The naturally forming element antimony is used as a flame retardant in textiles and plastics but advocacy groups want better oversight from US government

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

An advocacy and research organisation, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), is hoping to educate the public about the toxin antimony, push manufacturers to stop using it and ensure that the federal government adheres to its oversight responsibilities.

Antimony is a naturally forming element and metalloid that is found predominantly as sulfide mineral stibnite and has been used by humans for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians used it in cosmetics.

It is also a known carcinogen, chronic exposure to which has been reported to result in lung damage, skin irritation and stomach problems, and has been linked to reproductive issues.

Despite this, it continues to be used as a flame retardant in textiles and plastics, and is found in baby bibs, children’s shoes, clothes, toys and games.



The Environmental Protection Agency does not classify antimony as a carcinogen, although in a recent statement on antimony it said: “Respiratory effects, such as inflammation of the lungs, chronic bronchitis and chronic emphysema, are the primary effects noted from chronic (long-term) exposure to antimony in humans via inhalation.



“Human studies are inconclusive regarding antimony exposure and cancer, while animal studies have reported lung tumors in rats exposed to antimony trioxide via inhalation.”

The EWG’s government affairs director, Christine Hill, said the EPA had not been given enough authority to take action. She said the federal Toxic Substances Control Act was “so broken and so weak that [the] EPA could not even ban asbestos, a cancer-causing substance that is still in use today and killing thousands of Americans each year”.



Of more than 80,000 chemicals currently used in consumer products, the federal government and consumers know relatively little. The EWG believes it is time to push the government to deliver.

“We need a strong federal program that provides EPA with the adequate resources that ensures chemicals are safe, quickly reviews the most dangerous chemicals, sets tough deadlines and preserves the role for the states,” said Hill.

Two states, Washington and Vermont, have enacted legislation that requires companies and manufacturers to disclose certain known toxins, including antimony, in the products it puts on the market. Maine has something similar.

A recent report published by TechNavio, however, said the antimony market was expected to grow. The study projected growth by more than 5% annually through 2019.

That was good news for China, which accounts for almost 90% of antimony production globally. South Africa, Bolivia and Russia share second place. But it could be bad news for consumers.

The EWG believes the US government should take a more active role in protecting consumers from toxins such as antimony.

The lack of public awareness about toxins in general led the EWG to create the Skin Deep app, which rates more than 68,000 skin care products, and Food Scores, which rates more than 80,000 products, for consumers to use as they shop.

New rules and regulations could limit or ban companies from using antimony, said EWG senior scientist Tasha Stoiber, who argued that although antimony is commonly used as a flame retardant, products can achieve fire safety in other ways.



“Some flammability standards that encouraged the use of fire retardant chemicals have been questioned in terms of their effectiveness in increasing fire safety and have been redesigned,” Stoiber said.