BY LaTOYA M. SMITH FOR THE SUN CHRONICLE
BY LaTOYA M. SMITH FOR THE SUN CHRONICLE
This
year Cheryl Gaudino may be getting a late start on her Christmas
shopping, but her spring cleaning is months ahead of schedule.
After
reports of high level of toxins and a tsunami of recalls in children's
toys, the North Attleboro mother gathered her 11-year-old autistic
son's toys and sent them packing.
Gaudino
says autistic children are more susceptible to toxins because they have
an impaired detoxification system and tend to keep toys in their mouths
more than other children.
"We just threw away three contractor
trash bags full of toys," Gaudino said. "Whether they had lead, I don't
know. But they were older toys, and they were suspect."
Now Gaudino is weeks behind in her shopping because she has to "investigate everything."
She is grateful that consumer protection groups are taking some of the stress off her hands by tracking dangerous toys.
On
Wednesday the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, along with a coalition
of environmental health groups, released the results of tests of 1,200
popular children's toys for toxic chemicals. The information can be
found at HealthyToys.org.
The
list is likely to generate lots of conversation and controversy. Take
for example, Tyrell Katz's "Bug Backpack," the product listed as
containing the highest levels of lead, arsenic, and mercury.
Nicky
Garretty, a business partner of the New York-based company, said the
figures are misleading because the chemicals are safely sealed in the
vinyl used to produce the product.
"Our products are safe,"
Garretty said. "When we became aware of toxins, we checked thoroughly
with the Consumer Product Safety Commission and we fell well below the
levels that were allowed."
Garretty said that the Healthy Toys Web site fails to inform consumers that these chemicals are locked in and don't migrate out.
But
Dr. Sally Edwards, who works as a research associate for the Lowell
Center for Sustainable Production, said "migration" questions are part
of the debate.
"You have to think about the product in its life
cycle," she said. "Does the vinyl break down over time? Could the lead
become bio-available? It (lead) doesn't need to be in the backpack. The
backpacks can be made with different materials, so why are we making
them with lead in them?"
Massachusetts lawmakers are considering
a bill co-sponsored by Sen. Steven Tolman, D-Brighton, and Rep. Jay
Kaufman, D-Lexington, that would require companies to replace toxic
chemicals with safer alternatives where feasible.
Voting on the bill stalled twice in the Legislature this year, but is expected to be voted on in January.
U.S.
Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., a proponent of consumer protection, has
offered an amendment to the federal Consumer Product Safety
Modernization Act that would require a publicly searchable database
containing reports of serious injury or death from unsafe products.
But
Janet Domenitz, executive director of the public interest group
MASSPIRG, said the federal consumer protection agency also needs reform.
"They
are underfunded, understaffed and they don't have the authority to do
the job we rely on them to do - keep all our products safe," she said.
The
agency currently does not have the authority to force a company to pull
a product off the shelves. All recalls are voluntary.
"They are
toothless. There are too many chemicals in everyday products, there are
safer alternatives and we need to push for them," Domenitz said.
Companies such as Fisher Price in New York have created their own policing system.
"We
have some of the most rigorous and safety-quality procedures in the
industry," said Juliette Reashor, senior manager of public relations.
Fisher Price launched a three-point check system in August to make sure all paint is tested before used on toys.
"There
are no exceptions. We use testing and conduct unannounced inspections
at every stage of production," she said. "We're confident that our
system is working, and consumers should feel confident when doing their
shopping."
After
reports of high level of toxins and a tsunami of recalls in children's
toys, the North Attleboro mother gathered her 11-year-old autistic
son's toys and sent them packing.
Gaudino
says autistic children are more susceptible to toxins because they have
an impaired detoxification system and tend to keep toys in their mouths
more than other children.
"We just threw away three contractor
trash bags full of toys," Gaudino said. "Whether they had lead, I don't
know. But they were older toys, and they were suspect."
Now Gaudino is weeks behind in her shopping because she has to "investigate everything."
She is grateful that consumer protection groups are taking some of the stress off her hands by tracking dangerous toys.
On
Wednesday the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, along with a coalition
of environmental health groups, released the results of tests of 1,200
popular children's toys for toxic chemicals. The information can be
found at HealthyToys.org.
The
list is likely to generate lots of conversation and controversy. Take
for example, Tyrell Katz's "Bug Backpack," the product listed as
containing the highest levels of lead, arsenic, and mercury.
Nicky
Garretty, a business partner of the New York-based company, said the
figures are misleading because the chemicals are safely sealed in the
vinyl used to produce the product.
"Our products are safe,"
Garretty said. "When we became aware of toxins, we checked thoroughly
with the Consumer Product Safety Commission and we fell well below the
levels that were allowed."
Garretty said that the Healthy Toys Web site fails to inform consumers that these chemicals are locked in and don't migrate out.
But
Dr. Sally Edwards, who works as a research associate for the Lowell
Center for Sustainable Production, said "migration" questions are part
of the debate.
"You have to think about the product in its life
cycle," she said. "Does the vinyl break down over time? Could the lead
become bio-available? It (lead) doesn't need to be in the backpack. The
backpacks can be made with different materials, so why are we making
them with lead in them?"
Massachusetts lawmakers are considering
a bill co-sponsored by Sen. Steven Tolman, D-Brighton, and Rep. Jay
Kaufman, D-Lexington, that would require companies to replace toxic
chemicals with safer alternatives where feasible.
Voting on the bill stalled twice in the Legislature this year, but is expected to be voted on in January.
U.S.
Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., a proponent of consumer protection, has
offered an amendment to the federal Consumer Product Safety
Modernization Act that would require a publicly searchable database
containing reports of serious injury or death from unsafe products.
But
Janet Domenitz, executive director of the public interest group
MASSPIRG, said the federal consumer protection agency also needs reform.
"They
are underfunded, understaffed and they don't have the authority to do
the job we rely on them to do - keep all our products safe," she said.
The
agency currently does not have the authority to force a company to pull
a product off the shelves. All recalls are voluntary.
"They are
toothless. There are too many chemicals in everyday products, there are
safer alternatives and we need to push for them," Domenitz said.
Companies such as Fisher Price in New York have created their own policing system.
"We
have some of the most rigorous and safety-quality procedures in the
industry," said Juliette Reashor, senior manager of public relations.
Fisher Price launched a three-point check system in August to make sure all paint is tested before used on toys.
"There
are no exceptions. We use testing and conduct unannounced inspections
at every stage of production," she said. "We're confident that our
system is working, and consumers should feel confident when doing their
shopping."
