Curtains for curtains?

Ever purchased a plastic shower curtain and noticed a weird odor? Well, don’t inhale. It turns out that new-curtain smell may come from toxins.

Curious about the stench, researchers from the Center for Health, Environment & Justice tested certain types of curtains and found chemicals known to damage the liver and central-nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems, reported the Los Angeles Times.

Found in high concentrations in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) curtains, the toxins are headache- and nausea-inducing, too. The researchers purchased the products from a variety of big-box retailers. In response, officials from the parent company of Sears, Target and Kmart announced PVC products would be phased out of the stores.