| Dear
EarthTalk: I have been alarmed at recent news
about dangerous substances in kids’ toys shipped to
the U.S. from China, though I doubt that such concerns are
limited to Chinese products. What are the major issues associated
with chemicals in child toys?
-- Carla M., Chicago, IL
Recent
concerns surrounding toxic chemicals in children’s
toys have focused on “phthalates” (pronounced
THA-lates), a group of chemical compounds typically added
to plastics to increase their softness and flexibility,
and bisphenol A (BPA), a building block for polycarbonate
plastic that is used primarily in shatter-resistant baby
bottles. Phthalates are found in numerous industrial and
consumer products, including plastic intravenous (IV) bags
used in hospitals, fishing lures and nail polishes. One
phthalate, diisononyl phthalate (DINP), is commonly used
in the manufacture of soft vinyl products made for babies,
such as bath books, rubber ducks and teething rings.
Studies
have linked BPA to the disruption of hormone function in
rats, and to increased breast and prostate cancer cell growth,
early puberty and obesity in humans. Other studies have
linked phthalates like DINP to rodent cancers and genital
abnormalities, especially in males.
The
city of San Francisco would have been the first U.S. jurisdiction
to ban phthalates and BPA from children’s toys and
feeding products under a “Stop Toxic Toys” bill
signed by mayor Gavin Newsom in June 2006, but lawsuits
backed by chemical and toy manufacturers (and filed by a
coalition including the California Retailers Association,
the California Grocers Association and the American Chemistry
Council) stalled the initiative, which had been set to take
effect December 1, 2006.
Then
on October 15, 2007, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
signed into law AB 1108 (also known as the California Toxic
Toys Bill), making California the first state in the country
to ban the use of phthalates from children’s products.
“We are thrilled that California is taking action
to protect our kids from dangerous chemicals,” said
Dan Jacobson, Legislative Director for Environment California,
which co-sponsored the legislation along with the Breast
Cancer Fund. “This bill is so important because as
children’s minds and bodies go through the delicate
processes of growing and developing, they are particularly
vulnerable to chemicals that could affect proper development.”
The
European Union considers phthalates dangerous enough to
ban them from children’s products, and has ordered
the removal of many variations from children’s products
and banned still others, including DINP, from anything that
kids might put in their mouths. Environment California and
other groups see the EU ban as evidence that alternatives
to these plasticizers exist and must be explored in the
U.S. “Many places in the world have to comply with
restrictions on phthalates,” says Rachel Gibson, an
attorney for Environment California. “It’s a
mystery why we sell toxic toys to American kids.”
Until
more stringent regulations are passed, consumers can use
the recycling codes on plastic products to determine content.
If it’s marked #7, it’s polycarbonate plastic
and contains BPA; if it’s marked #3, it’s polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) plastic and contains potentially harmful
phthalates.
CONTACTS:
Environment
California; Breast
Cancer Fund.
Dear
EarthTalk: What are the best sources out there
for environmentally friendly consumer products? I don’t
want to have to drive all over creation for green laundry
and other cleaning products or to find carpets, bedding
and other necessities that won’t bring chemicals into
my home.
-- Vanessa G., via e-mail
Although green-friendly
goods are starting to show up just about everywhere, finding
all the right products is still not as simple as a one-stop
trip to the mall or major grocer. However, there are several
reputable websites, mail order catalogs and storefront retailers
that cater to the eco-motivated consumer.
Online shoppers
need not steer their web browser any further than Gaiam.com.
The company sells, via its website and a printed catalog,
a wide range of green items—from phosphate-free detergents
and organic cotton bedding to compact fluorescent light
bulbs and backyard composting kits. In 2000 Gaiam acquired
RealGoods, the nation’s foremost retailer of “solar
living” products, including solar water heaters, energy-efficient
lighting and household battery chargers. Beyond mail order
endeavors, the merged company also gets green goods out
into mainstream retail outlets via partnerships with Target,
Borders and others.
Another good
one-stop shop for green consumer goods is Green Home, which
sells thousands of environmentally responsible home products
online. From bedding and table wear to paper goods and lunchboxes,
Green Home has the green consumer covered. Green Home was
founded by Linda Mason Hunter, author of The Healthy Home:
an Attic-To-Basement Guide to Toxin-Free Living, because
she was having trouble sourcing environmentally friendly
home items. Green Home also publishes the online magazine
Living, a repository of feature articles on various aspects
of living a greener lifestyle.
If you’re
more inclined to browsing store aisles than websites, natural
foods markets like Whole Foods and Wild Oats (now being
acquired by Whole Foods) carry a large number of green lifestyle
products on their shelves. These stores aren’t just
about organic produce anymore, and now stock everything
from green detergents to cookware.
Looking for more
durable kinds of goods? The best one-stop source for green
building materials is Ecohaus (formerly the Environmental
Home Center), which stocks and ships a wide range of building
materials, household equipment and supplies, kitchen and
bath fixtures, flooring, countertops and cabinets, paints,
finishes, wall coverings and home energy systems. The company
has three stores in Portland and Bend, Oregon and Seattle,
Washington, and also sells online.
For those harder-to-find
green goods, check out EcoSeek.net, which bills itself as
“the Internet’s first green product search engine.”
The site includes links to and in some cases reviews of
more than 6,500 different green products from over 300 merchants.
While it’s no one-stop shop—users purchase individual
items direct from individual merchants—it does make
for some interesting browsing. Another good online stop
is EcoMall, which lists thousands of socially responsible
manufacturers and distributors of just about every type
of green product imaginable.
CONTACTS:
Gaiam;
Green
Home; ecohaus;
EcoSeek;
EcoMall. |
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