Mar 19, 2008 5:57 pm US/Central
New Study: Common Chemical May Make Toys Toxic
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Some consumer groups have called 2007 the year of the toxic toy. Now a new national report says there is yet another hidden hazard in the toy box that parents need to know about.
CBS 2 Medical Editor Mary Ann Childers reports the Illinois Public Interest Research Group is concerned about toxic chemicals called phthalates, used to make plastics pliable. Toys made with such materials are often the ones children put in their mouths, and recent tests reveal the concern is real.
"This toxic threat is a hidden hazard," said Emily Miller of Illinois PIRG.
The study, Not So Squeaky Clean, found phthalates in nine of the 20 toys analyzed.
Environmentalists bought five of the toxic toys from Illinois stores as recently as March 18. Many of them contained a huge percent of phthalates.
For example, a green ball from Toys R Us was 47.5 percent phthalates -- the highest of the toys tested. A yellow duck contained 36.6 percent of the chemical. And, a Baby I'm Yours doll from Target was almost one-third phthalates.
"Chemicals used in products become pollution in people and that's the problem we need to address," said Max Muller of Environment Illinois.
The long-term health effects are not known, but there's growing evidence phthalates cause reproductive changes. They have been linked to reduced testosterone levels and semen quality, increasing rates of obesity and diabetes in males and maybe even estrogen-sensitive breast cancer.
"We do know that every increased day and increased exposure increases your risk of changes related to these chemicals," said Peter Orris of the UIC School of Public Health.
Phthalates have been banned in toys in European Union countries. California will ban them in toys by January 2009. A bill in Washington State is awaiting the governor's signature; at least nine other states are considering action.
"Until we can prove that they're safe, we need to get them off the market," said State Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-57th).
The chemical industry insists that plastic toys are safe. Still, the Illinois PIRG is urging passage of a child-safe chemicals act, now before lawmakers in Springfield, that would ban not only phthalates, but lead, cadmium, and bisphenol-a in all children's products.
Target, Toys R Us, and Wal-Mart have pledged to sell only phthalate-free toys by next year.
Click here for a list of safe toys.
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