Organochlorines and the Environment

Organochlorines are a large class of organic chemicals, or carbon-based substances, that contain one or more chlorine atoms. Some organochlorines, like dioxins, are unintentional by-products of industrial processes that use chlorine. But most are created on purpose. Some 11,000 different organochlorine compounds are currently manufactured around the world, and they can be found in everything from plastics and pesticides to refrigerants and solvents. So many organochlorines are used for so many purposes, in fact, that of the 40 million global tons of chlorine produced each year, 75% is used to make these chlorinated chemicals.2

When chlorine is combined with carbon-based molecules, the resulting materials display a wealth of useful traits. They are usually highly reactive, which means they easily combine with other molecules to create still more new compounds (a valuable characteristic to chemists who use many organochlorines as stepping stones to creating other materials). Organochlorines are also generally extremely stable which means they have a long, sturdy life. And they are easily able to dissolve in oils which makes them excellent candidates for industrial solvents, cleaners, and surface coatings.3

Yet as useful as organochlorines are, it’s also a fact that they are the single most hazardous classes of compounds ever created. Scientists have found that exposure to organochlorines can create a wide variety of health problems including cancer, hormonal disruption, reproductive and developmental disorders, neurological problems, immune system dysfunction, and other serious conditions. Complicating this problem is the fact that organochlorines can often cause these effects at levels hundreds of thousands of times lower than the levels required by most other poisons. Some organochlorines, like dioxins, are so hazardous that they affect human health at levels measured in parts per trillion, an amount equivalent to a single drop in a train of tank cars 10 miles long.4

When this extreme toxicity is factored in with the organochlorine properties considered so useful by the chemical industry, the problem becomes clear. Because chlorine is highly reactive, its use often creates new and unforeseen toxins when released into the environment. Because organochlorines are extremely stable, they can remain to trouble us for a long time �?up to 2,500 years in some cases. And because they readily dissolve into oils, they are able to easily enter and accumulate in human and animal fatty tissues. Further complicating the picture is the fact that organochlorines are highly efficient environmental travelers. They’ve been found in regions as remote as Midway Island and the Arctic, places thousands of miles from the nearest source.5

Like dioxins, organochlorines are extremely long-lived, highly efficient travelers that have spread throughout the global environment. Every human being on the planet now carries organochlorines in his or her body. Scientists are concerned about these chemicals because they believe that when organochlorine molecules enter the body, they mimic hormones, the natural substances we produce in minute quantities to regulate our bodies' many functions. Because organochlorine molecules are shaped like hormone molecules, they can slip into cells in place of our hormones and cause terrible effects. These may include lower IQ, reduced fertility, genital deformities, breast cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, dramatic reductions in human sperm counts, and abnormalities within the immune system through a process called endocrine disruption.

Research has now begun to conclusively link dioxin and organochlorine exposure to birth defects, cancer, and reproductive and developmental disorders. Many scientists believe that the recent reports of declining sperm counts among men in industrialized countries can be traced to organochlorines.

Similar problems in wildlife populations have been definitively traced to this type of pollution, and we're not as different from our friends in the animal kingdom as appearances first suggest. Many biologists now believe organochlorines are responsible for the strange mutations, sterility, immune system failures, and local extinctions they've been noticing for years in animals from the Great Lakes to the North Sea.

Organochlorines: What You Can Do

Organochlorines have no place in a sustainable society or a healthy home. Here’s how you can avoid them:

Don’t use chlorinated solvents or chlorinated pesticides of any type.

Specifically, avoid products with “chlor�?in any ingredient name, a reference which usually indicates that organochlorines are present.
Eat as much organic food as possible in order to avoid further contact with pesticides.

Wash conventional produce well in order to remove pesticide residues and preservatives. Use soap and warm water for thick-skinned produce. Scrub as hard as possible. Even wash foods you peel �?pesticide residues on skins are easily transferred to food and hands during preparation.

Don’t heat food in any type of plastic container. Many plastics contain organochlorines that can leach into food when heated. Remove frozen foods from the “microwave-safe�?containers in which they’re sold, and use glass or ceramic containers for this and all other microwaving.

Avoid fish from waters suspected of being polluted. Organochlorines readily accumulate in fish and are then absorbed by people who eat them.

Similarly, reduce your consumption of high fat dairy products and other high fat animal products like meat (especially beef). Use soy-based replacements instead.

Choose unbleached or non-chlorine bleached paper products. Chlorine bleaching is a prime source of organochlorine pollution. And organochlorine residues often remain in the finished product.

Women should use non-chlorine bleached, all-cotton tampons. Most tampons are made from rayon, a wood pulp product bleached with chlorine. Scientists have found dioxins in these products.

From:   http://www.seventhgen.com/household_hazards/chlorine/organochlorines_tips.html

For more information about organochlorines visit:

Environmental Justice Net      http://www.ejnet.org/

Environmental Research Foundation     http://www.rachel.org/home_eng.htm

Center for Health & Environmental Justice     http://www.chej.org/