From Women’s Hand bags to Pet Beds – Chemical Toxins Everywhere

October 20, 2009 by Debbie Dragon

common products from women’s hand bags to children’s car seats, researchers at the toxinsHealthyStuff.org developed the largest database of toxic chemicals in consumer goods. Sometimes products contain these chemicals because they are added to enhance product properties such as flame retardant ability, and flexibility for example.

A quick summary of results are:

Pet products – After testing over 400 pet products, including collars and chew toys alarming levels of toxic chemicals were found. For example some pet beds showed significant (over 1000ppm) lead levels. There are no government standards for hazardous compound in pet products so it is not alarming that levels were significant.

Automobiles – New and used vehicles were examined and some levels of chemicals in the vehicles were 5-10 times higher than found in homes or offices. Considering that people often spend 1.5 hours, or more, in their vehicle every day, their exposure to toxic chemicals is disturbing.

Car Seats – Polyvinyl Chlorine (PVC) and Brominated Flame Retardant (BFR) and heavy metals were found in over half of the infant and child car seats. These chemicals can have adverse effects on children. Baby Trend Flex-loc, Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat and the Graco Turbo Booster are three child car seats that contained none of the dangerous chemicals tested.

Back to School Products – Backpacks, pencil cases, binders and lunchboxes were tested. HealthyStuff.org found that PVC, a dangerously toxic chemical, was present in a lot of these products. Lead levels were recorded in 22% of the products and almost 90% of the school products registered some presence of toxic chemicals.

Women’s handbags – Seventy five percent of women’s handbags recorded lead levels present. Some of the bags (64%) contained 300ppm, the CPSC limit for lead in children’s products and some even containing over 1000ppm.

Testing

Testing was performed using a portable x-ray fluorescence analyzer, or XRF. Using this simple hand held device researchers can test for toxic levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, bromine, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and arsenic in the consumer products. These chemicals were highlighted for testing because they have been associated with various heath related issues including problems relating to reproduction, learning and cancer.

Exposure

Direct exposure to hazardous compounds is not only through physical contact, such as a child putting a toy or other object in their mouth. Chemicals can enter through your body in other ways. Some substances are unstable and are not chemically bound to the products, and can be released directly onto your skin or in the air you breathe. Think of the ‘new car smell’, that’s you inhaling the toxins of the materials used in the car interior.

Pets, adults and children are at risk to being exposed to toxic chemicals from many products at home, office and school. Be socially aware and understand which goods can contain harmful substances, some effects which are cumulative, and reduce or even remove these products from your home.


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