HealthyStuff.org Findings

Healthystuff.org releases new test results for a variety of products throughout the year. Our findings section highlights the latest set of test results, discusses overall trends and important findings for each set of products tested.

Toy Findings - December 2009

HealthyStuff.org 2009 tested nearly 700 toys and children's products. The test data represents the largest publicly available database of toxic chemicals in toys. Currently, the U.S. government and U.S. toy manufacturers are not providing this data to consumers. Our testing is not necessarily representative of all of the toys on the market. In addition, the presence of a chemical in a product does not necessarily mean there is exposure. Our sampling was conducted by the Ecology Center and our non-profit citizen advocacy and environmental health partner organizations.

HealthyStuff.org found:

Consumer pressure is reducing overall levels of lead in products:
In the last three years (2007-2009), HealthyStuff.org has tested over 4,000 toys. Our analysis of products with lead exceeding today's current regulatory standards (300 ppm) shows a 2/3 (67%) reduction since 2007 in the number of toys exceeding the current CPSC limits for lead in substrates in toys for children under 12. This reduction also corresponds with a 78% reduction in the number of lead-related toy recalls issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

However, lead in products is still widespread:

Lead is still found in a significant percentage of children's toys: Lead was detected in 18% (119) of the 669 products we tested. The current federal toy recall standard used for lead material in substrates is 300 ppm. This standard applies only to children's toys - not to any other consumer products. Three percent (17) of products tested had levels above the 300 ppm. In 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended a level of 40 parts per million (ppm) of lead as the maximum that should be allowed in children's products. Lead was detected at greater than 40 ppm in 7% (44) of the 669 products tested.

High levels of lead were found in a number of products:

Barbie Bike Flair Accessory Kit, Dora the Explorer Activity Tote, Kids Poncho from WalMart, MSY Shoes by Faded Glory, Reversible Croco Belt by Cherokee and The Kids Source Magenta/Orange Open-toed shoes. Examples of products with the some of the highest level of lead detected can be viewed at High Lead Toys and Children's products.

It's not just lead:

Other dangerous chemicals are still found in toys. One-third (32%) of toys tested in 2009 contain one or more of the hazardous chemicals (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic and bromine) tested for by HealthyStuff.org. Of those toys tested for other chemicals in 2009, we found cadmium at levels greater than 100 ppm in 3.3% of products or 22 of 669 total products tested for cadmium . Arsenic was detected at levels greater than 100 ppm in 1.3% of products or 9 of 669 total products tested for arsenic.

Toys tested in 2009 can be viewed, by level of chemical of concern detected, at the following links:

Many plastic toys continue to be made of PVC:

Many children's products are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic. HealthyToys.org identified products made of PVC by measuring their chlorine content. 42% of the 2009 toys tested contained PVC. This percentage has remain constant for the three years (2007-2009) Healthystuff.org has been testing toys.

PVC is the worst plastic from an environmental health perspective because it creates major hazards in its manufacture, product life and disposal and can contain additives that may be dangerous to human health. PVC plastic without additives is a very brittle. In order to make it flexible and to give it other properties, additional chemicals must be added. Phthalates are very commonly added to PVC to make it soft and flexible; however, they can leach out of the plastic. Phthalates have been implicated in some health problems in laboratory tests. Lead, cadmium and other heavy metals are also commonly added to PVC products.

NOTE: New federal regulations limit the use of phthalates in children's products, so children's products are likely to contain fewer prohibited phthalates.

Safe Toys are Possible!

Some manufacturers are already doing it: two-thirds (68%) of the products tested in 2009 did not contain any lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury or PVC, including many made in China. These results show that manufacturers can make toys free of unnecessary toxic chemicals. View products which contain no chemicals of concern.

