Are vinyl shower curtains harmful?

Question

So, now they're saying that Vinyl Shower curtains are toxic and contain, phthalates. That are chemical substances used to make plastics soft and flexible, and varying amounts of organotins, which are compounds based on tin and hydrocarbons. Studies have linked such chemicals to damage to the liver and the central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems. Okay, but is this a proven fact? Is it true? Are they going to pull off all the vinyl shower curtains off the shelf like tomatos and spinach? And, expect eveyone to go out and buy new shower curtains? This amazes me, but I just bought a new Shower curtain and liner (both vinyl this time, my luck)! And, I change mine regularly like every 3 months due to soap scum. So, what's the verdict here? Says you can read the full story at nydailynews.com.

Answer 1

Your question is if they are harmful. It depends.  If you have asthma and allergies like I do, yes they are harmful to my breathing. I use cloth liners and curtains and they do not give off the odors that the vinyl does.

Answer 2

No one is absolutely saying they are harmful. The government, for instance, doesn't see any problem with their sale.

For folks worried about the amount of pollution, chemicals and volatile organic compounds we breathe in everyday, it is in issue.

You know when you open that new vinyl shower curtain and it smells so new and vinyl-y? :) That's because it's off-gassing. It's releasing various components of the plastic.

Whether it's really dangerous hasn't officially been decided. But we all know there are a lot of things that are bad that we don't know are bad until years later. My parents used to play with mercury because our society didn't yet know it was dangerous. We used to (and China still does) paint children's toys with lead-based paint because we didn't know the danger.

Consumers familiar with those scenarios like to play it safe. The off-gassing may not cause you permanent damage, but do you want a child or someone with respiratory problems breathing in extra junk?

If you don't feel like this threat is a problem to you, keep your vinyl, by all means. If you're worried, you can switch to a cotton or other type of shower curtain. (Not that waterproof, which is a big stopper for most people.)

The happy medium if you're a little worried but not enough to ditch the plastic? Consider taking the curtain out of the package and letting it air out somewhere with good ventilation (a garage, a clothesline). When it smells less plastic-like, it's done with some of its off-gassing.

Answer 3

Yes.... if you eat it. Vinyl has been used in showers for decades. I'd think if it was harmful then it would be warned.