How I Found Out about PVC in dishwashers and the dangers it poses to our kids!
After having been used for 11 years, my dishwasher died. I wasn’t too sad, as I knew it meant getting one that matched the kitchen a bit better! Because I was preoccupied with the kids, Bill went out to pick out a dishwasher (this I was grateful for, as the kids don’t seem to enjoy appliance shopping so much!). The dishwasher came within a week. At first glance, I liked it because instead of being black, it was a bisque color, finally matching our cabinets. Then it was installed and we ran it to clean out any residue and dirt from the factory. I knew as soon as we opened the door that something was off. You see, I have a VERY sensitive nose that knows when something is not quite right. This tends to drive my husband crazy because it means he has to listen to me as I can smell out a problem before the effects can be seen.
It wasn’t until we opened the new dishwasher that I saw that the whole tub was made of plastic and knew that what I was smelling was the leeching of some sort of chemical. I got on the computer right away. After some research, I found that along with the tub being made of plastic, the actual racks were coated with PVC. Before moving on with my story, let me explain why this is bad for those of you that don’t know…
Like BPA, PVC contains dangerous chemicals. Some of these chemicals are known to cause cancer and asthma. Because these chemicals are released under warm and moist conditions, a dishwasher is a dangerous place for these already hazardous compounds. It’s not just the fact that these chemicals are coating the dishes, but also the fumes they give off, that when inhaled, cause problems. Please see the link at the end of this post for the full story!
Back to the story and the part that should shock people, but probably won’t… the companies using PVC know it is hazardous and thus, don’t come out and outright say that their racks are coated with PVC (Fridgedaire is one company that does this). When I went back to Lowes with Bill to pick out a different dishwaser, we found that those that have racks coated in nylon, advertise so on the information card displayed next to the washer. However, those with racks coated in PVC simply do not list what their racks are coated with. So here, once again, is where the theme of this blog comes into play – do your research! Had it not been for my nose, I would never had know I would be exposing my family to harmful chemicals via my dishwasher!
What Kind of Dishwasher poses the Least Amount of Dangers? After my research, I have found that as far as the choices that are out there go, look to buy a dishwasher with a stainless steel tub and nylon coated racks. If you are curious about what your racks are coated with, you should be able to find this info out online. Look for your particular brand and model and look at the specs.
If you aren’t aware about the big deal with PVC and the danger it poses, please read the first link below!
LINKS
Our Health and PVC – What’s The Connection (A must Read!) http://www.besafenet.com/pvc/documents/2009/Fact-Sheets/110909%20Our%20Health%20and%20PVC.pdf
The Connection Between Dishwashers and PVC: http://www.ehow.com/list_6624353_dangers-pvc-racks-dishwasher_.html
PVC: The Poison Plastic – The Campaign for Safe, Healthy Consumer Products: http://www.besafenet.com/pvc/about.htm
My husband and I are in the market for a new dishwasher. I too was more than a little alarmed by the prop 65 warning on all of the models we looked at. He is a manufacturing design engineer/metallurgist, so as such he was able to provide a little bit of insight on this for me. He informed that one of the materials on the Prop 65 warning list is nickel and you can’t have stainless steel without nickel. This is NOT to say that all Prop 65 warnings are related to the stainless steel but I just wanted to let folks know that you apparently can’t get stainless without the warning. That said, I didn’t know about the coating on the racks and I will be doing a lot more research before we purchase. Thank you for this very informative post!
Very informative article. Any thoughts on the dishwasher connectors? I have only been able to find hoses that are stainless steel with a pvc core, which seems like it could also cause exposure.
Thanks for your article.
The other issue with dishwashers now is that some are made with bitcumen for sound proofing.
I wanted to post this update I found. I have not used a GE yet. And while I don’t want plastic…I feel like plastic is better than asphalt.
From GE (August 2020)
Our plastic interior models do not have bitumen; they use mastic which is a sound deadening material similar to asphalt that helps deaden motor and wash noise.
We use bitumen only in our stainless steel tub models. Bitumen is a combination of asphalt and rubber, that is heat-bonded to all sides of the stainless steel tub. This heat-bonded application reduces noise vibration on the tub and is one of the best sound deadening materials used not only in dishwashers but, in cars, roofing, and flooring materials.
I am in the market for a dishwasher without bitumen. Samsung and LG have both stated that they do not use Bitumen.
Does anyone have one of these brands without toxic smells?
Can anyone confirm this about not using bitumen with these brands?
Thank you!
