Two Vinyl Chloride Links today
The first is from USAToday.com:
Toy Safety Steps back into National SpotLight: Toy safety emerged as a major issue last year after manufacturers recalled millions of children's products because of lead paint, magnets and other health hazards. Heightened concerns about toys helped win approval of a "toxic toy" law in California, which last October became the first state to ban phthalates, softening agents found in vinyl products that have been linked to reproductive problems in many animal tests and a few human studies.
And:
Baby goes Green: Organic Toys and Clothes a rising trend: [F}ollowing recent scares about dangerous chemicals in toys and other children’s products, more parents are following Cannon’s early example and searching out natural and organic clothing and accessories for their babies....
Chemical concerns
Iplay’s Cannon said that the U.S. is still catching up to Japan and Europe, which have much stricter standards on the chemicals that can be used in baby products.
The European Union has banned some chemicals that are used to soften the polyvinyl chloride — vinyl — used to make bibs and other items. The typical culprit is lead, already identified as a carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency. Wal-Mart, Target and Sears have started programs to get rid of some of these products under pre-ssure from environmentalists who worry children can ingest these chemicals by chewing on vinyl products.
