
Toxic Chemicals Could Be the Scariest Thing About Your Halloween Costume
October 08, 2024 | Source: The Guardian | by Alden Wicker
Anti-fast-fashion advocates frequently bemoan that clothing is now designed to be worn just a few times and thrown away. But what about the ultimate ultra-fast fashion: Halloween costumes? These are designed, quite literally, to be worn once. By the following year, the pop-culture reference is stale, and the flimsy polyester is in the landfill.
With no incentive for quality, costume makers can get sloppy. The Center for Environmental Health has found substances such as lead, cadmium and BPA in costume pieces from both Halloween Express and Spirit Halloween at levels that “would have exceeded the amount deemed by [California] to require a warning”, says CEH science lead Mihir Vohra.
Exposure to such substances has been linked to harm for humans. For instance, there is no “safe” level of lead exposure. Lead is especially damaging for children, and regular exposure can lead to nervous system damage and intellectual disabilities. Ingestion of cadmium can cause acute gastroenteritis, with permanent damage at high enough levels. BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which harms the hormonal system, and thus the regulation of all the important systems in our bodies, including the cardiovascular system and the brain. Research has found correlations between BPA exposure and brain and behavior disorders in children, and lifelong health effects for babies exposed to it in the womb. It is also linked to infertility, breast cancer, endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).