Mothers Need To Know, Research Says 90 Percent Of Babies Are Exposed To Very Toxic Diapers And Can Cause Serious Disease Threats

Baby illustration. (Unsplash/@britishbabybox)

JAKARTA - Ninety percent of babies are exposed to highly toxic diapers, according to a report. Research conducted in France shows that this can lead to the threat of serious illness later in life.

An organization called ANSES tested the best-selling brand of disposable diapers and found 38 "extremely hazardous" chemicals in products sold across Europe. Most of the chemicals interfere with hormones, officials say, meaning they are not considered safe.

1,000 diapers are made in Europe every minute. No wonder this industrial market is very lucrative in the Blue Continent, with a value that reaches 7 billion euros or around Rp. 107,346,904,700,000 per year.

The study estimates that more than 14 million European children could suffer from "potentially very severe, variable and latent diseases that affect their quality of life during their lifetime", as reported by Euronews July 21.

Baby illustration (Unsplash/@megpiephoto)

These include cancer, suspected endocrine (hormonal) disorders and even reproductive effects (affecting fertility). Children are especially vulnerable to chemicals, according to the World Health Organization.

After the study was first published in 2019, ANSES followed up by testing 9 major brands. They found only one extant chemical, formaldehyde, a carcinogen, suggesting that the brand at least responded in some way.

But contamination can return, so the agency called on the European Union to strictly limit the chemicals in diapers.

The proposal was opposed by EU institutions. The bloc was due to protect consumers by passing a law this week, but they missed their legal deadline.

"Every day, parents are at risk of exposing their newborn babies to toxic chemicals, just by changing their diaper. It should not be up to the parents, to know whether the diaper they are using is toxic or not," said Maria Arena, Member of the Parliamentary Committee. Europe for the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and campaigner for chemical issues.

Illustration of a baby necessities store. (Unsplah/@hambourine)

"The European Union must increase and ban these substances in diapers and ensure a toxic-free environment for all," he stressed.

The European Chemicals Agency acknowledged the potential risk, saying the chemical should not be present, but claimed French researchers failed to properly demonstrate the risk in children.

However, the position is flawed, the NGO said. Yesterday, the European Commission missed a legal deadline to respond to the French proposal, delaying consumer protection for months or years.

It is known that around 21 NGOs, such as the Plastic Soup Foundation and Client Earth, have written to the Commission saying the health consequences for children are irreversible and they should ban the chemical.