PVC is the most common and the most harmful plastic manufactured. Here are some facts from this article:
- enviromental by-products are dioxin, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride. These cause health issues like: cancer, endemitriosis, birth defects and more
- Dioxins travel through the air and accumulate in our bodies, specifically breast milk
- PVC cant be made without additives like LEAD, cadmium and organotins, and phthalate plasticizers. According to the article these, "leach, flake or outgas from PVC over time raising risks that include asthma, lead poisoning and cancer"
- cant be readily recycled
So what can you do????
Well sadly even childrens toys have PVC. Just today I picked up a Little Einstein book that someone gave Jayna - it was one of those soft, white plastic, squishy books. Well the back said that the cover was made of PVC!!! That means it could contain lead - and what do babies do with everything? Put them in their mouths of course. I threw it right into the trash.
There are even teethers made from PVC!!!! (the only safe teethers are those made of silicon like the Razzbaby teether or from a safely-finished wooden toy like those made by Haba)
** If the recycling symbol on a prodcuct is a "3" or has a V beneath it, then PVC is contained in that product. So avoid plastic bottles and othe products with this number.
** Check your shower curtain - many are made of PVC.
** Check any squish/plasticy books, bath toys or teethers your baby may have.
** If in doubt, call the manufacturer!
** Also check your infants sleep positioner - these are often sprayed with flame retardants and those are dangerous for babies to breathe.
Article 2
Article 2- May '07 Walmart to phase out PVC from childrens products
Article 3 - Toy "Report Card" - which manufacterers are doing their part?
Article 4 - quick article, ready to print
Artilce 5 - phylates found in bath toys, teethers, sleep positioners
That should be enough to convince you that this is some dangerous stuff.
Again - there are government agencies that KNOW this stuff is dangerous and KNOW its in our babies' toys, cribs, clothes, etc, etc, etc. so why is nothing being done?!?!?!?! We need to be educated mommies so we can look out for our own families!
3 comments:
Are the BabeSafe mattress wraps PVC, or are they safe?
They are *NOT* PVC - they are made from polythylene which is safe. They sell it at hardware stores. I think if you want to make it yourself it needs to be clear and at least 5mm. it was about $32 for a roll and Ive done two mattresses with tons left over. :)
The kind you get from the hardware store is NOT the same product as the BabeSafe covers at all. There are many grades of polyethylene, and the best kind is food grade. With construction grade, you can get a different product every time you open a new roll, and even worse "polyethylene" from other companies.
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