Are We All Guinea Pigs or What?

I, for one, am going to start taking all this toy toxicity stuff seriously. I have checked out a bunch of the toys we have or are considering, and most seem fine. We have always been pretty selective, going for wood and other natural fibers where possible. Sometime soon I will post a list of my preferred 'conscious consumer' companies to buy from. I don't even take it as far as others I know or have heard of. One friend will not buy new toys. She finds great used ones, but can't justify the costs (financial, environmental, social). I know others that won't buy new unless they know direct information regarding factory conditions and the company's social responsibility. As for us, we only buy new.....but in limited quantity, developmental appropriateness, high quality, natural materials where possible and always non-toxic. The last one though, I am officially as of now more stringent on. Our local organic food delivery company posted the following on their website this week.

New Study Exposes Toxins in Toys The numerous recalls involving toys have many parents concerned, especially now during the holidays. The Ecology Center, a Michigan-based non-profit organization, recently tested 1,200 children's products and more than 3,000 components of those products. The results weren’t good. Approximately 35% of the products tested contained lead, 2.9% contained high levels of cadmium and 47% contained polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Toys were also tested for mercury, bromine, chromium, tin and antimony -- chemicals that have all been linked to health problems. To view the complete report and to nominate other products to be tested visit: www.healthtoys.org

Get Involved
In Canada, toy companies have no obligation to inform the government if their products are unsafe and Health Canada has no power to remove hazardous toys from store shelves. While the Federal Government is expected to overhaul the Hazardous Products Act, designed to prohibit unsafe products, so far any real progressive change has been minimal.

What you can do:
1. Learn more, visit www.healthytoys.org
2. Write to Health Canada and toy manufacturers and ask them to eliminate dangerous chemicals in toys.
3. Buy, support or make handmade toys if you can, or toys containing natural and organic materials.