Saturday, April 25, 2015

LOWE’S SCRUTINIZED FOR SELLING POTENTIALLY HARMFUL FLOORING CONTAINING PHTHALATES EXCEEDING U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCTS SAFETY COMMISSION CHILDREN’S PRODUCT STANDARDS




APRIL 23, 2015

Mooresville-based Lowe’s Home Improvement is facing scrutiny about selling flooring containing potentially dangerous chemicals after rival Home Depot pledged to phase out the products by the end of the year. 

The decision from Home Depot, the world’s largest home-improvement chain, came Wednesday after the company said it worked with consumer groups who warned about vinyl flooring that contains chemicals called phthalates. 

The retailer is urging other suppliers to phase out their use of the chemicals, too, the New York Times reported.

A recent study from HealthyStuff.org, a research group affiliated with the Ecology Center, found that the majority of vinyl flooring tiles sold at major retailers, including Lowe’s, contain toxic phthalates, which are commonly found in flooring at levels exceeding U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission children’s product standards.

Researchers said the chemicals have been linked to asthma, birth defects, learning disabilities, reproductive problems, liver toxicity and cancer. 

“We call on Lowe’s and other major home improvement retailers to join Home Depot in phasing out phthalates in flooring,” Andy Igrejas, director of advocacy group Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, said in a statement.

Lowe’s, the second biggest home improvement retailer, said it’s continually assessing its inventory to make sure it offers the best possible products.

“We are reviewing the latest research regarding phthalates and are working with our suppliers to consider alternative materials,” Steve Salazar, corporate communications manager at Lowe’s, wrote in an email to the Observer.

Following pressure from environmental groups, Lowe’s also said recently that it plans to phase out products that contain certain chemicals that are shown to be harmful to bees. Over the past year, retailers including Home Depot and Whole Foods have taken similar steps.

Source: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/