Toxic toys
Overview and health risks

Even Toys Can Pose Environmental Risks

Most of the time, when people think of risks that toys or baby products pose to kids, the emphasis is on choking on some small piece or plastic or getting a finger caught between parts. There’s even the age-old warning from our parents that we might “put our eye out.”

But the risks are not simply a matter of immediate physical injury. Toys, like so many other products in our home, sometimes contain toxic chemicals.

A campaign launched by Generation Green in the late 1990’s focused on phthalates (pronounced THAY-lates) and their risks to kids. Phthalates are chemicals used to soften PVC plastic, and we had warned that they could be ingested by children when sucking on toys or baby products (such as pacifiers) made with PVC. Ingestion of phthalates has been linked to increased risks of cancer, kidney damage and interference with reproductive development.

In December 1998, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) vindicated our concerns when it affirmed that toxic phthalates can indeed be ingested by children when sucking on PVC items.

Although the CPSC didn’t ban the use of PVC plastic, it did suggest that the toy industry voluntarily substitute phthalates with something safer in products intended for children under three years of age. Also, the commission advised parents to dispose of some infant products made with phthalates.

So, the efforts of Generation Green’s members and staff, along with the acknowledgement from the CPSC, has helped pressure manufacturers to make safer toys and baby products. This has been a welcome bit of progress, but in the absence of a complete ban on PVC in toys, risks remain.

The CPSC statement is only one victory; more work remains to be done. Use the subtopic links to learn more about PVC toy risks, ways to avoid the dangers and what you can do to help put the issue to rest once and for all.