung, Leila Feldman, Susanne Green, Anonymous, Jenna Meyer, Jill, Margaret Hardin, Jennifer Scheinz

0.02	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.13

PBDE-208

• geometric mean: 0.0042 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 7 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Susan Comfort, Erika Schreder, Anonymous, Laurie Yung, Leila Feldman, Margaret Hardin, Jennifer Scheinz

0.005	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.04

Pentabrominated diphenyl ethers

Brominated fire retardants used in polyurethan foam and plastics. These PBDEs are neurotoxic and persist in people and the environment. They were withdrawn from the market in the U.S. in 2005.

PBDE-100

• geometric mean: 5.85 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Erika Schreder, Anonymous, Susan Comfort, Teri Olle, Susanne Green, Jenna Meyer, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Leila Feldman, Katrina Alcorn, Tiffany Kimball, Anonymous, Meredith Buhalis, Laurie Yung, Jennifer Scheinz, Jill, Margaret Hardin, Anonymous, Angela Strother, Lisa, Darcy White

0.57	ppb lipids in breast milk	171

PBDE-119

• geometric mean: 0.00501 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 7 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Erika Schreder, Teri Olle, Laurie Yung, Tiffany Kimball, Margaret Hardin, Anonymous, Lisa

0.004	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.22

PBDE-126

• geometric mean: 0.0067 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 10 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Meredith Buhalis, Leila Feldman, Tiffany Kimball, Jenna Meyer, Anonymous, Laurie Yung, Margaret Hardin, Anonymous, Darcy White

0.005	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.22

PBDE-85

• geometric mean: 0.517 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Erika Schreder, Anonymous, Susanne Green, Teri Olle, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Susan Comfort, Jenna Meyer, Anonymous, Leila Feldman, Meredith Buhalis, Katrina Alcorn, Tiffany Kimball, Jennifer Scheinz, Margaret Hardin, Jill, Laurie Yung, Angela Strother, Anonymous, Lisa, Darcy White

0.05	ppb lipids in breast milk	17.1

PBDE-99

In PBDE chemical family - fire retardant in furniture foam, computers, televisions; may harm brain development and hormone systems.

• geometric mean: 6.1 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Erika Schreder, Anonymous, Susanne Green, Teri Olle, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Susan Comfort, Anonymous, Jenna Meyer, Meredith Buhalis, Leila Feldman, Tiffany Kimball, Katrina Alcorn, Jennifer Scheinz, Jill, Angela Strother, Margaret Hardin, Laurie Yung, Anonymous, Darcy White, Lisa

0.76	ppb lipids in breast milk	200

Tetrabrominated diphenyl ethers

Brominated fire retardants used in polyurethan foam and plastics. These PBDEs are neurotoxic and persist in people and the environment. They were withdrawn from the market in the U.S. in 2005.

PBDE-47

In PBDE chemical family - fire retardant in furniture foam, computers, televisions; may harm brain development and hormone systems.

• geometric mean: 33 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Anonymous, Susanne Green, Erika Schreder, Teri Olle, Susan Comfort, Jenna Meyer, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Meredith Buhalis, Anonymous, Tiffany Kimball, Leila Feldman, Jennifer Scheinz, Katrina Alcorn, Laurie Yung, Jill, Angela Strother, Anonymous, Margaret Hardin, Lisa, Darcy White

5.53	ppb lipids in breast milk	589

PBDE-49

• geometric mean: 0.248 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Susanne Green, Anonymous, Erika Schreder, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Meredith Buhalis, Susan Comfort, Teri Olle, Jenna Meyer, Anonymous, Leila Feldman, Tiffany Kimball, Angela Strother, Jennifer Scheinz, Katrina Alcorn, Laurie Yung, Jill, Margaret Hardin, Anonymous, Darcy White, Lisa

0.04	ppb lipids in breast milk	3.69

PBDE-66

• geometric mean: 0.354 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Susanne Green, Anonymous, Erika Schreder, Susan Comfort, Meredith Buhalis, Teri Olle, Jenna Meyer, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Anonymous, Tiffany Kimball, Leila Feldman, Katrina Alcorn, Jennifer Scheinz, Laurie Yung, Angela Strother, Margaret Hardin, Jill, Anonymous, Darcy White, Lisa

0.06	ppb lipids in breast milk	8.37

PBDE-71

• geometric mean: 0.0178 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 18 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Erika Schreder, Susanne Green, Leila Feldman, Meredith Buhalis, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Anonymous, Susan Comfort, Teri Olle, Jenna Meyer, Tiffany Kimball, Katrina Alcorn, Angela Strother, Jill, Margaret Hardin, Jennifer Scheinz, Laurie Yung, Anonymous, Lisa

0.004	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.33

PBDE-75

• geometric mean: 0.0314 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Jenna Meyer, Teri Olle, Erika Schreder, Susan Comfort, Susanne Green, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Anonymous, Tiffany Kimball, Leila Feldman, Anonymous, Meredith Buhalis, Katrina Alcorn, Jennifer Scheinz, Angela Strother, Laurie Yung, Anonymous, Jill, Margaret Hardin, Darcy White, Lisa

0.01	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.43

Tribrominated diphenyl ethers

Brominated fire retardants used in polyurethan foam and plastics. These PBDEs are neurotoxic and persist in people and the environment. They were withdrawn from the market in the U.S. in 2005.

PBDE-17

• geometric mean: 0.0653 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Susanne Green, Erika Schreder, Anonymous, Jenna Meyer, Teri Olle, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Susan Comfort, Meredith Buhalis, Anonymous, Tiffany Kimball, Leila Feldman, Angela Strother, Laurie Yung, Katrina Alcorn, Jennifer Scheinz, Jill, Margaret Hardin, Anonymous, Darcy White, Lisa

0.02	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.47

PBDE-25

• geometric mean: 0.00971 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 18 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Susan Comfort, Erika Schreder, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Jenna Meyer, Tiffany Kimball, Teri Olle, Leila Feldman, Jill, Anonymous, Meredith Buhalis, Laurie Yung, Anonymous, Katrina Alcorn, Jennifer Scheinz, Angela Strother, Margaret Hardin, Darcy White, Lisa

0.002	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.06

PBDE-28 & PBDE-33 [2]

• geometric mean: 2.63 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 20 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Anonymous, Susanne Green, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Susan Comfort, Meredith Buhalis, Erika Schreder, Teri Olle, Jenna Meyer, Anonymous, Jennifer Scheinz, Leila Feldman, Laurie Yung, Tiffany Kimball, Katrina Alcorn, Anonymous, Angela Strother, Jill, Margaret Hardin, Lisa, Darcy White

0.35	ppb lipids in breast milk	43.8

PBDE-35

• geometric mean: 0.0104 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 1 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Jill

0.02	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.02

PBDE-37

• geometric mean: 0.0259 ppb lipids in breast milk
• found in 19 of 20 people in the group
• found in: Jenna Meyer, Erika Schreder, Susanne Green, Susan Comfort, Anonymous, Rani Corey-Sheaffer, Meredith Buhalis, Leila Feldman, Anonymous, Jennifer Scheinz, Katrina Alcorn, Laurie Yung, Tiffany Kimball, Anonymous, Jill, Angela Strother, Margaret Hardin, Lisa, Darcy White

0.01	ppb lipids in breast milk	0.4

References/Notes

[1] CDC (2005). National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, Centers for Disease Control. http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/. (Methylmercury results have been compared to total mercury in CDC biomonitoring.)

[2] The chemicals co-eluted in the laboratory analysis.