To download photos of some of the toys with high contaminant levels, see the HeathyStuff.org Media Resources

 

Pet, Vehicle, Apparel and Children's Product Findings - September 2009

In the last three years, HealthyStuff.org has conducted over 15,000 individual tests on over 5,000 common consumer products.  We have tested toys, infant supplies, children's products, vehicles, children's car seats, pet beds and toys, and some apparel and accessories.   The information on HealthyStuff.org represents the largest publicly available database of test data on toxic chemicals in consumer products. Currently, the U.S. government and product manufacturers are not providing this data to consumers. Our testing is not necessarily representative of all products on the market. In addition, the presence of a chemical in a product does not necessarily mean there is exposure.

Our sampling was conducted by the Ecology Center and our product testing partner organization, Citizens for Environmental Health - California.

HealthyStuff.org test data demonstrates that many products do not contain hazardous chemicals, proving that these chemicals of concern can be avoided. But hazardous chemicals are still far too commonplace in everyday consumer products. Consumers are faced with these unnecessary hazards in their homes, offices and vehicles.

Below is an overview of our recent sampling of consumer products.

Highlights of Pet Product Sampling

HealthyStuff.org tested over 400 pet products, including beds, chew toys, stuffed toys, collars, leashes, and tennis balls. Since there are no government standards for hazardous chemicals in pet products, it is not surprising that toxic chemicals were found.

  • 45% of pet products tested had detectable levels of one or more hazardous chemical, including:
  • One-quarter of all pet products had detectable levels of lead.
  • 7% of all pet products have lead levels greater than 300 ppm -- the current CPSC lead standard for lead in children's products.
  • Nearly half of pet collars had detectable levels of lead; with 27% exceeding 300 ppm -- the CPSC limit for lead in children's products.
  • One half (48%) of tennis balls tested had detectable levels of lead. Tennis balls intended for pets were much more likely to contain lead. Sports tennis balls contained no lead.

Pets are the canary in the coalmine in terms of chemical exposure. Cats groom themselves and lick off dust that has been shown to be heavily contaminated with hazardous chemicals. For example, bio-monitoring of cats has shown BFR exposure 23X higher than humans.

Highlights of Car Sampling
  • HealthyStuff tested nearly 700 new and used vehicles, from the 1980's to 2010 model year vehicles. Consumers can use the database to find the best and worst picks in every vehicle class.
  • US-made (produced in Ohio) Pontiac G5 & Chevy Cobalt rated best overall 2009 vehicle. The top rated manufacturers for 2009 were #1: Honda, #2 Smart and #3: Volvo; the lowest rated manufacturers were #1: Mitsubishi, #2: Audi and #3: VW
  • For the first time, older used cars were tested and pre-2004 vehicles tested significantly worse then 2009 vehicles. 2009 vehicle average scores were 1/3 better then vehicles manufactured before 2004. Most of this improvement is related to reduced use of heavy metals like lead in vehicles.
  • Levels of some chemicals found in vehicles are 5-10 times higher than in homes or offices. Since the average American spends more than 1.5 hours in their car every day, this can be a major source of toxic chemical exposure.
Highlights of Apparel & Accessories Findings
  • Jewelry, handbags and other types of accessories are the most likely to contain elevated levels of hazardous chemicals compared to other consumer products tested.
  • HealthyStuff.org tested over 100 women's plastic handbags and detected lead in over 75% of the bags analyzed. 64% of the bags contained lead over 300 ppm -- the CPSC limit for lead in children's products. Over half of the plastic handbags contain >1,000 ppm lead.
Highlights of Children's Car Seats Findings
  • ALWAYS USE CHILD SAFETY SEATS, REGARDLESS OF WHICH SEAT YOU USE. THESE SEATS SAVE LIVES
  • Infant & Child Car Seats contain chemical additives that can have adverse health impacts on babies and young children. Babies spend many hours in their carseats, sometimes even taking naps in them when they are not in the car.
  • Of the 60 car seats tested, over half (58%) contained one or more hazardous chemicals or materials tested for (including PVC, BFR's and heavy metals). Almost 1/3 (31%) of car seats tested contain Brominated Flame Retardents (BFRs).
  • There are healthy carseats without chemicals of concern! Carseats are necessary, but hazardous chemicals are not necessary to make a quality carseat for children and infants. A list of the best and worst car seats and examples of seats which have no PVC, lead or brominated flame retardants is available.
Highlights of Back-to-School Product Findings
  • HealthyStuff.org screened over 60 common back-to-school supplies, including backpacks, pencil cases, binders and lunchboxes.
  • Far too many back-to-school supplies are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and contain lead. 56% were made out of PVC and 22% contained detectable levels of lead.
  • Overall 2/3 (68%) of back to school supplies contained one or more chemicals of concern.
  • 2% of these products exceeded the CPSC standarrd for lead (300 ppm).
What can parents and consumers do?

