Question from Elena Goss
Are knit products made with a wool/acrylic blend toxic?
Debra’s Answer
Acrylic is made from acrylonitrile, a special group of vinyl compounds. In my book Home Safe Home I noted that acrylonitrile is included on the Environmental Protection Agency’s list of sixty-five “priority pollutants” recognized as being hazardous to human health. Scorecard: Chemical Profiles: Acrylonitrile notes that it is a carcinogen.
That said, I don’t think you’ll get cancer from a wool/acrylic sweater. But I wouldn’t wear it next to my skin.
What about water-based acrylic products like mod podge? I use it to seal acrylic paint on my jewlery because it all says non-toxic. Help please, I don’t want to poison myself or friends. Thank you.
COMMENT FROM DEBRA:
It contains vinyl acetate, a potential human carcinogen. See Mod Podge MSDS
Thank you! Do you know of any safe alternatives to Mod Podge for jewlery or paper? It is so hard to know what is safe when they say “non-toxic” even when it is.
COMMENT FROM DEBRA:
I don’t know of an alternative. I used it once outdoors. Once it dries it’s not toxic. Just use it outdoors so there is a lot of ventilation. I wouldn’t make a practice of using it all day long every day as part of a business making craft projects.