The Shower Curtain Liner

I live in a cooperative with at least 10 other people (sometimes there may be guests). There are at least 5 of us who regularly use the bathroom and shower on the second floor where I live. When I moved into the coop in November of 2009 I brought and subsequently hung my own shower curtain and a new liner that I had bought and never used. Over the course of the next year and a half, I had washed it a few times. This should probably have been done more often, but finding times when the shower was not in use long enough to wash and at least partially hang dry it was often problematic. The last time I had attempted to launder it, I noticed that the pink soap scum layer had not completely disappeared or the black mold that was creeping along the lower edges. I knew it was time to replace the liner.

In the past, this had always been a relatively simple task for me. I would go to the store, buy another vinyl liner, hang it and the problem would be solved. Living in a house with a group of environmentally conscious individuals makes many seemingly simple tasks no longer simple. The third floor bathroom was having even more of an issue with their shower curtain liner and there had been a great deal of discussion as to what to do to remedy the situation. First, we try to always buy second-hand products whenever possible. This was not a time for a used purchase. Then there was the suggestion of making a liner out of an old sheet. Many people did not like the idea of having regular fabric inside the shower as a liner. Someone had read about people who had replaced their liner and then used the old one as a drop cloth or as a cover for an outdoor garden table.

So we had a consensus to replace the liners and reuse the old ones. The next issue was in what type of new liners to use. We had already nixed the idea of reusing a second-hand one or an old sheet. Vinyl shower curtains however, can have dangerous effects on the human body. The poisonous substances floating in the air can harm the body in various ways. According to The Center for Health, Environment and Justice, toxic substances contained in PVC shower curtains can pose a threat to the immune and reproductive systems and may even cause cancer. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, PVC products such as shower liners are burdened with 108 volatile organic compounds and poisonous chemicals including phthalates, mercury and dioxins. As the shower curtain hangs near the shower, the poisonous gases and compounds spread in the air and can stay for many days.

There are some very good environmentally friendly alternatives to vinyl shower curtains, but even these solutions have their own drawbacks. Linen and hemp are other possibilities but are very costly. PEVA (also called EVA) shower curtains, however, are a great and safe alternative to conventional vinyl shower curtains. There might be many benefits of PEVA, but just because it is chlorine-free doesn’t make it a perfect alternative. It is a petrochemical product and there are untested chemicals in it. However, it is the right step in an attempt to replace PVC and provide a green polymer alternative. So we did some research and found the “Ecopreme” shower curtain liners that are “chlorine free – environmental friendly, mold & mildew resistant,” as well has having rust proof metal grommets according to the package. They are 100% EVA. The problem is that they are made in China. Nothing is perfect including our decision to purchase the EVA liners, we just decided this would be our best non-toxic alternative.

The specifics on the toxicity of the PVC liners was retrieved from: http://www.brighthub.com/environment/green-living/articles/36516.aspx