@marilyndenisctv 
I grew up on Velveeta and Cheese Whiz.
Green your kid’s toy box
Learn how to green your kid’s toy box.
Lead
FOUND IN: Paint on children's toys. It’s used as a paint stabilizer.
HEALTH CONCERNS: learning and reading problems, delayed growth and hearing loss. At high levels, can cause permanent brain damage and even death.
Lead is a paint stabilizer, found mainly in old painted toys, like you’d find at a second hand store. A parent’s best bet to avoid lead in toys is:
- Don’t buy second hand toys.
- Don’t buy painted toys.
If the toy IS painted or coloured, check the packaging and make sure it says the manufacturer uses SAFE DYES.
A great toy company to look at for lead free alternatives to painted toys is SPRIG TOYS which uses SAFE DYES in the production process. Eliminates the need for paint. Slightly more expensive production process, slightly more expensive toy... but worth it.
Phalates
FOUND IN: Rubbery (and/or scented) vinyl toys.
HEALTH CONCERNS: urinary and prostate malformations
Phalates are a chemical used to add scents and make plastic squishy. A parent’s best bet to avoid phalates in toys is:
- Avoid buying rubbery toys until June 2011 when the new Canadian legislation takes hold.
- Avoid all #3 plastic.
- Try to Look for alternatives to PLASTIC.
Two great toy companies to look at for plastic durability but phalate free alternatives are Green Toys. whose products are made from recycled milk jugs. Also Dandelion, which manufactures toys from corn. If you have any toys at home you’re unsure of… use my rule of thumb. When in doubt, throw it OUT.
Bisphenol A
FOUND IN: Hard, rigid & transparent plastic-like windshields on little cars, and in clear plastic baby bottles.
HEALTH CONCERNS: breast and prostate cancer and various organ diseases
Bisphenol A was used in toys to make it shatterproof. So kids could throw their bottles across the room & not have it break into a billion pieces.
A parent’s best bet for avoiding BPA is:
- Look for 1, 2, 4 & 5 plastics which are very unlikely to contain BPA
- Choose BPA free bottles like these ones from Kleen Kanteen.
Formaldehyde
Adria shows toxic stain resistant toys sourced from thrift, old pressed wood toybox.
FOUND IN: Pressed board. Used in miniature kitchens and cribs; stain-resistant clothing and toys
HEALTH CONCERNS: Known carcinogen; it has been known to cause nervous system damage; it can also irritate children with asthma and/or cause coughing and wheezing.
Formaldehyde is found in the glue that holds pressed wood together. The off-gasses can cause coughing/wheezing & asthma.
A parent’s best bet to avoid formaldehyde in kids toys is:
- Avoid stain proofed toys or clothing.
- Avoid pressed wood toys.
Three companies to look at when sourcing formaldehyde free wood for your little ones are Imagiplay, Canadian furniture company YUP and reclaimed wool toys from Cate & Levi.
For more information check out Adria’s site: www.ecoholic.ca or the toxic nation study put together by Environmental Defence. (http://environmentaldefence.ca/campaigns/toxic-nation)