I’m not sure how old this article is but I recently bought a Maytag model mdb8989shz and it has a stainless steel tub, nylon racks, stainless blades and silver wear baskets. Yet, there is still a prop 65 warning on it. I’m thinking it could also be something used on the font of the machine as well. Maybe a chemical used to make it finger print resistant?
yes, I had to get a new one recently as well and they seem to all come with this warning now. Though I did ask about it at the store, I do not have a solid answer on what it is from.
This is a awesome discussion! Thank you all. I came at this looking for a new dishwasher and when I saw the Prop65 notifications on every style, my “spidey-sense” went up. Called Prop 65 & Consumer Product Safety Commission, and go no help. This is terrible that very few people know about this.
Also called Bosch and they said played dumb, until I started mentioning bitumen and PVC. They changed their tune and “assured” me that the bitumen is only on the outside and the tines are covered in nylon.
Still at a loss of what to buy. Wish there was at least one good option!!!
Written 10/2018
Thank you for that! I need a new dishwasher for sure. I also saw that in stainless steel models, bitumen. Do you know anything about that? What model of dishwasher did you go with?
Hi Kristy! No, I don’t know about the bitumen. I went with a KitchenAid. I am pretty happy with it. The motor did die within the first few months but it was replaced no problem. The repairman was surprised and said he doesn’t usually see problems with a KitchenAid…
Have you found any dishwashers without PVC and bitumen in them? I can’t seem to find any this is so disappointing.
I would like to get the answer to that question too. Who makes these DW’s without PVC AND BITUMEN?
I just recently replaced my old kitchen aid dishwasher for the newer quieter upgraded one
I’m upset with the terrible petroleum order coming from it and researched to find all the quieter dishwasher insulation is coated or made with a product called bitumen
It is essentially what they use in tar for replacing roads and in roofing tar
I’m trying to find one made without this product and I was wondering if you’ve heard of this issue
Mine is going back to the store and I may have to resort back to handwashing☹️️
I hope you can shed some light on this for me
I’ve seen a few blogs with other folks with this same issue and no good outcomes
Thanks
Deb
no, I haven’t had this with a dishwasher…
Thermador and ALL other popular brands (Whirlpool, Boch, Kitchenaid, Samsung, LG and others) have a “California Proposition 65 warning” – “Contains chemicals known to cause birth defects, cancer and other reproductive harm”.
I am searching for a dishwasher, too, and haven’t found one without that “proposition 65” warning.
by law they have to have it…
They have to have the warning if the product contains chemicals from a specific list. So it looks like no one is making dishwasher without the use of dangerous chemicals. Nobody buys water bottles that are not labeled “BPA free” anymore. They need to start making dishwashers that are “made of materials known as safe”.
Do you know about Thermador dishwashers? I called the company and it’s a stainless steel tub and the racks are metal coated with polyurethane. What’s your opinion of that?
thanks!
Kristen
I don’t know of them, but the combination you just described sounds good!
An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a colleague who had been doing a little homework
on this. And he in fact ordered me lunch because I found it
for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!!
But yeah, thanx for spending some time to discuss this issue here on your
internet site.
Thanks for this! My dishwasher just died and I’m researching my options. One thing to note about stainless steel tubs is that most, if not all from what I’m reading, are lined with bitumen on the outside (think tar!) to help make the dishwasher quieter. Many people are complaining about the tar smell whenever they run their dishwasher….and even when it does finally go away eventually, I keep hearing that even when you can’t smell something anymore, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is done off-gassing. Ugh! So frustrated in trying to find a safe option. I can’t stand smells and honestly think I’m going to end up with a plastic tub (which I know will smell initially) and make sure it doesn’t have pvc coated racks. Can’t win these days!!
I am heard the same thing about stainless steel tubs so now I am looking for a plastic inside with a nylon rack. Any luck? What did you go with?
You do not want plastic. Plastic leaches chemicals. Stainless Steel contains no chemicals to leach.
But what about the Bitumen coating that is toxic on stainless steel dishwashers? As long as the plastic is polypropylene and not pvc, it’s supposed to be safer.
Hi Cassie
I’m having the same problem with my new kitchen aid dishwasher
Were you able to find a good alternative
Please help
This smell is making me crazy
Going to return it today!
Thanks
Deb
In researching dishwashers, I have yet to find one that does not have bitumen, regardless of whether it is stainless steel or plastic tub. Whirlpool verified for me that they do not make any bitumen-free dishwashers. Another thread had mentioned that one of their models was bitumen free, but that is not the case. So, I think these companies now use the same insulation methods on all models.
