Beware of babies products made from PVC plastic. Especially
make sure that the teats for the baby’s bottle, all teethers,
dummies and soft chewable toys are PVC free. PVC contains many
toxic chemicals which may cause damage to the human reproductive
system, harm developing foetuses and damage the liver, kidney
and lung. As far as possible, demand non-PVC products for your
baby and his/her room.
Some disposable nappies contain a chemical called Organotins,
which are suspected of disrupting hormones in the human body.
During the year 2000 there was a scare after Crayola crayons
were found to contain traces of asbestos. Crayola state that their
crayons are safe now, but to be on the safe side buy wax crayons
wherever possible. Also be careful of what glues and paints
you allow your child(ren) to play with. Some paint pigments can
give off toxic fumes, so, if you can, buy natural pigment paint.
Also buy or make play dough that has been coloured with natural
colours as opposed to artificial colours, such as tartrazine.
Also beware of paints containing cadmium or cobalt as both can cause
damage to the lungs and breathing problems. Permanent markers contain
aromatic hydrobarbons (including xylene and toluene), which can
cause blurred vision, irritate the nose, eyes and airways, cause
dizziness, fatigue, nausea and headaches. Talcum
powder (or baby powder) is made from the naturally occurring
magnesium silicate, which is crushed into powder form. It may contain
traces of asbestos, which is cancer causing. Long-term use of talcum
powder in the genital area increases the risk of ovarian cancer
in women. If talc makes contact with open wounds it may cause inflammation.
Johnson's Baby Shampoo contains a chemical called Quaternium
15 which may cause cancer and dermatitis.
The Safe Toys Coalition aims to protect children’s health by striving for a world free of toxic and unsafe toys. We address decision makers, producers, retailers and the public on national, regional and international level. We encourage and help consumers to make informed consumer decisions. See Safe Toys Coalition website
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