Stain-resistant and waterproof material found in children's school uniforms might be exposing children to harmful chemicals.
(galinast / istock.com)
Stain-resistant and waterproof clothing, like those used for children’s school uniforms, might have long-term negative health effects.
Indiana University researchers are among those studying the impact of exposing children to harmful chemicals called per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
The study of PFAS in clothing items began in Canada and recently made its way to studies in the midwest.
“Canada is trying to get an idea of where PFAS are used, in particular in textiles, so we decided to focus on children's textile products because children are a particularly susceptible group among all humans,” said Assistant Professor of the O’Neill School Marta Venier. “When we analyzed these products we found high levels of PFAS.”
High levels of PFAS have been linked to negative health effects, such as kidney issues, cancer, decreased fertility, increased cholesterol and a decrease in vaccination efficiencies.
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“Children wear these products on their skin for a long time, let's say eight hours during the school time every day for the whole year so these chemicals can accumulate in your body and we all have them,” said Venier.
While exposing children to chemicals can pose a significant risk, there is no immediate risk or reactions to PFAS, she said.
“The concern is mostly due to the accumulation of these chemicals in our body over a lifetime and over time,” said Venier.
Of the chemicals the team tested, they found that 6:2 FTOH was one of the main chemicals.
“If it’s not safe in food packaging because we could ingest it, it doesn't seem that it's safe to wear it on our bodies,” she said.
Venier recommends parents keep an eye out for any labels indicating that the product is stain-resistant when buying new uniforms.
“The naming is not uniform, so the implication that there is a stain treatment is a good indication that the product is likely to contain PFAS,” she said.
If you already own stain-resistant or waterproof clothing, you can take precaution by washing the product repeatedly before wearing it to reduce the risk of PFAS.
If you need to purchase these items, a second-hand item that has likely been washed plenty of times is a good alternative.
As of now, there are no chemicals that can be used as a sufficient alternative to PFAS, but you can take precautions to stay safe.
