Toxic chemicals found in consumer products are increasingly found in childrens bodies.
Greenpeace firstshowed that children were being exposed to high
levels of these chemicals in1997, when it tested a wide range of
popular PVC plastic toys, such as bathducks, dolls and baby's
teethers (2). A bitter battle ensued for eight yearswhile the
chemical and toy industries fought hard to prevent today's
decision.
"This ban was hardwon and means that plastic toys sold in Europe
will be safer. However, ifparents want to be sure to protect their
children, we advise them not to buyanything made from PVC or vinyl
because laws are still not tight enough toprevent this plastic
damaging our health and environment," said NadiaHaiama-Neurohr of
Greenpeace European Unit. (3)
"Greenpeace campaigns for all industries to stop usinghazardous
chemicals and to replace them with safer alternatives, a process
called'substitution'. Europe is theworld's largest chemical
producer andyet the majority of chemicals manufactured and used
everyday have never beenproperly tested. For those that havebeen
tested and found to be toxic, it can take years for them to be
controlled;and even then their use in consumer products may still
be allowed. As a result our environment and even our ownbodies are
contaminated.
Today's case highlights how slow the current process
forregulating chemicals is and the urgent need for a much stronger,
morecomprehensive law. The EU is currently preparing a new
chemicals law calledREACH, which aims to ban or control a wide
range of dangerous chemicals used inall our products. Yet the
chemical industry has already succeeded in getting mostof the
100,000 chemicals currently in use excluded from the rules.
"Weshould be able to trust industry not to make dangerous
chemicals andmanufacturers not to use them. But this toxic toy
story shows us that theywon't clean up their acts unless we force
them to. We can all make a differenceby shopping wisely and
choosing environmentally sound products, but only bydemanding
tougher laws can we be sure that all hazardous chemicals are
replacedwith safer alternatives," said Haiama-Neurohr.
Other contacts: Nadia Haiama-Neurohr, Greenpeace European Unit chemicals policy adviser, +32 2 274 1913Katharine Mill, Greenpeace European Unit Communications on +32 496 156 229David Santillo, Greenpeace International Science Unit, +44 1392 263917
VVPR info: See:http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics For information on cleaner products you can buy -http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/Products/Toxics/Take action - http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/Products/Toxics/getactive.cfm
Notes: 1)Phthalates DEHP, DBP and BBP, which are classified as toxic to reproduction, have been banned in all toys and childcare articles. DINP, DIDP and DNOP have been banned in toys and childcare articles that can be put in the mouth. The new rules will be mandatory a year after the legislation is published, probably in 2-3 months, i.e. by autumn 2006. For information about the uses and risks of phthalates, see Greenpeace report, Consuming Chemicals (May 2003), pp 62-64, at http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/MultimediaFiles/Live/FullReport/5679.pdf2)Following the Greenpeace report, the European Parliament introduced an emergency, temporary ban on these phthalates in some products in 1999, and removed some products from the shelves. See http://www.greenpeace.to/publications_pdf/toy_final_1997.PDF3)For more information about the many other problems associated with PVC plastic, which arise during its manufacture, use and disposal, see: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics/polyvinyl-chloride/4)Greenpeace tested more toys in spring 2005. The study found Spiderman Flip 'n Zip and Mattel's Barbie "Fashion Fever" contained high levels of the harmful phthalate DINP and detected phthalates DIDP at 1% by weight in the Barbie doll. Toys contained other phthalates such as DCHP and DEHP as well as other classes of undesirable ingredients in the toys, namely organotins and nonylphenol. See 'The Chemical Shopping Basket – Chemical Analyses of 12 Consumer Products' http://eu.greenpeace.org/downloads/chem/ShoppingBasketbriefing050429.pdf and the tests report at http://www.greenpeace.org/italytnoreport
Exp. contact date: 2006-07-05 00:00:00