Those crafty environmentalists have pointed out yet another control gap in consumer safety.

A study commissioned by the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice looked at the chemical composition of PVC shower curtains bought at a variety of retailers (from Sears to Bed Bath & Beyond). They found, unsurprisingly, that shower curtains contain high levels of phthalates. They also found high level of organotins, and the single shower curtain tested for off-gassing released 108 different volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

How would you know? Might be a good idea to design showers with no need for a curtain.