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• Consumers Respond With Overwhelming Demand for More Information About Chemicals in Toys , Dec. 18 , 2007
• Lead, Arsenic, Other Harmful Chemicals Found in Popular Toys, Dec. 5 , 2007

Consumers Respond With Overwhelming Demand for More Information About Chemicals in Toys

HealthyToys.Org Tests More New Toys for Toxic Chemicals and Releases New List of 150 Lead-Free Toys

Popular Toys Containing Lead Remain for Sale, Including a Fisher Price Medical Kit with Very High Lead Levels in Blood Pressure Cuff

After the overwhelming response to the release of www.HealthyToys.org - a holiday shopping guide to toxic chemicals in toys released earlier this month with more than 230,000 visitors - The Ecology Center and The Washington Toxics Coalition (WTC) today announced the results of another 22 popular children's toys and products that were tested for lead and other harmful chemicals. These toys were selected from more than 4,500 toys nominated via the "test my toy" feature on the site, where visitors could vote for toys that had not already been tested.

"The demand from parents for information on which toys are free of lead and other toxic chemicals is overwhelming. Our testing is providing much-needed information that should be coming from manufacturers and the government," said Erika Schreder, staff scientist at WTC.

Toys receiving the most votes were tested by experts at WTC using an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer for evidence of chemicals in the toys, such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic, and chlorine content to determine the presence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic. The XRF analyzer can only determine the presence of an element, and cannot predict exposure to a chemical of concern. The new results include:

• More than five times the recall standard for lead paint in a plastic cuff sold with the Fisher Price Medical Kit The Fisher Price Medical Kit has already been brought to the attention of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), as its level of lead - 3410ppm -- far exceeds the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that children's products contain no more than 40ppm lead. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan recently successfully forced Fisher-Price to pull the products from stores in Illinois; however, the product continues to be retailed throughout the country. The Medical Kit tested by HealthyToys.org was purchased in Washington State.

  The CPSC has not recalled the Medical Kit because the lead standard in federal law is based on how much lead is in paint, not in plastic or the product itself. Fisher Price hasn't voluntarily recalled the Medical Kit, so it remains on store shelves.

  "Toy manufacturers are trying to justify the use of lead in toys by claiming it's not a problem unless it migrates from the product into a child. From our perspective, there's no justifying putting known toxics in children's toys. It's not a question of whether chemicals will migrate, it's a question of why lead and toxic chemicals are being used in toys at all. Why take the risk?" said Jeff Gearhart of the Ecology Center.

• Thirteen of the 22 toys and products tested were made with PVC, including American Girl Dolls and Lincoln Log figures. Fifty percent (50%) of toys tested by HealthyToys.org were PVC, which is a concern because PVC may contain phthalates, some of which have been banned from childrenÕs products in Europe and California. PVC also creates hazards through its life cycle.

  In addition, WTC tested ten children's toothbrushes, which were one of the top items requested by HealthyToy.org site visitors. PVC was detected in four of the toothbrush handles. While most were free of lead, we did detect moderate levels of lead in the handle of an Oral B Stages Power Ranger toothbrush.

  HealthyToys.org also released a list of 146 previously tested toys that were found not to contain toxic chemicals of concern that could be identified by the XRF. These results show that manufacturers can make toys free of unnecessary toxic chemicals. See HealthyToys.org Best Toys List

"Children are especially vulnerable to a number of contaminants that have been found in children's toys. Not only are healthy toys important so that children can have joyful and carefree playtimes, but they ensure that children develop into their full potential as productive members of society," said Leo Trasande, MD, a pediatrician and assistant director of the Mt. Sinai Center for Children's Health and the Environment.

The online grassroots organization MomsRising.org has developed a fast and easy way for shoppers to learn if particular toys contain toxins using their cell phones. The group has developed a text messaging system that uses the HealthyToys.org database. Parents can simply text "healthytoys" and the name of a particular toy, a type of toy or a toy manufacturer or retailer to 41411 to find out whether a toy is toxic. MomsRising will respond instantly with a message, based on comprehensive tests of more than 1,200 toys featured at HealthyToys.org. See MomsRising - No Toxic Toys for more information.

Environmental health groups including the Washington Toxics Coalition and Ecology Center are calling for swift action at the state level to fill the gaps in law that are allowing toxic toys to stay on store shelves. HealthyToys.org provides specific guidelines for how to petition state and federal government agencies and toy manufacturers to urge them to phase out toxic chemicals from toys immediately. HealthyToys.org ratings do not provide a measure of health risk or chemical exposure associated with any individual toy or children's product, or any individual element or related chemical. For a full list of toy test results, visit HealthyToys.org.

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*** ATTENTION JOURNALISTS: B-Roll, hi-resolution photos and best / worst lists are available at http://www.HealthyToys.org/press.resources.php . To arrange one-on-one interviews with experts please call Shayna Samuels, 718-541-4785 or Margie Kelly 541-344-2282. ***

Lead, Arsenic, Other Harmful Chemicals Found in Popular Toys;
Michigan-based Ecology Center Releases Testing Results and
Consumer Action Guide at www.HealthyToys.org

Holiday Favorites, Including Hannah Montana & Circo, Contaminated
with High Levels of Toxic Chemicals

( Ann Arbor, MI -- December 5, 2007 ) - The Ecology Center, a Michigan-based nonprofit organization, today released the results of their testing of 1,200 popular children's toys for toxic chemicals at www.HealthyToys.org. Working with environmental health groups across the country, the Ecology Center led the development of the site to inform consumers about products they will be purchasing this holiday season. Parents and other holiday shoppers can now easily search by product name, brand, or toy type to learn how the products rate in terms of harmful chemical content.

