Report lists hazardous chemicals in toys, household products

Many baby and children's toys contain
BPA, a report shows.

The Environmental Health Strategy Center in Maine has published a report entitled Poison in Paint, Toxics in Toys, which provides information on children’s products containing BPA (bisphenol A) as well as common household products such as paint, cleaning agents, wood finishes and more that may expose residents to NPEs (nonylphenol ethoxylates).

NP and NPEs are produced in large volumes, with uses that lead to widespread release to the aquatic environment and they are toxic to aquatic organisms., according to EPA.

The report includes more than 650 brand-name children’s products, including Playmobil sets and Chicco baby rattles that contain BPA.

BPA (bisphenol A) has been shown to cause reproductive and developmental effects in animal studies. BPA is used in the manufacture of a wide range of consumer and industrial products including food-can liners, hard polycarbonate plastics, epoxy paints and coatings, and thermal papers, even cash register receipts.

Releases of BPA to the environment exceed 1 million pounds per year.

While low levels of exposure to BPA is considered safe, studies have suggested the chemical may affect the brain, behavior and prostate glands in young children by mimicking the sex hormone estrogen.

The chemical industry is denying  that there are reasons for concern, saying that human safety has not been shown to be at risk by these compounds.

Source: Ann Arbor

Best advice: Reduce chemical exposure

As long as there isn’t foolproof evidence that a certain chemical poses a risk to human health, laws and regulations are slow to reflect growing concerns.

An air purifier with carbon + HEPA can
help remove harmful toxins.

But isn’t it better to be safe rather than sorry?

Common sense dictates that we should avoid chemical exposures as much as possible, by being aware of the risks, choosing more natural products whenever possible, demanding safe products and creating a safe environment in the home.

AllerAir’s air purifiers for the home and office can help remove a wide range of indoor air pollutants, including particles and dust, chemicals, odors and gases, bacteria, viruses and mold.

The complete air filter system features activated carbon, HEPA and optional UV light technology and can easily be moved from one room to the next.

For more information, contact AllerAir directly.