New French study reports baby diapers contain harmful Chemicals

#GlobalHealth; FrenchStudy; disposablediapersharmful; carcinogen; Anes; Europe; #WorldHealthOrganization; #TheGuardian; #AgnèsBuzyn

Toronto, Jan 28 (Canadian-Media): A new French study, conducted by Anses and published last week reported diapers contain harmful substances including carcinogen, as classified by the World Health Organization, media reports said. 

Diapers. Image credit: Wikipedia

Anes, a French agency in charge of food, environmental, and occupation health and safety, reported disposable diapers being  one-quarter plastic, are undesirable to be in contact of child's bare skin for extended periods.

After examining 23 diaper brands between 2016 and 2018, the agency concluded  “a number of hazardous chemicals in disposable nappies that could migrate through urine, for example, and enter into prolonged contact with babies’ skin”, reported in The Guardian.

More than 60 chemicals including some banned in Europe for over 15 years and other substances, some found in cigarette smoke or diesel fumes were found in the diapers by the researchers.

15 days have been given to the diaper manufacturers by the French Ministry of Health to get rid of these chemicals.

Although these disposable diapers may not pose immediate health risk to babies wearing them, reported Agnès Buzyn, the Health Secretary, but not to ignore the concerns of risk for children’s health in the long term.

The report also said that extended use of diapers overheats baby boys’ testicles resulting in low sperm count and also poses problems with potty-training as kids can’t easily feel when they’re wet.

The report recommended the elimination or minimizing the use of named substances in disposable nappies and that parents should consider other alternatives.

The report concluded: “There is no epidemiological research allowing us to prove the health effects linked to the wearing of nappies. That said, dangerous chemical substances have been found in the nappies… At the current time and from what we know at the moment, it is not possible to exclude a health risk linked to the wearing of disposable nappies.”

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)