Unfortunately, many of the chemicals used in conventional toys that Santa Claus may bring are unsafe and harmful.
Will Santa Claus be naughty or nice this year? It depends on whether the toys Santa puts under the tree are toxic toys (naughty), or green toys (nice). When you are Christmas gift shopping for your children, make sure you are not buying poisoned gifts that have been made with toxic ingredients. The materials, polishes and paints that are used to make many toys can be harmful to your children’s health. It’s frightening to imagine cute babies chewing on toys made with toxic substances, but sadly, it happens all the time. Here is what you need to know about toxic toys and their alternatives: eco toys.
Toys: Toxic Ingredients that Endanger Children
As innocent as toys may seem, they can pose serious health and environmental concerns. Nowadays, numerous toys still contain dangerous levels of toxic chemicals.
Among them are: PVC softeners, known as phthalates, that are commonly used in numerous industrial and consumer products including nail polishes and soft squeeze toys for young children such as bath books, rubber ducks, beach balls, bath toys, dolls and teething rings. Phthalates are chemical ingredients added to PVC to making it softer and more flexible. Since they are not bonded to the plastic, they can be released and swallowed by children and especially babies who suck and chew on their toys. Some phthalates have been linked to cancer, kidney and liver damage, harm to developing reproductive organs, and premature breast development in baby girls.
Phthalates leach from PVC toys like water from a wet sponge.
PVC’s lifecycle releases highly hazardous chemicals including dioxins and furans, vinyl chloride, ethylene dichloride, phthalates, mercury, lead, cadmium and other toxic ingredients, which can be released into the environment during manufacturing and when the toy degrades. Moreover, PVC chemical plants pollute the air and groundwater of surrounding communities, harming the health of workers. In fact, there’s no safe way to manufacture, to use or to dispose of PVC products and that’s why, it is called “the poison plastic.”
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) asked U.S. toy manufacturers to remove phthalates from baby pacifiers and toys for children under five. However, each year, U.S PIRG releases an alarming survey about toy safety which examines the level of phthalates and other hazardous chemicals in children’s products. And, each year, the Trouble in Toyland Report finds that the CPSC’s voluntary limit is surpassed in many cases…
The exposure of children to such toxic materials presents unacceptable hazards. Children have a higher risk of suffering side effects from toxic chemical exposure than adults due to their increased intestinal absorbability, skin absorption and less developed metabolisms.
In October 2011, Gov. Brown signed into law AB 1319, a prohibition on sales or manufacture of baby bottles and sippy cups containing Bisphenol-A, which has been linked to cancer and a host of other health effects. California is one of several states that have banned BPA in these products.
Fortunately, you can avoid toxic toys. Purchasing phthalate free or PVC free toys is surely a good alternative, as these toys contain less harmful chemical additives than conventional toys but, in term of environmental protection and children’s health, the best choice to make is green toys. There are many organic toys on the market nowadays, they are very affordable as traditional toys, but they are safer and do not contain toxic chemicals that may affect child development. These eco toys come in different variations and are widely available.
Look for Eco-friendly and Organic Toys:
- Organic cotton: Look for organic cotton plush animals and cloth toys, made with fibers certified by USDA National Organic Program
- Natural Wood Toys are completely harmless and healthier for environment. They can be used as an ideal teething or manipulative toy for babies.
- Safe Plastic Toys: Avoid PVC and Toys made with bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical added to plastic, and look for toys made from recycled materials or bioplastic. Green Toys contain bioplastic resins made from safer and renewable resources like corn and other starches. Using theses materials ensure that toys are phthalate and PVC free.
Consider buying handmade toys; members of the national Handmade Toy Alliance create toys designed to exceed the strict safety regulation imposed by the Consumer Product Safety Administration
Thus, during your Christmas Gift shopping, don’t forget to always verify toy materials and basic safety before buying any kind of toys! Choosing eco toys for your children will not only preserve your family health, but also the Earth.
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Your story about eco-friendly toys is great. I have done a lot of research when buying toys for my children this year. I was so amazed to find out the materials that are in some toys. These are toys that are kids put in their mouths sometimes. We recently found some of my husband’s toys and he wanted to let the kids play with them but I am a little leary. Toys from the 70s are not near as safe as they are today. Do you feel that parents should pass along toys from children to children or should each child have their own toys because of advancements in toys?