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HealthyToys.org’s 2008 Holiday Expanded Toy Database

Anna@Green Talk — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:48:53 +0000

Are you making a list and checking it twice to see which toy companies have been naughty or nice this year? Worried which companies still produce toys with lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic or other toxic chemicals in them? Help just appeared. Today, Healthy Toys.org issued its expanded Consumer Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Toys to include over 1500 toys that were tested for toxic chemicals by their research teams. (See this information on how to search the database.)

The organization has redesigned their site to include some new as well as old features.

Create your own personalized holiday wish lists that can be e-mailed to family and friends. In addition, toys can be bought right from the site with a portion of the proceeds to fund work to test more toys.

Post a widget to your blog or website for quick searches of toy ratings for lead.

Contact your Congress Member, the largest toy manufacturer, and state organization responsible for full protection of children from toxic toys via the Organization’s Take Action page.

Use the tell-a-friend feature to let your friends and family know about HealthyToys.org and about the different ways they can take action to help protect children from toxic chemicals in products.

Support HealthyToys.org’s work. Make a tax-deductible donation to help the Organization to continue their work. It is a project of the Ecology Center. To learn about this Organization’s other programs for a safe and healthy environment, visit them online at www.ecocenter.org.

By the way. Does anyone remember the camera pictured above?

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You’ve Got Green Mail, the after Thanksgiving Gobble-up

Anna@Green Talk — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:35:10 +0000

Photo by permission of Shira Gal

I am hoping that you are enjoying my “you’ve got green mail” feature. It was a little quiet on the comment front on my first Green Mail article . Did you like the copper faucets and door handles article about how cooper zaps those nasty virus bugs away? I loved that one.

Today, I have a series of interesting articles for you: ”Panties for Peace Campaign,” “eBooks-A Greener Choice or Not,” “Banned Toys for Sale: What to Watch Out For and What to Buy,” and “NASCAR Goes Green with Hybrid Pace Car.”

If you have a great post to share, please do in the comments. Just give a little information about the posts so readers can decide if they would like to read it or not. You can submit one of your own posts if you like. Just keep the posts “green” in topic.

Enjoy!

Panties for Peace Campaign: Send your panties to weaken the strength of the Burma.

“The Panties for Peace campaign was launched by a group of women peace activists from a Burmese peace activist group called – Lanna Action for Burma which is based in Thailand. Since we initiated the panties for peace campaign for Burma, women’s panties (as well as male underwear) have been mailed out by activists to Burma’s foreign missions in Australia, Singapore, and European countries.

Our act of delivering our underwear to the Burmese foreign missions across the globe is of immense importance and symbolic in protest of Myanmar junta’s violent crackdown of monks-led rallies in Yangon last month, and to oust the generals ruling the country from power.

Lanna Action for Burma organized the action dubbed “Panties for Peace” and we have been sending and delivering the panties this week and will be doing so over the next few days, weeks and months. One of the main reasons for which we are encouraging people to send out their panties to Burma’s foreign missions is because the generals ruling Myanmar are superstitious and they believe that touching panties or the traditional women’s outfit sarong will eliminate their powers.”

Send your panties to the addresses listed on their website.

If your child is looking for a social injustice idea for his or her religious organization or high school activity, please consider supporting this cause. (Thanks to Lisa from RetroHousewife Goes Green via twitter comment)

“eBooks-A Greener Choice or Not” by Angela Wieck of EcoBrain with this post over at Eco-libris (green business who works with bookstore, publishers, writers, etc to balance out the paper used by planting trees.) The discussion as well as the comments are quite interesting.

“Banned Toys for Sale: What to Watch Out For and What to Buy” by Janelle Sorensen at Healthy Child, Healthy World. Feeling confused on what to buy this holiday season for our little ones? Healthy Child, Healthy World has a Healthy Toy Pocket Shopping Guide as well as a list of other green holiday guides from other green website who have already done the research.

“NASCAR Goes Green with Hybrid Pace Car” by Kristin Hall- Geisler via Riverwire. NASCAR is getting a little bit greener with the introduction of the first-ever hybrid pace car, 2010 Fusion. Read on.

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Natural Pod: Toys that Are as Environmentally Safe as Nature Intended

Anna@Green Talk — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:46:08 +0000

Check out my Natural Pod giveaway gift certificate below!

Christmas season is almost here. But it seems like yesterday, that the Safe Toy Database was introduced. Just last holiday season the creation of this Database brought to the fore-front the reality that are children have been playing with unsafe toys. Wouldn’t it be nice to find a company who you could trust to sell environmentally safe, quality made toys? No questioned asked?

