Plastic shoes have surged in popularity over recent years, but regardless of whether they’re doing your fashion sense any good, they could actually be damaging your environmental wellness. This is according to a study from the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC), which has shown that plastic shoes sold widely in at a variety of retailers; contain toxic chemicals that could harm your health and the environment.
More and more people are choosing plastic shoes because they are easily washed, and thrown away when they wear out, but once you understand where they come from, they may not seem so simple and convenient after all. In the manufacturing process, a variety of chemicals are used that could negatively impact your health, as well as the wellbeing of the planet and the employees engaged in manufacturing the shoes.
The SSNC and co-op groups from the Philippines, India, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania and Indonesia, conducted the study, which involved analysing the chemical content of 27 varieties of plastic shoes. They found that there were phthalates, a chemical that can harm your reproductive system, in 17 out of 27 plastic shoes studied. These included PAH (polyaromatic hydrocarbons), tin organic compounds, heavy metals, mercury, lead and cadmium.
A substance known as DEHP was found in a pair of flip flops from South Africa, and this chemical is currently on the EU list of SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern). However, the DEHP Information Centre states, ‘Although DEHP is classified in the European Union as a Category 2 reproductive toxicant for both fertility and developmental effects consumers can remain assured that its use in everyday products does not pose a health risk.’
A bigger concern with regard to this chemical is from the use of medical devices that contain DHEP, yet the FDA is still working on recommendations about its health risks. The FDA currently says that ‘Exposure to DEHP has produced a range of adverse effects in experimental animals, but those of greatest concern involve effects on the development of the testicles and the production of normal sperm in young animals.’ According to the FDA, there is presently no solid evidence that DHEP harms.
However, according to SSNC President Mikael Karlsson, ‘Consumers simply do not know that there are harmful substances in plastic shoes, and the companies do not take responsibility for controlling the products. It seems clear that authorities need to have more resources from the government in order to examine the presence of chemicals in common consumer products.’ He asserted that the SSNC seeks to raise consumer awareness when purchasing products that could possibly harm your health and the environment.
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