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Each week over the last 6 months there has been news
reports, government advisories and manufacturers warnings about the
components of children's playthings.
Why do you care?
- Most toys are manufactured out of materials that have an impact
on children's health. They include:1
- Polyvinyl Chloride - PVC - note by the #3 "recycling"
symbol on product, is the worst plastic, from both an environmental
and health standpoint. Throughout its lifecycle, from production
to use to disposal, PVC releases dioxins into the air and water.
Lead and phthalates are added which are also problematic.
- Lead - a neurotoxin which can impair brain development
and carcinogenic, is found in paint on wood and metal toys and
as an additive to vinyl children's products and packaging neurotoxin.
- Phthalates - A chemical additive used to soften hard
plastic. Linked to early onset of puberty in girls, reduced
sperm quality in males and reproductive problems.
- Bisphenol A - leaches out of plastic products in normal
use and is a hormone disrupter
- A Consumer Reports' investigation on lead in children's toys focused
on products that children handle, such as school supplies, backpacks
and kids' jewelry and everyday toys. detected "widely varying
levels" of lead in samples of dishware, jewelry, glue stick
caps, vinyl backpacks, children's ceramic tea sets, and other toys
and items not subject to recall.2
- The Consumer Product Safety Commission has asked that U.S. manufacturers
remove phthalates from baby pacifiers and toys for children under
three, and the European Union has already banned phthalates in toys.
(big green purse) California the first state to ban chemical phthalates
in toys and other products meant for children under 3.3
The Know How
- Look for PVC- and phthalate-free plastics, like blocks from Brio,
Ikea and Lego.
- If the plastic toys you are considering "smells like a beach
ball" - get rid of it .4
- Consider toys made with natural materials such as wool, leather,
fabric and wood. Wood toys made with non-toxic paints and natural
finishes like linseed, walnut or other natural oil.
- Art supplies that are certified by the Art & Creative Materials
Institute (ACMI). Children's products should bear the Approved Product
(AP) label.5
- Polymer clay, may contain PVC. Colorful polymer clays feel
like natural clay and stay soft at room temperature, but can
be easily hardened in a kitchen oven instead of a high-temperature
kiln. Look for clays made from beeswax and other non-PVC materials.
Or you can make your Home-made Play Dough.
- Cheap jewelry may contain lead and there is "no safe level
of lead for children". Look for brands that have been identified
as problematic by the Center
for Environmental Health.6
- Purchase from local toy manufacturers who can certify they followed
Canadian or U.S. environmental, health and safety regulations during
toy manufacture.
Know and Tell
- Tamey came across this great site - Baby
Naturopathics. They have a huge selection of friendly children's
toys by European brands HABA, Selecta Spielzeug and Kathe Kruse.
- Patti's kids have reached a milestone of growing up - they are
of the age that marketers "market to". They are savvy
consumers in the wants area and she is working on them to
become more inquiring and skeptical about what they need
- but honestly - it is a hard sell.
Take a look at the Shop
e-Bulletin.
1/4/6 Leslie Garrett, The Virtuous Comsuer, 2007
2 Consumer
Repots, December 2007
3 The
World Women Want, retrived Nov 20, 2007
5 PRODUCT REPORT Toys, The Green Guide, November 2006
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