Prop 65 – important information for California residents
To our California customers, in accordance with Proposition 65, we issue the following warning: "This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, or birth defects or other reproductive harm."
Gasp! Yes I have seen this label warning in the past while shopping at Ace Hardware in Dubai. Now... If I am going to buy toys, I am definitely going to scrutinize the material. So here's some of the information I read from the site kidscompanion.com that has a pretty good layman explanation of phthalates and what it does to you...
What are phthalate?
They are used to make PVC which enables flexibility in plastic products (ie. bend without breaking)
How do phthalate a enter the body?
Phthalates generally enter the body via inhalation or absorption. While the phthalates in most PVC does not constitute a health risk, phthalates can leach out of soft vinyl when the products are sucked or chewed, migrating into the body through the saliva and creating a health risk. When items containing phthalates are subjected to heat, like microwave ovens or from the sun, or as these items get older it accelerates their escape from the plastics.
Phthalates generally enter the body via inhalation or absorption. While the phthalates in most PVC does not constitute a health risk, phthalates can leach out of soft vinyl when the products are sucked or chewed, migrating into the body through the saliva and creating a health risk. When items containing phthalates are subjected to heat, like microwave ovens or from the sun, or as these items get older it accelerates their escape from the plastics.
Phthalates are also lipophilic, or attracted to fats. Fat present in blood can actually draw them out of IV bags, for example, and carry them into the body.
Common phthalates, which may come in handy for checking labels:
Common phthalates, which may come in handy for checking labels:
• DNOP (di-n-octyl phthalate)
• DiNP (diisononyl phthalate)
• DEP (diethyl phthalate)
• BBzP (benzyl butyl phthalate)
• DEHP (di 2-ethylhexl phthalate)
• DiDP (diisodecyl phthalate)
• DnHP (di-n-hexyl phthalate)
• DMP (dimethyl phthalate)
• DnOP (di-n-octylphthalate)
• Bisphenol A (BPA) is another plasticizer.
*Most of these materials are from kidscompanion.com
The effects of overexposure to phthalates are mostly on wikipedia... so I'm not going to write them all out here. This is the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phthalate
Another good link is : http://www.babycenter.com/0_phthalates-what-you-need-to-know_3647067.bc
So.... first things... I went to check a few of the ingredients of items we have in the house that may have phthalates.
Thankfully, I buy my shampoo products from Wholefoods... so phew to that. But a few of the baby products which we have (but haven't used yet) have phthalates. So we know where these will land up!
DBP in Johnson's baby lotion - thankfully, this was a sample pack. We didn't use this more because it had Red33 Colouring in it.
So, today's task was to go around the house to checked most of Shane's toys... For some of these, I threw some packaging away... but the toys that mostly have plastic in them, if I can't find anywhere that says phthalate free (like his walker), I will definitely keep my eye on them and make sure he doesn't chew on them. Fisher Price toys doesn't really indicate if the toys are phthalate free, and I read on several blogs that Fisher Price refuses to release information when asked. My conclusion - they aren't.
I guess we can't be living in a world that is 100% phthalate free. But where possible, and if I can help it and find suitable alternatives, I would at least give it a try to avoid.