"The government is not testing for toxic chemicals in toys, and too many manufacturers are not self-regulating, so we created the nation's first toy database to help inform and empower consumers," said Tracey Easthope, MPH, Director of the Ecology Center's Environmental Health Project. "Ultimately consumers need to compel the federal government and toy manufacturers to eliminate dangerous chemicals from toys."

Researchers chose to test these particular chemicals because they have been identified by regulatory agencies as problematic, and because of their association with reproductive problems, developmental and learning disabilities, hormone problems and cancer and because they are found in children's products. Babies and young children are the most vulnerable since their brains and bodies are still developing and because they frequently put toys in their mouths. The testing was conducted with a screening technology - the X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer - which identifies elemental composition of materials on the surface of products.

"Toxic chemicals have no place in children's toys, period," said Ted Schettler, MD, Science Director at the Science and Environmental Health Network. "Even low-level toxic chemical exposures can have lifelong impacts. Getting toxic chemicals out of children's toys is a moral and medical imperative."

HealthyToys.org tested 1,200 children's products and more than 3,000 components of those products.  

Following are highlights of the HealthyToys.org findings:

•  Lead -- When children are exposed to lead the developmental and nervous system consequences are irreversible. Recently the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended a level of 40 parts per million (ppm) of lead as the maximum that should be allowed in children's products. Nevertheless, there are no federal regulations for lead in vinyl, plastic toys or children's jewelry. The only existing standard is for lead in paint. HealthyToys.org found lead in 35% of products tested. Seventeen percent (17%) of the products had levels above the 600 ppm. The federal recall standard for lead paint is 600 ppm. The testing detected more than 6,700 ppm in Dollar Store animal figurines; 3,056 ppm in a Hannah Montana Pop Star Card Pack; and 1,700 ppm lead in a pair of Circo baby shoes.

•  Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC / Vinyl) -- HealthyToys.org determined products were made with PVC plastic by measuring their chlorine content. PVC is a problematic plastic from an environmental health perspective because it creates major hazards throughout its life cycle and contains additives that can be dangerous to human health. Phthalates are chemicals that are very commonly added to PVC to make it soft and flexible, however, they can leach out of the plastic. Exposure to phthalates is linked to birth defects of the genitals and altered levels of reproductive hormones in baby boys. There are currently no federal regulations limiting phthalates in children's products. California recently passed a ban of several phthalates in children's products, and Europe has restricted the use of phthalates in children's toys and child care items. 47% percent of toys (excluding jewelry) tested by HealthyToys.org were PVC.

•  Cadmium - Cadmium is a heavy metal that is used in coatings and pigments in plastic and paint. It is a known human carcinogen and exposure can cause adverse effects on the kidneys, lungs, liver, and testes. Currently there are no mandatory restrictions on cadmium in children's products in the U.S. HealthyToys.org found cadmium at levels greater than 100 ppm in 2.9% of products -- 22 of the 764 products tested for cadmium-- including painted toys, PVC toys, backpacks, lunch boxes and bibs.

•  Arsenic - Arsenic is a heavy metal that can be present in both organic and inorganic molecules. It is not clear why arsenic is in children's products, though it may be used in textiles and plastics in dyes. Arsenic was detected at levels greater than 100 ppm in 2.2% (17 out of 764) products tested for arsenic.

HealthyToys.org also tested toys for mercury, bromine, chromium, tin and antimony -- chemicals that have all been linked to health problems and have been subject to either regulatory restrictions or voluntary limits set by industry associations or third party environmental organizations.

"With all of the toy recalls it is becoming increasingly difficult to shop for children," said Alexandra Zissu, co-author of The Complete Organic Pregnancy and mother of a 22-month-old girl.  "HealthyToys.org eliminates fear of the unknown and allows parents to make better decisions about the products we're buying."

The good news is that safe toys are possible. 28% of the products tested did not contain any lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury or PVC, including many made in China. Examples of healthier toys include: Amazing Animals Hippo by Fisher-Price (made in China); Caterpillar Grasping Toy by Melissa and Doug (made in Vietnam); and B.R. Bruin Stacking Cups (made in China).

These results show that manufacturers can make toys free of unnecessary toxic chemicals. HealthyToys.org provides specific guidelines for how to petition federal and state government agencies and toy manufacturers to urge them to phase out toxic chemicals from toys immediately.

With millions of toys on the market it was impossible to test them all, however visitors to HealthyToys.org can nominate other products to be tested.   The most commonly requested items will be tested each week leading up to the Holidays.

Michigan is critical to the national debate on toxic chemicals; several bills are pending in the Michigan Legislature that would phase-out specific toxicants, and Congressman John Dingell chairs the Congressional Committee charged with overseeing chemical regulation. The Michigan Legislature is moving a package of legislation (HB4132 & 4399; SB 174) that penalizes retailers for selling children's products with lead levels exceeding the federal recall limits of 600 ppm.

"That's a good start, but it's not just children's products and it's not just lead that are problematic," said Mike Shriberg, Ph.D., Policy Director for the Ecology Center. "Michigan Legislators need to take immediate, aggressive action to protect our children from all hazardous chemicals."

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*** ATTENTION JOURNALISTS:   B-Roll, hi-resolution photos and best / worst lists are available at http://www.HealthyToys.org/press.resources.php . ***