Well, Natural Pod might be the answer to your prays. This Canadian company “gets all of us” who desire environmentally safe, quality toys. How come? The founders, Bridgitte and Allan Alomes, are the parents of two young children.

“We believe in a natural style of parenting. We found through our own parenting the limited choices that were available and wanted to create an easy source to find trusted products for all families, communities and educators,” Bridgitte explains.

What I love about the Company’s product selection is that the toys are designed to not only be safe, but to inspire imagination and creativity. In addition, they are quality made so that the toys can be handled down to the next child or perhaps our grandchildren. I don’t know about you, but I get tried of buying toys that break as easily as twigs.

Most importantly, I admire Nature Pod’s environmental standards. They truly vet the products that they put on their site. Take for example, the wooden Chef’s kitchen pictured above that was designed by Natural Pod and constructed on Vancouver Islands. Not only was it built using FSC certified wood, the plywood used does not contain any added formaldehyde. In addition, the Company used a combination of water based glues and screws and it was sealed with a coat of beeswax.

I bought a kitchen set when my youngest was a toddler. I loved the imagination that it inspired. I would be his “customer” as he cooked me something special.

What about the shipping? Is the Company as environmentally minded in this area as well? Bridgitte further assured me that the kitchen is shipped in a double walled brown cardboard box. Packing material is recycled cardboard and brown Kraft paper.

So, what kind of toys can you find at Natural Pod? How about some food items to inspire more play time? Try the realistic wood veggies, fruits, or wood felt breakfast set.

Perhaps your children would rather play in the recycled cardboard house or rocket, or float around the room with “magical” plant dyed play silks, or play a game of skittles? (Remember that game?) There is something for everyone on this website.

Being creative is a theme at Natural Pod with colored pencils especially designed with a triangular grip for little ones’ fingers, watercolor paint brushes designed using natural sustainable products, and small weaving looms for that one of kind craft.

The Company took that same extra care in their choice of clothing sold on the site as they did in their selection of toys. Featured are organic onesies, organic plant based T-shirts, and PVC free rain gear certified by ÖKO-tex a European standard.

Why should the Christmas season be froth with worry whether your children’s toys are safe? Consider registering toys you would like from your family. No more emails listing what not to buy your children. No more returned gifts. Just point them to the website. How easy is that?

Natural Pod has generously offered a $25 gift certificate to a Green Talk reader. In addition, the Company is offering GT readers a 10% discount on their first order through December 31st, 2008 with code GCM08 at checkout. In order to win the free gift certificate, you must do the following:

Leave a comment here as to your favorite holiday gift growing up.
To double your chances of winning the gift certificate, consider joining my Ning Forum. Come back and leave a comment that you joined my forum.
To triple your chances consider joining my Feedburner email list or subscribe to my RSS feed. Both subscriptions are listed on the upper left hand column. Be sure to come back and leave a comment to tell me which one you joined.
A winner will be chosen by random on Friday, December 5, 2008. This is a short contest due to Christmas fastly approaching. I want you to get the gift certificate early in the season. Good Luck everyone!

Thanks to Sommer, Green and Clean Mom for this great tip for the holidays. (Another Green Mom Carnival founder!)

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Sign the Petition to Overhaul the Toxic Sustance Control Act

Anna@Green Talk — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:28:37 +0000

Photo by Laura Askelin by permission

During the Christmas holidays, HealtyToys.org tested and created a database of the safety of 1200 toys. See my story, Toy Database, A Christmas Present for Parents. Since then there has been over 7000 nominations for toys to be reviewed. However, simply addressing the toxic chemicals in our children toys is not enough. All the toxic chemicals contained in products sold here need to address by requesting the government to overhaul the thirty year old Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). Yes, you heard right–thirty year chemical law.

How can you help? Read below the following request from HealthToys.org and sign the petition. Let our voices be heard.

”Dear HealthyToys.org Supporter,

HealthyToys.org is asking for government oversight hearings on reforming the U.S. products regulatory system. You can help by signing our petition to overhaul the nation’s 30 year old chemical law, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). HealthyToys.org will be delivering these petition signatures to key federal representatives in March. Now is the time to sign on to this important petition.

We have received well over 7,000 nominations for toys that you want tested, and we’ve tested the most popular toys according to your votes, which resulted in 17 new products added to the list. The overall product ratings are shown below. For details on individual product test results, visit the Test My Toy results page.”

Send this Article to all of your friends by using the “Share this” button below the post. Ask them to sign the petition! Don’t you think 30 years is long enough?

