- Email: [email protected]
New research considers obesity link to phthalate exposure
Additives for Polymers
increasing regulatory pressure. Other data [see ADPO, February 2007] put China’s consumption of phosphorus-based flame retardants at 50 000– 55 000 tonnes/year, therefore accounting for most of the current demand for non-halogenated flame retardants. Wider uptake and application of such phosphate flame retardants in China is hindered by their lower cost effectiveness compared to the currently dominant brominated and chlorinated products, though rising environmental concerns could induce a shift in their favour. Contact: Frost & Sullivan, 4 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH, UK; tel: +44-20-7730-3438; fax: +44-20-7730-3343; URL: www.frost.com
ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & SAFETY ISSUES New research considers obesity link to phthalate exposure A research team from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York, USA, has been investigating the hypothesis that phthalate exposure might have a direct link to the observed rise in abdominal obesity and insulin resistance in men living in industrialized countries. The team recently published their findings in Environ. Health Perspect., Vol 115, pp. 876–882 (2007) [see www.ehponline.org for full details]. Both abdominal obesity and insulin resistance, which is often a precursor to type-2 diabetes, have been associated with low testosterone levels. According to the Rochester study’s lead author Dr Richard Stahlhut, a number of previous studies in both the USA and Europe since 1992 have confirmed that both testosterone levels and sperm counts have fallen substantially in many parts of the industrialized world in recent decades. Work by a team at the Harvard School of Public Health has also suggested a correlation between levels of phthalates in the urine of adult men and decreased quality of their sperm. This led the Rochester group to study abdominal obesity and insulin resistance in relation to urinary phthalate levels. The team analysed data taken between 1999 and 2002 from the National Health and Nutrition
10
June 2007
Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted in the USA. The NHANES data was nationally representative and multi-ethnic. Urine samples from 1451 adult males were analysed for the presence of six phthalate metabolites – mono-butyl phthalate, mono-ethyl phthalate, mono-(2-ethyl)-hexyl phthalate, mono-benzyl phthalate, mono-(2-ethyl5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate, and mono-(2-ethyl5-oxohexyl) phthalate. Data were also collected for obesity and waist circumference. Of the 1451 men, 651 could also provide data for insulin resistance. Obesity and insulin resistance were considered independently. (Women were excluded from this study because hormones in women fluctuate greatly, and their response to low testosterone levels appears to be different. In fact, low testosterone levels in women have been associated with reduced prevalence of obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes.) The study revealed that high urinary concentrations of phthalates were more likely to be present in men who had abdominal obesity and/or had insulin resistance. Stahlhut describes the statistical associations as “strong”, but acknowledges that the design of the study has limitations. For instance, although the data were adjusted for food intake, smoking, age and race, among other factors, there might be some other reason why obese people have more phthalates in their urine, rather than it actually being that phthalates are causing the obesity, he explains. More research is now needed to reveal what exposures or what combination of exposures are causing these problems in adults, Stahlhut says. For example, studies measuring phthalate exposures over a period of time will provide better answers in the future. If the Rochester findings are confirmed by such ‘longitudinal studies’, as they are known, this would suggest that exposure to these phthalates may contribute to the population burden of obesity, insulin resistance and related clinical disorders. • In related news, a bill filed in Maryland, USA, seeks to prohibit the use of phthalates and bisphenol A in some children’s toys, baby products and cosmetics produced, marketed or distributed in the state. In support of the bill, a report on new laboratory studies undertaken by the University of Maryland School of Nursing was introduced at the House hearing in March. The study concluded
June 2007
that certain phthalate compounds and BPA can affect hormone function. House bill 833 proposes January 2009 as the deadline for companies to shift to safer alternatives. Similar bills have been introduced in the past year in California, New York and Minnesota. Contact: R.W. Stahlhut, Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 644, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; e-mail: [email protected]
Routes for handling plastics waste containing BFRs PlasticsEurope, in cooperation with Belgian metals smelter Umicore and the European Flame Retardant Association (EFRA), has completed a full-scale trial to assess the technical feasibility of treating mixed waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) materials with high plastics content in an integrated metal smelter. Such WEEE waste typically contains plastics incorporating brominated flame retardants (BFRs). The results confirm that integrated metal smelters represent an appropriate recycling route for WEEE materials as precious metals, in addition to a large range of other elements, can be recovered and recycled and the plastic content can serve as an energy source and reducing agent. In the trial, two-thirds of the energy content of the plastics was used to replace consumption of coke and fuel oil and approximately one-third was recovered as increased steam production. This is an important finding in connection with the EU’s WEEE recycling directive (2002/96/EC), as it demonstrates that there are existing economically viable and environmentally acceptable routes for dealing with WEEE materials containing plastics with flame retardants without having to separate those plastics from the waste stream before their treatment. The trial also demonstrated that the treatment of mixed WEEE materials in an integrated metal smelter does not affect the operational or environmental emissions performance of the smelter. The findings are included in a technical report entitled Using metal-rich WEEE plastics as feedstock/fuel substitute for an integrated metals smelter, produced by PlasticsEurope (www. plasticseurope.org) in association with Umicore and EFRA.
