Walking (Softly) Away from Toxins

Reading books is a luxury for me these days, at least books that are not related to the first years, parenting, authors related to my daughters name (the Bronte sisters) and the ones my little girl enjoys having us read to her over and over and over! But I have been enjoying a book that I received as a gift from my parents this Christmas. Everyone should read this book as it relates to toxic chemicals in everyday products and why America is so far behind in its regulatory standards than other countries, primarily those in the European Union. This book is called, Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products and what’s at stake for American Power by Mark Schapiro who is the editorial director for the Center for Investigative Reporting. If you want to find out more about the book and author before reading this short read, you can listen to an interview I heard November 26, 2007, on NPR's Fresh Air program, or read his article on The Nation magazine website or read from Mark Schapiro’s blog on the Center for Investigative Reporting.

I have always known that we should not microwave food in plastic dishes because parts of the plastic break down, and I always wondered why many waterbottles have a plastic taste to them but since parenthood began for me almost a year ago, I have been researching many sources to find out what is safe or not for my child and family to use these days. I am sure you are sick of hearing about toy recalls from China but they got me to search for what is really going on with our manufacturing industry. It is not China's fault that we have lower standards than most other developed countries and we do not mandate tests or regulate the use of many highly toxic and cancer causing chemicals. Let alone their impact on the environment now and years down the road. Yes we do test for lead in toys but there are 100s more chemicals and metals that can do a lot of harm even in low doses. Many well-known health organizations and scientific groups have put out reports for years and have lobbied our government to make changes and use tougher regulations. After years of hard work, California will now be the first state to ban six types of toxic chemicals called Phthalates that are used to make soft plastic toys and many medical devices after the California Toxic Toys Bill (AB 1108) that was passed October 14th, 2007 signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

I found that it is not easy to buy things now because the U.S. does not even have safety standards for many types of products and has very loose and in some cases very old standards for others. Exposed uncovers the health, global, economic, environmental and government issues that are at the root of why we have everyday products that expose us to 100+ very toxic chemicals. Here are some resources I have found so far that have helped me get through the consumer maze of buying safe products, finding out what is in different types of plastics, and how to help get companies to produce products that are safely made with safer materials that will not harm us or the environment. Walk Soflty!

About Toxins in Plastics

• Smart Plastics Guide (a PDF file from the Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy)
  
• Bisphenol-A Free Portal (Information about toxic chemicals)
  
• Our Stolen Future (by Theo Colborn, Dianne Dumanoski & John Peterson Meyers)
  
• Life Without Plastics
• PVC: The Poison Plastic
• SCORECARD:The pollution Information Site

Toy and Product Safety

• Healthy Toys: The Consumer Action Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Toys
• Healthy Car and Car Seats
• The British Toy and Hobby Association safety standards

Look for the Lion Mark or EN 71 on things made for child use


More Resources

• Healthy Child Healthy World