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Toy Database, A Christmas Present for Parents

Anna@Green Talk — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:37:57 +0000

Photo by permission of HealthyToys.org illustrating the toxic chemicals in the Hannah Montana Pop Star Card Game

Do you know what chemicals are lurking in your child’s toy chest? Or perhaps under your Christmas Tree? With recent recalls of toys containing lead and the government not regulating the type and amounts of chemicals contained in our children’s toys except for lead paint, is it safe to buy toys anymore?

In answer to this question, The Ecology Center, along with the Washington Toxics Coalition and other leading environmental health groups across the country, recently released its test findings of the safety of 1200 toys. The Ecology Center has created the website, HealthyToys.org, which contains the database, resources, and other important information to help us wade through the toy labyrinth. If this isn’t an early Christmas present for parents, then I don’t what is.

The database is comprised of 1200 toys tested by the Organization using a testing methodology of both a hand held x-ray fluorescent (XFR) device by Innov-X Systems and non-XFR methods to detect such harmful chemicals as lead, cadmium, chlorine, arsenic, mercury, tin, and antimony. The database details the methodology used for each toy.

Fisher-Price Amazing Hippo with a rating showing low levels of chemicals

They used a rating system to determine the safety of the toys. For a quick glance at the toy database, see the list of 146 toys detected to have no chemicals of concern, and worse toys, which list is based upon the use of the XFR methodology.Of the 1200 products tested, 35% of those products contained lead that exceeded the above recommendation. The Organization found that children’s metal jewelry tended to have more lead than other children’s products.

In addition, to the findings of lead, the database also contains information about other harmful chemicals contained in toys such as cadmium, PVC, and mercury. Listed below is a short synopsis of how these chemicals impact our bodies according to the Organization. I urge you to click on the hyper links to find out more information about these chemicals and where they can be found in your children’s products.

Lead: Lead has been linked to brain developmental delays, reduced IQ, shorter attention span and learning issues. According to the Organization, there is no safe level of lead.

Cadmium: This chemical is a known human carcinogen and has been linked to kidney and lung damage. In addition, it can have an adverse effect on motor skills and behavior.

Chloride (PVC): This chemical contains phthalates, which makes the PVC more flexible. Phthalates are known to cause developmental reproductive issues especially in boys and linked to a contributor to asthma.

Mercury: All forms of mercury can be hazardous to the kidneys and inorganic mercury is toxic to the nervous system.

Arsenic: Inorganic and organic arsenic have different toxicities. Inorganic arsenic was found in some of the toys. It has been linked to lung, skin, and bladder cancer, skin irritation, skin color changes, blood disorders, cardiovascular disease and hormone disruption.

Other Chemicals (antimony, chromium, tin and bromine.):

Antimony: Depending on the form and level of exposure, antimony trioxide has been classified as a carcinogen in the State of California and possible carcinogen by the European Union and International Agency for Research.

Chromium: Depending on its state of the element, which Cr (IV) being highly toxic, this form (Cr IV) may cause birth defects, reproductive problems, and reduced disease resistance. The XRF is unable to detect which form is in the toys, but detects that the element is present.

Bromium: A component of a family of fire-retardant chemicals. The XFR can not confirm which type of bromine is present in the toys; however, detections of higher levels may indicate the presence of PBDEs or other brominated flame retardants. Studies have shown that PBDE builds up in people and can affect brain development, may also cause thyroid issues, reproductive problems, birth defects and DecaBDE, the most widely used form of PBDEs, is classified as “ a possible human carcinogen” by the US EPA.

Tin: Based on the level of exposure and type of tin, exposure to high levels of inorganic tin may cause stomach aches, liver and kidney problems, and anemia. Organic forms of tin are believed to be toxic at low levels.

After reading this list, you must be wondering will it ever be safe to buy another toy. David Garfield, Director of the Ecology Center, was recently interviewed by E.D. Hill on the FoxNews show, American Pulse. In Ms. Hill’s interview with Mr. Garfield, she brought up the converse argument that can be made by the toy industry. Is the testing done by the Organization accurate versus a salvia test to see what impact the chemicals have on our children? In response to her query, he responded:

“We don’t want to alarm parents with this news. We want to give people information to know what is in their products. We are not trying to give people the impression that just because a chemical is in a product that means that their child is going to be exposed. They might be. It is possible. From my point of view, there shouldn’t be toxic chemicals in toys. We shouldn’t have lead, mercury, or cadmium put in toys. It makes absolutely no sense at all.”

