Toxic Toys
I wish I could tell you there is a regulatory system in place to ensure that the toys you buy will do no harm to a child, but if I did, I’d be lying. The truth is, the agency charged with enforcing the legal standards that protect children from sharp edges, choke inducing parts, and lead does absolutely nothing to test those products before they go to market. Instead, that agency, known as The Consumer Product Safety Commission, serves as a clearing house for reports about unsafe products that are already being bought and sold. After receiving a tip about a potentially unsafe toy, the CPSC investigates the claim. If the investigation proves the product poses a danger to children, they issue a recall.
When it comes to the wide range of chemicals that are known to cause adverse health effects that could also be in your child’s plastic toy, there is no one out there protecting your child. The CPSC does not even consider how toxic plastics and associated chemicals used in making toys and items like blankets will impact your child’s health; that responsibility is on you.
According to a study commissioned by the United Nations Environmental Program and conducted by the Denmark Technical University (DTU) published January 2021 in the Environment International Science Journal, 25% of the toys they tested contained harmful chemicals. The 419 chemical additives DTU researchers found in hard, soft and foam plastic toys included plasticizers, flame retardants, surface-active substances, stabilizers, colorants and fragrances; and of that number, 126 are considered hazardous.
Given this high level of toxic substances found in toys, and given the fact that children are especially susceptible to harm from exposure to toxic chemicals due to their high metabolic rates, high surface area to body weight ratio, and fast growing organs and tissues, the responsibility for preventing exposure to chemicals commonly found in plastic is one you should take seriously.
It’s hard to imagine a parent with the capacity to conduct the research such diligence requires. Your best bet is establishing precautionary safety protocols that include avoiding plastic toys altogether while also taking these steps.
Minimize your child’s consumption of packaged and fast foods. The high level of processing these food items receive puts them in constant contact with plastic films known to leach toxic chemicals, with dairy products of special concern.
Avoid household and personal care products that contain phthalates. Anything with a fragrance is especially concerning. These chemicals are linked to endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity, and cancers. Although they are banned from use in the EU, they are prevalent in U.S. products. Cuddling your child while wearing a cosmetic or perfume containing phthalates passes these chemicals on to your child.
Dress, bed and comfort your child with clothing, blankets and soothing toys made from natural materials. Polyester fabric, especially the fine fibers used to make plush fleece blankets, shed microplastics that your child will ingest and inhale to the detriment of their health and well being.