WILMINGTON -- When you consider your garden hose cancer and birth defects probably don't come to mind.
Garden hoses contain harmful chemicals including lead. If you read the fine print, you'll see the warning: "do not drink water from this hose."
Environmental health specialists say for children under six - there *is* no safe amount of lead.
Thomas Stich environmental health specialist
Environmental health specialist Thomas Stich said, "It can cause memory problems, cause dizziness. It can cause liver damage."
Garden hoses should be used only to water plants and lawns.
Stich recommends that you not use your garden hose to fill up your pet's waterbowl, or to fill kiddie pools, as your child could swallow some water when playing.
Lead also found in other PVC products
It never ceases to amaze me that companies continue to make and sell products like PVC that contain lead. Lead is a developmental toxicant, can damage brain development and reduce the cognitive ability and IQ of children in infinitely small doses. We've known for decades that it's harmful. We removed it from gasoline and paint. Why is it showing up in garden hoses and children's products?
Lead has been found in other PVC consumer products and packaging, such as baby bibs, lunch boxes, children's toys, and packaging.
In fact a new study was just released last week that found over 60% of PVC packaging that was tested had levels of lead or cadmium that broke laws in 19 states across the country.
To learn more about the dangers of PVC consumer products, visit www.besafenet.com/pvc
Best, Mike Schade, PVC Campaign Coordinator, Center for Health, Environment and Justice