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Pamela Lundquist

Mothers & Others' Shopper’s Guide to Healthier, Greener Toys

Friday, June 29, 2007

When it comes to toys, we want what's fun, educational and safe for our children. Elisabeth Marx, former Executive Director of Mothers & Others, wants her children to have a wide range of experiences, too. She had her second child when her first was nine years old which, she says, gave her "a chance to think about how much has improved in the availability of toys are that healthy for the environment and growing bodies."

When it comes to health and safety, parents and others are starting to think not just about possible accidental harm, but how the substances used to make a toy might be hazardous to children’s long-term health. Some exposures to unhealthy substances can occur when children play with conventional toys.

More and more, parents are shopping with these health and environmental concerns in mind. "Over the years, I’ve developed a set of questions about toys," says Elisabeth. Take this "checklist" of questions with you shopping, to help you choose.

Some Specific Concerns

There’s also the impact of toy production and disposal – a toy’s "lifecycle" – upon the health of the environment to consider, not least because it affects all our health. For example, one of the most toxic of all materials used in kids’ toys, products and packaging is PVC, also known as vinyl. Throughout PVC’s lifecycle, from production to use to disposal, PVC releases toxins into our environment and threatens the health of our children. In stark contrast to this toxic cycle, certified sustainable solid wood toys are made with fewer toxins and therefore are safer for the environment and our children’s health.

The Problem of PVC Toys

Polyvinyl chloride, also known as PVC or vinyl, is commonly used in teethers and soft squeeze toys for young children, beach balls, bath toys, dolls and other products, such as knapsacks, raincoats, and umbrellas. Health concerns for children who play with soft PVC toys center on toxic additives called phthalates (pronounced "tha-lates"). Phthalates are added to PVC as "plasticizers," which make it soft and flexible. Some phthalates have been linked to cancer, kidney and liver damage, harm to developing reproductive organs, and premature breast development in baby girls. Inhaling these chemicals can also worsen asthma in children.

Phthalates are not bonded to the plastic, but can migrate, or leach out. Since young children often put toys into their mouths, they are especially at risk. Other hazardous additives to PVC include lead and cadmium, which can be released into the environment during manufacture and as a toy degrades. Additional environmental hazards occur during PVC’s manufacture and disposal.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has asked that U.S. manufacturers remove phthalates from baby pacifiers and toys for children under three. Many companies are doing so. However, Greenpeace released a report in May, 2001 which examined the level of phthalates and other hazardous chemicals in children’s products and household items and found that the CPSC’s voluntary limit on two phthalates was surpassed in many cases.

Editor's Note: In February 2003, CPSC decided to not ban di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) in toys for children under the age of 5. As a result, the National Association of State Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) recommends that parents be careful to read labels of children's cosmetics, modeling clay and other soft plastic toys. NPIRG published their 19th annual Trouble in Toyland report in November 2004, with warnings about phthalates and other toxins in toys.

Good Wood

In terms of children’s health, an unfinished solid wood toy is completely harmless! In lifecycle terms, solid wood toys are healthier for the environment, too. The best woods are certified sustainably-produced hardwoods. Choosing them helps keep our forests alive. Generally, certification means that old-growth and endangered trees are preserved. Trees are not clear-cut, but harvested using practices like selective logging, which permits forest regeneration. While toys, puzzles and other children’s items made from certified sustainable wood are not yet common, we have found a few alternatives.

For your child’s health, any solid wood is preferable to pressed woods, such as plywood and particleboard, which are formed with glues that give off toxic fumes. You can often see the layers of pressed wood when looking at the edges of toys and puzzle pieces. In general, woods to be avoided include threatened domestic redwood and imported rainforest woods, unless certified. (Imports tend to consume more energy in shipping – another reason to avoid them.) Look also for toys made from recycled wood.

Be aware of paints and finishes on wood, too. Natural oil finishes, such as linseed and walnut oils are safest, as is beeswax. Other plant-based oils, such as those made from citrus, can have strong odors that can irritate a young child’s sensitive airways. Mineral oil is not recommended for children under three. Look on labels or the box for assurances that nontoxic paints or finishes were used.

Finally, remember not to pressure yourself too much! You can compromise, as we all do, by buying some of a child’s must-haves. Your budget is a consideration, too. Change happens bit by bit, and the small steps we take are definitely a positive marketplace force. Fortunately, there are a growing number of retailers that carry toys designed with our children’s and the planet’s health in mind. We can do our part by voting for change with our wallets by choosing these whenever we can.