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The hazards of superheroes and their friends
Tests reveal toys have highest levels of toxic chemicals
29 April 2005
Greenpeace Italy commissioned the laboratory tests on chemical
additives in a shopping basket of 12 common consumer items, including
toys, T- shirts, DVD players and baby body care products [1]. The tests
were carried out by Dutch laboratory TNO Environment and Geosciences.
"Some manufacturers add hazardous chemicals to children's products without regard to the fact that the young are most vulnerable to their effects," said Helen Perivier, Greenpeace International toxics campaigner. "As long as governments fail to require companies to use safer substitutes for such chemicals, they are leaving children unprotected from substances that can cause long term harm," she added.
Many of the chemicals concerned - phthalates, alkylphenols, organotins and synthetic musks - can potentially disrupt hormonal functions, cause cancers or birth defects, harm reproduction and build up or persist in the environment, food chain and in our bodies [2].
The problem of harmful chemicals in consumer products is being addressed by the European Union, which is debating a new chemicals regulation, known as REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals), in an attempt to bring the current chemical anarchy under control. But REACH falls short of requiring companies to substitute hazardous chemicals in products with safer substitutes whenever possible, even though a growing number of progressive global companies are doing just this.
A Greenpeace report: Safer Chemicals within Reach - Using the Substitution Principle to drive Green Chemistry, provides more information about the availability of safer alternatives and companies implementing substitution policies [3].
Notes to editors
[1] See 'The Chemical Shopping Basket - Chemical Analyses of 12 Consumer Products' and TNO report
Report by TNO Environment and Geosciences
[2] Hazardous chemicals are now so widely used in consumer products that they have been found in rainwater, house dust and human blood. See links to Greenpeace reports on chemicals out of control
[3] See the Greenpeace report Chemicals within Reach
"Some manufacturers add hazardous chemicals to children's products without regard to the fact that the young are most vulnerable to their effects," said Helen Perivier, Greenpeace International toxics campaigner. "As long as governments fail to require companies to use safer substitutes for such chemicals, they are leaving children unprotected from substances that can cause long term harm," she added.
Many of the chemicals concerned - phthalates, alkylphenols, organotins and synthetic musks - can potentially disrupt hormonal functions, cause cancers or birth defects, harm reproduction and build up or persist in the environment, food chain and in our bodies [2].
The problem of harmful chemicals in consumer products is being addressed by the European Union, which is debating a new chemicals regulation, known as REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals), in an attempt to bring the current chemical anarchy under control. But REACH falls short of requiring companies to substitute hazardous chemicals in products with safer substitutes whenever possible, even though a growing number of progressive global companies are doing just this.
A Greenpeace report: Safer Chemicals within Reach - Using the Substitution Principle to drive Green Chemistry, provides more information about the availability of safer alternatives and companies implementing substitution policies [3].
Notes to editors
[1] See 'The Chemical Shopping Basket - Chemical Analyses of 12 Consumer Products' and TNO report
Report by TNO Environment and Geosciences
[2] Hazardous chemicals are now so widely used in consumer products that they have been found in rainwater, house dust and human blood. See links to Greenpeace reports on chemicals out of control
[3] See the Greenpeace report Chemicals within Reach
Related Reports
- The Chemical Shopping Basket: Chemical Analyses of 12 Consumer Products
29 April 2005
- Chemical additives in consumer products in Italy
28 April 2005
- Safer Chemicals Within Reach
28 February 2005
Contact information
-
Helen Perivier, Toxics Campaigner, Greenpeace International: tel +32 496 127 107
Iza Kruszewska, Toxics Campaigner, Greenpeace International: tel +44 7801 212 992
