The Chlorine Rating is based on the concentration of chlorine in the components of products sampled. Chlorine was used as a surrogate for PVC plastic in our testing. Products with chlorine content above 10,000 ppm are very likely to be made primarily of PVC plastic. Products with chlorine content below 10,000 ppm chlorine cannot reliably be considered to be PVC plastic. Flexible PVC plastic is can contain plasticizers called phthalates. Therefore, detection of high levels of chlorine was used to infer the possible presence of phthalates.
Phthalates, depending on the level of exposure and the type of phthalate, have been linked to harm to reproductive development, especially in boys. They have also been linked to asthma.
Note: The new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act currently regulates six phthalates in children's products. The European Union, and several states restrict some phthalates from some children's toys.