Additives for Polymers
EVENTS CALENDAR 19–20 July 2007 Baltimore, MD, USA Environmentally Friendly Flame Retardants Ciaran Little, Pira-Intertech, 19 Northbrook Drive, Portland, ME 04105, USA; tel: +1207-781-9606; fax: +1-207-781-2150; email: [email protected]; URL: www.intertechusa.com 5–6 September 2007 Frankfurt, Germany Plastics Additives and Compounding Addcon World 2007 Conference Dept, Rapra Technology, Shawbury, SY4 4NR UK; tel: +44-1939252421; fax: +44-1939-251118; e-mail: [email protected]; URL: www.rapra.net 5–7 September 2007 Las Vegas, NV, USA Nanocomposites 2007 Executive Conference Management, 11696 Amherst Court, Plymouth, MI 48170, USA; tel: +1-734-737-0507; fax: +1-734-7370508; e-mail: ecm@executive-conference. com; URL: www.executive-conference.com 8–9 October 2007 Baltimore, MD, USA Wood-Plastic and Natural Fiber Composites 2007 Niles Morton, Principia Partners, PO Box 611, Exton, PA 19341, USA; tel: +1-410531-5211; fax: +1-484-214-0172; e-mail: [email protected]; URL: www.principiaconferences.com 22–23 October 2007 Atlanta, GA, USA New Developments in the Stabilization of Thermoplastics Laura Limoge, Pira-Intertech; as above except: tel: +1-207-781-9630; e-mail: [email protected]
11
increasing regulatory pressure. Other data [see ADPO, February 2007] put China’s consumption of phosphorus-based flame retardants at 50 000– 55 000 tonnes/year, therefore accounting for most of the current demand for non-halogenated flame retardants. Wider uptake and application of such phosphate flame retardants in China is hindered by their lower cost effectiveness compared to the currently dominant brominated and chlorinated products, though rising environmental concerns could induce a shift in their favour. Contact: Frost & Sullivan, 4 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH, UK; tel: +44-20-7730-3438; fax: +44-20-7730-3343; URL: www.frost.com
ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & SAFETY ISSUES New research considers obesity link to phthalate exposure A research team from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York, USA, has been investigating the hypothesis that phthalate exposure might have a direct link to the observed rise in abdominal obesity and insulin resistance in men living in industrialized countries. The team recently published their findings in Environ. Health Perspect., Vol 115, pp. 876–882 (2007) [see www.ehponline.org for full details]. Both abdominal obesity and insulin resistance, which is often a precursor to type-2 diabetes, have been associated with low testosterone levels. According to the Rochester study’s lead author Dr Richard Stahlhut, a number of previous studies in both the USA and Europe since 1992 have confirmed that both testosterone levels and sperm counts have fallen substantially in many parts of the industrialized world in recent decades. Work by a team at the Harvard School of Public Health has also suggested a correlation between levels of phthalates in the urine of adult men and decreased quality of their sperm. This led the Rochester group to study abdominal obesity and insulin resistance in relation to urinary phthalate levels. The team analysed data taken between 1999 and 2002 from the National Health and Nutrition
10
June 2007
Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted in the USA. The NHANES data was nationally representative and multi-ethnic. Urine samples from 1451 adult males were analysed for the presence of six phthalate metabolites – mono-butyl phthalate, mono-ethyl phthalate, mono-(2-ethyl)-hexyl phthalate, mono-benzyl phthalate, mono-(2-ethyl5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate, and mono-(2-ethyl5-oxohexyl) phthalate. Data were also collected for obesity and waist circumference. Of the 1451 men, 651 could also provide data for insulin resistance. Obesity and insulin resistance were considered independently. (Women were excluded from this study because hormones in women fluctuate greatly, and their response to low testosterone levels appears to be different. In fact, low testosterone levels in women have been associated with reduced prevalence of obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes.) The study revealed that high urinary concentrations of phthalates were more likely to be present in men who had abdominal obesity and/or had insulin resistance. Stahlhut describes the statistical associations as “strong”, but acknowledges that the design of the study has limitations. For instance, although the data