There have been recent concerns, especially among parents, about the dangerous substances that are found in children’s toys. It is a cause for concern, and even alarm, because parents always want to protect their child from these things, as they may be a potential cause of all sorts of health problems.
Most recently raising concerns regarding this issue of toxic chemicals found in toys are phthalates, pronounced as tha-lates. These are a group of chemicals that are typically being added to plastics which are often used to make toys to increase the product’s softness and flexibility. Phthalates are found in numerous products like plastic intravenous bags for hospital use, fishing lures and nail polishes. One kind of phthalate, the diisononyl phthalate (DINP) is used to manufacture soft vinyl baby products like rubber duckies, teething rings and bath books. Some studies have also linked phthalates like DINP, to genital abnormalities especially among the male population.
Another concern is bisphenol A or BPA, which is a building block for polycarbonate plastic. You will find BPA in many commonly used plastic products, from shatter-resistant feeding bottles to the linings of canned goods and drinks. Studies have shown that BPA can cause a disruption of hormone function in experiments with rats. It is also linked to increased breast and prostate cancer cell growth, obesity and early puberty in humans.
What is being done to keep these chemicals out off the market?
In San Francisco, an initiative signed by the Mayor would have been the first in the US to ban phthalates and BPA from being used in the manufacturing of children’s toys and feeding products under the “Stop Toxic Toys” bill in 2006. However, lawsuits that are backed by chemical and toy manufacturers have stalled this from taking effect.
In the year 2007, the California governor successfully signed into law AB 1109 or California Toxic Toys Bill. This made California the first state in the United States to ban the use of phthalates in the manufacturing of children’s products.
The Europe Union has also taken the initiative to ban phthalates from children’s products as they consider it dangerous enough. The EU has ordered the removal of many toxic variations from children’s products, including DINP, and especially from any product that kids have the tendency to put in their mouths.
How do you identify the “bad” plastics?
While there are still not enough stringent regulations that are being passed, the only way that consumers can determine the content of products is to look at the recycling codes on them. The ones marked as “#7” are polycarbonate plastics containing BPA. If you find a “#3” on the product instead, it contains polyvinyl chloride or PVC plastic, which may contain harmful phthalates.
Parents have a mission to protect their children, and avoiding products that contain harmful chemicals and toxins is one way to do this. It is very difficult to completely keep them away from these things but as parents, you should lessen their exposure to these harmful and potentially disease-causing chemicals as much as you can. The saying that goes, “It’s best to be safe than sorry” is one of those things that are very much applicable to these kinds of situations.
