Studies Gone Wild: Death by Shower Curtain?

June 12, 2008— -- Could your shower curtain be harming your health?

An environmental group claims in a new study of vinyl shower curtains that some of them may release into the air toxic chemicals which could cause asthma, eye irritation or even cancer.

"We have a clear-cut case that these products release elevated levels of harmful chemicals," said report co-author Mike Schade, PVC campaign coordinator for the Center for Health, Environment and Justice. "Our research builds on a growing body of evidence that shows that the government fails to protect us from the growing number of toxic chemicals in products."

But some health experts are paying scant attention to those behind the curtain study. And perhaps with good reason.

Skeptics pointed out what they call a glaring error in the study's methodology. The group tested a total of five shower curtains, of which only one shower curtain — not one brand; one curtain — was subjected to complete testing for chemicals in its composition, as well as those it released into the air — a phenomenon known as "off-gassing."

Further testing was not performed "to avoid potential instrument damage," according to the report.

The study found the one curtain which was tested for off-gassing may have released, over the course of the first few hours after it was opened, chemicals that could be toxic if swallowed or inhaled only in quantities thousands of times greater than those found.

Critics said that the testing was not verified by an independent lab and didn't account for real-world conditions such as temperature or humidity in a shower stall.

The study also included estimated results for some of the chemical amounts it reported, and most of the off-gassed chemicals found initially were not detectable after a few days.

In short, it is a piece of shower curtain research that some experts said just doesn't hold water.