HealthyStuff.org cannot test every product under the sun! Ultimately we must stop these toxic chemicals from entering our homes by urging product manufacturers and legislators to replace dangerous substances with safe alternatives immediately.

If we strengthen our chemical laws, not only will safer chemicals equal healthier families, but the Made in the USA label on our products will be a guarantee of a safer product, not a warning! This is not only about our health and safety, and the environment but about our prosperity.

Right now, we have a tremendous opportunity for positive change as Senator Frank Lautenberg and Representative Bobby Rush have said they will will soon be introducing a new bill to reform the outdated, toothless, Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), our federal law for regulating chemicals. To date, the EPA has only required testing on about 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals that have been on the market since the law first passed in 1976. Meanwhile, the rates of asthma, diabetes, childhood cancers, infertility, and learning and behavior problems, conditions that have been linked in part to environmental exposures, have gone up. Clearly, the government has little authority to protect people from hazardous chemicals and the law is not working as intended.

With a new Administration pledged to transparency and health, and our international competitors world-wide taking action, we have the chance to build on this momentum and pass a strong bill to reform TSCA - and start putting common sense limits on harmful chemicals. Congress should:

  • Immediately take action and phase out the most dangerous chemicals - Current laws aren't protecting us from chemicals that are building up in our bodies and threatening our health. These persistent, bioaccumulative toxic chemicals should be phased out of commerce. Our exposure to other toxic chemicals that we know can cause serious health problems, should be reduced. Green chemistry research should be expanded, and safer chemicals favored over those with known health hazards.
  • Hold industry responsible for the safety of their chemicals and products - Due to serious limitations of the current law, very little is known about the vast majority of the tens of thousands of chemicals produced and used in the US. Over the past three decades, the EPA has required testing on just 200 existing chemicals and restricted only five. Companies that make and use chemicals should be required to provide full information on the impact of all their chemicals on health and the environment. The public, workers, and businesses should have access to information about the safety of chemicals.
  • Use the best science to protect all people and vulnerable groups - Chemicals should meet a standard of safety for all people, including children, pregnant women, and workers. The extra burden of toxic chemical exposure on people of color, low-income, and indigenous communities must be reduced and more studies must be done to detect which chemicals are present in our bodies.

Go to HealthyStuff.org and Take Action! You can find out how to contact state and national elected representatives to get toxics out of consumer goods and make sure that the products you are buying are safe for your family.

NOTE: HealthyStuff.org is an initial screening of chemicals in products for a handful of hazardous chemicals. There are a number of chemicals of concern that the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) device and HealthyStuff.org cannot detect. For example, there has been much concern recently about bisphenol A, a component of polycarbonate plastic. The XRF device is not able to detect bisphenol A, nor can it identify polycarbonate. In addition, the XRF device cannot detect phthalates, a family of chemicals of concern, although we have used the presence of PVC plastic as a surrogate for the likely presence of phthalates.

* Please see our Methodology

HealthyStuff.org ratings do not provide a measure of health risk or chemical exposure associated with any individual product, or any individual element or related chemical. HealthyStuff.org ratings only provide a relative measure of high, medium, and low level of concern or concentrations of several hazardous chemicals or chemical elements in product in comparison to criteria established in the methodology.

Inline HTML