My take on his comment: Amen to that. It absolutely makes no sense to me too as to why such harmful chemicals are in our children’s toys. Isn’t it about time that our government starts regulating the use of toxic chemicals in all of our products? To continue to allow “possible carcinogenic” products to be used in the market is unbelievable to me.

According to E.D. Hill during her show of America Pulse, only 23 out of 400 plus companies have recalled their products in light of the new database findings. When Ms. Hill asked Mr. Garfield if the toy companies “blew off” the findings, Mr. Garfield responded in defense of the toy companies saying they want to do the right thing; however, how can you do the right thing if the industry is unregulated as to the types and amounts permitted to be put in toys?

According to the Organization,

“[b]eyond the lead paint restriction, there are no mandatory rules to regulate what can or cannot be used in children’s products in the U.S., and no disclosure requirements on toxic chemicals in toys.”

Is it safe to buy any toys until governmental regulations and testing have been created? 28 percent of the toys listed in the database were deemed safe for children. What happens if you want to buy a toy that is not listed or you already have toys in your home? Although this does not seem like a perfect solution, you can nominate your toy to be tested by visiting the Test My Toy page on the site. The Organization will test the top nominees each week leading up to Christmas. I would recommend signing up for the Organization’s email updates.

In addition, visit the Organization’s Take Action section which urges you to call the leading manufacturers requesting them to disclose the ingredients in toys, send a message to your elected representatives telling them to properly regulate chemicals in products, tell your friends about this Organization, and donate to this worthily organization so they can continue their work.

Should you go and buy the lead testing kits for all of your toys? According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission in their article regarding lead test kits, it warns that the lead test kits are not fool proof and may render inaccurate results. Note, these tests are only useful in detecting surface lead not embedded lead. However, if you would still like to buy one, see recommendations for home lead tests kits by Consumer Reports in their blog article.

This discussion left me with many questions, which I was unable to resolve due to writing this article over the weekend. I felt it was more important to convey the warning about toys then to resolve my own questions. The questions that I felt that remained unresolved were how do you find out if toys that you have since childhood are okay if they are not listed on the database? Many toys may not being made anymore. Will they test old toys if consumers request it? I have toys for my youngest that are at least ten years old from his oldest brother.

The Organization suggests contacting a laboratory or testing organization that uses the XFR analyzer testing. Check with your local health office to see if they have such a device. How expensive would this testing be or would people really do this? I did a quick search on XRF analyzers and found an article on Inc.com that they cost about $25,000-40,000 so it is not something you can find in Home Depot.

If toys you have in your home have been deemed to be unsafe, then how do you dispose of them? I can’t see throwing them in a landfill. Wouldn’t that create another problem? Lastly, will the Organization continue testing throughout the year? I have sent an email to the organization and will follow-up with answers to my questions. In the meantime, check the database to make sure that your toys are not on the offender list and try and buy only those toys that are deemed safe.

Resources:

Kids in Danger, a not for profit dedicated to protecting children by improving children’s product safety

Recall information as listed in Resources section on Healthytoys.org:

United States: http://www.recalls.gov/.For the latest on toy recalls, see: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html. For all lead recalls, see http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/Recalls/allhazards.htm If you suspect that a toy is unsafe, or to report an unsafe product, then contacts the CPSC on the internet, or by phone: http://www.cpsc.gov/talk.html or 1-800-636-CPSC. To receive email recall alerts from US Consumer Product Safety Commission http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.

Canada’s Latest children Product Recalls

Update 12/20/2007: I spoke with Tracey Easthope, Director of the Environmental Health Project, about my questions. First, we discussed how you test older toys. Again, she reiterated that there is not a perfect solution but to see if there is any toy testing in your area, check with your health office to see if they have an XFR to test toys, or buy a recommended lead test for toy that have been painted. The major concern seems to be with children’s metal jewelry since it tested high in the Organization’s tests. My second question was about what do you do if your toys test positive for any of the chemicals mentioned above? Each state is different so I would suggest you contact your state or county hazardous waste facility.

Tracey doubted that anyone toy would be deemed a hazardous waste, but it does not hurt to find out. But, just think if all parents start throwing away toys that have high levels of chemicals in them then the cumulative result will be chemicals leaching from our landfills. What should a parent do? Contact their state and federal representatives to urge legislation of the overhaul of Toxic Substance Control Act, created in 1976, which will eliminate harmful chemicals from being used in any of our products. This Toy Database is a wake-up call to us. We can’t languish in hopelessness thinking we are powerless to create change. Each one of us can dial a phone number, write a letter or send an email to our legislators as well as spread the word that we aren’t going to take it anymore with the message, we want harmful chemicals out of our lives.

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