You should be commended for trying to raise everyone’s awareness regarding our children and the need to nurture them as well as the world we in which we live. It is not easy and I cannot thank you enough for sharing your knowledge with me. It seems that the toxic fume “cloud” being emitted by some of these dishwashers is like the elephant in the room. It’s hard to believe that testers who rate machines, workers who build them and quality control personnel cannot smell the chemicals or worry about their effects. I am sorry but naivete is doing battle with my cynicism as I realize that integrity has once again taken a back seat to the bottom line. Thank you again and good luck.
thank you for saying so! Glad to help 🙂
Please, I am begging you to tell me what dishwasher you bought. We have had our new one for less then a week and as long as I am in the house with it my throat burns almost down to my lungs. We have had fans running with all of doors and windows open nonstop while we are awake and some while we are sleeping. It is nauseating. I have done everything suggested online to try to get rid of the chemical smell and nothing has worked. I really feel for our animals, as they cannot tell us how horrible they are feeling and I don’t know how badly the toxic fumes are damaging their little bodies. Not only that, but my family already has serious health issues (COPD, Hepetitis C, thyroid problems, to name a few) and this is making their situations worse. Please, help. You are the only hope I have found in almost a week of searching for a solution. Thank you so much.
ours is stainless steel inside and out with nylon coated racks – that’s what you want. Got it from Lowes; it’s made by LG.
Thank you so much – I am returning my week old GE and getting a very expensive but safer LG. Have a great day! (mine just got a lot better)
What kind of dishwasher did you get? I need to simplify my searching…I’ve waited a year & a half and I’m ready to have a dishwasher again. I’m looking for the safest and most inexpensive. 🙂 Thanks.
we have a Maytag – we didn’t have a whole lot of money to spend, so we have a plastic tub – not my first choice – when you look look for a tag that says nylon racks and then try to get a stainless steel tub.
Wow, I’m disappointed that you felt pressure to buy a plastic tub dishwasher after this excellent article.
Suggestions that might be useful:
Use a good-sized tub (pan or bowl) filled with soapy water, then scrap and rinse each dirty dish before placing in the soapy tub to allow gradual washing off of most of the grime. Use another container of water (can be as small as a large measuring cup) for a quick dip rinse before a final rinse. Then have a good drain and drain board situation set up to place clean dishes.
You can wash the dishes from the soapy tub as you find time, such as when waiting for water to boil, or cooking something. (You can even place the tub on the counter if you have only one sink tub. And you can cover it with a cutting board or the like when soaking.) Always finish any left at the end of the day, so you can start anew the next day, and so that there isn’t a dirty tub to deal with.
Also, try to eat raw food and soups as much as possible, so that sticky, hard to clean cooking pans and greasy dishes aren’t a problem. If you have greasy or sticky bake and cooking pans, this naturally will make dishwashing more difficult. Remember, the foods that make these messes aren’t so very good for us anyway.
For washing raw veggies, a large measuring cup (4 – 8 cup) and a strainer works very well. Keep baking soda in a shaker for sprinkling onto hard fruits and veggies such as apples, pears, avocados, etc. Just rub the dampened fruit with the sprinkled baking soda on it in your hands, or scrub with a natural bristle brush, and rinse thoroughly (baking soda, of course, is not toxic, but does kill pathogens, especially with friction). Use good quality vinegar for rinsing veggies and fragile fruits; just rinse them in a shallow pan, or even just spray them all over from a sprayer bottle, and let sit for a minute, then rinse well. Try to buy organic as often as possible, as the pesticides and GMO products, as you know, are also causing endocrine and other problems.
Hope this is useful.
Thanks for the tips – I have since moved and now have a dishwasher that is all stainless steel – at the time, we simply could not afford it.
And a dishwasher’s typical dish-drying method is by sucking up dirty, microbe-infected air from the kitchen floor and blowing it all over your wet, clean dishes. Siemens does not do this. Here’s a helpful overview: http://www.dishwasherguru.com/ap_adv_feat.html
I’m really considering not getting a dishwasher at all with our next home and maybe instead installing similar racks/drawers like a dishwasher to put our dishes to dry after washing rather than on the counters. But not an actual dishwasher. Just another option/idea to be more sustainable/environmentally friendly. 🙂
This is good information and worthy of concern, but also consider that most people’s water pipes are pvc as well so the water coming into your home and your sink/faucet etc is passing and sitting idle in pvc pipes. Another concern in older homes is lead pipes.
Only drain pipes are PVC, not water supply. They are usually copper.
Wow! I had no idea about this PVC problem. Definitely another factor to look at if someone is planning on purchasing a dishwasher these days.
I have an older dishwasher…not old, just not new. And Im trying to look up the info on it and cant find it…where would I look to find that information on my dishwasher?
I think I went to the company site and looked it up from there – did you google the brand and type? It would be under like the specs for it.
I went to the site…its a kenmore. But Im not finding anything…that doesnt mean its not there though, I just cant find it. I do have the Use and Care guide for the dishwasher, would it be in there?
it could be….