were adjusted for food intake, smoking, age and race, among other factors, there might be some other reason why obese people have more phthalates in their urine, rather than it actually being that phthalates are causing the obesity, he explains. More research is now needed to reveal what exposures or what combination of exposures are causing these problems in adults, Stahlhut says. For example, studies measuring phthalate exposures over a period of time will provide better answers in the future. If the Rochester findings are confirmed by such ‘longitudinal studies’, as they are known, this would suggest that exposure to these phthalates may contribute to the population burden of obesity, insulin resistance and related clinical disorders. • In related news, a bill filed in Maryland, USA, seeks to prohibit the use of phthalates and bisphenol A in some children’s toys, baby products and cosmetics produced, marketed or distributed in the state. In support of the bill, a report on new laboratory studies undertaken by the University of Maryland School of Nursing was introduced at the House hearing in March. The study concluded
June 2007
that certain phthalate compounds and BPA can affect hormone function. House bill 833 proposes January 2009 as the deadline for companies to shift to safer alternatives. Similar bills have been introduced in the past year in California, New York and Minnesota. Contact: R.W. Stahlhut, Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 644, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; e-mail: [email protected]
Routes for handling plastics waste containing BFRs PlasticsEurope, in cooperation with Belgian metals smelter Umicore and the European Flame Retardant Association (EFRA), has completed a full-scale trial to assess the technical feasibility of treating mixed waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) materials with high plastics content in an integrated metal smelter. Such WEEE waste typically contains plastics incorporating brominated flame retardants (BFRs). The results confirm that integrated metal smelters represent an appropriate recycling route for WEEE materials as precious metals, in addition to a large range of other elements, can be recovered and recycled and the plastic content can serve as an energy source and reducing agent. In the trial, two-thirds of the energy content of the plastics was used to replace consumption of coke and fuel oil and approximately one-third was recovered as increased steam production. This is an important finding in connection with the EU’s WEEE recycling directive (2002/96/EC), as it demonstrates that there are existing economically viable and environmentally acceptable routes for dealing with WEEE materials containing plastics with flame retardants without having to separate those plastics from the waste stream before their treatment. The trial also demonstrated that the treatment of mixed WEEE materials in an integrated metal smelter does not affect the operational or environmental emissions performance of the smelter. The findings are included in a technical report entitled Using metal-rich WEEE plastics as feedstock/fuel substitute for an integrated metals smelter, produced by PlasticsEurope (www. plasticseurope.org) in association with Umicore and EFRA.
Additives for Polymers
EVENTS CALENDAR 19–20 July 2007 Baltimore, MD, USA Environmentally Friendly Flame Retardants Ciaran Little, Pira-Intertech, 19 Northbrook Drive, Portland, ME 04105, USA; tel: +1207-781-9606; fax: +1-207-781-2150; email: [email protected]; URL: www.intertechusa.com 5–6 September 2007 Frankfurt, Germany Plastics Additives and Compounding Addcon World 2007 Conference Dept, Rapra Technology, Shawbury, SY4 4NR UK; tel: +44-1939252421; fax: +44-1939-251118; e-mail: [email protected]; URL: www.rapra.net 5–7 September 2007 Las Vegas, NV, USA Nanocomposites 2007 Executive Conference Management, 11696 Amherst Court, Plymouth, MI 48170, USA; tel: +1-734-737-0507; fax: +1-734-7370508; e-mail: ecm@executive-conference. com; URL: www.executive-conference.com 8–9 October 2007 Baltimore, MD, USA Wood-Plastic and Natural Fiber Composites 2007 Niles Morton, Principia Partners, PO Box 611, Exton, PA 19341, USA; tel: +1-410531-5211; fax: +1-484-214-0172; e-mail: [email protected]; URL: www.principiaconferences.com 22–23 October 2007 Atlanta, GA, USA New Developments in the Stabilization of Thermoplastics Laura Limoge, Pira-Intertech; as above except: tel: +1-207-781-9630; e-mail: [email protected]
11