Ecology Center Tests Find Significant Levels of Toxic Chemicals in 1 in 3 Children's Toys

December 8, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS

One in three toys tested were found to contain medium or high levels of chemicals of concern. Lead was detected in 20% of the toys tested this year.

Lead levels in some of the products were well above the 600 parts per million (ppm) federal recall standard used for lead paint and will exceed the U.S. legal limit in February, according to the new Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulations.

Levels of lead in many toys were significantly above the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended ceiling of 40 ppm of lead in children's products. Children's jewelry remains the most contaminated product category, maintaining its spot at the top of the worst list.

The CPSC regulations, which go into effect in February 2009, would make certain products illegal to sell. The Ecology Center said that these new regulations, while a good first step, do not go nearly far enough to protect our children.

"There is simply no place for toxic chemicals in children's toys," said Ecology Center's Jeff Gearhart, who led the research.

"Our hope is that by empowering consumers with this information, manufacturers and lawmakers will feel the pressure to start phasing out the most harmful substances immediately and to change the nation's laws to protect children from highly toxic chemicals."

Researchers tested for chemicals that have been associated with reproductive problems, developmental and learning disabilities, hormone problems and cancer and for those that have been identified by regulatory agencies as problematic.

Babies and young children are the most vulnerable populations because their brains and bodies are still developing and because they frequently put toys into their mouths. The testing was conducted with a screening technology - the portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer - that identifies the elemental composition of materials on or near the surface of products.

Other 2008 findings include the following:

• Lead is still in toys. The Ecology Center found lead in 20% of all the products tested this year, including 54 products (3.5%) that exceed the current 600 ppm recall threshold for lead-based paint and the soon-to-be national standard for all children's products. When children are exposed to lead, the developmental and nervous system consequences can be irreversible.

• It's not just China. No consistent correlation was found between the country of manufacture and the presence of toxic chemicals in toys. In 2008, 21% of toys from China and 16% of those from all other countries had detectable levels of lead. Seventeen toys manufactured in the U.S. were sampled, and 35% of those had detectable levels of lead. Two toys had levels above 600 ppm. Among the highest lead levels detected (190,943 ppm) was in a Halloween pumpkin pin made in the U.S.

• It's not just lead. A significant number of toys containing cadmium, mercury, arsenic and bromine were found. Forty-five products (2.9%) had bromine at concentrations of 1,000 ppm or higher. This indicates the likely use of brominated flame retardants - chemicals that may pose hazards to children's health.

  Other toxic chemicals found in toys include arsenic, cadmium and mercury. Arsenic was detected at levels greater than 100 ppm in 22 or 1.4% of products; 289 products (18.9%) contained detectable levels of arsenic. Cadmium was found above 100 ppm in 30 products (1.9%); 38 products (2.4%) contained detectable levels of cadmium. Mercury was found above 100 ppm in 14 products (1%); 62 products (4.2%) contained detectable levels of mercury.

• Products made with PVC plastic were identified by measuring their chlorine content. PVC is a problematic plastic because it creates major environmental health hazards in its manufacture and disposal and may contain additives, including phthalates, that may pose hazards. Of the toys tested this year (excluding jewelry), 27% were made with PVC.

• Jewelry remains the most contaminated product category tested. Children's jewelry is five times more likely than other products to contain lead levels above 600 ppm. Of the jewelry samples, 15% (compared with 3% of other products) had lead levels above 600 ppm. Overall, jewelry is twice as likely to contain detectable levels of lead as other products.

• The Ecology Center said the good news is that 62% (954) of the products tested contain low levels of chemicals of concern, and 21% (324) of all products contain no chemicals of concern.

For more information, visit the Healthy Toys web site.

Source: Ecology Center.