Thankfully, Healthystuff.org has developed a searchable database of over 5,000 products that have been tested toxins such as lead, PVC, arsenic, bromine, cadmium, and chlorine.
This is similar to the healthytoys.orgsearchable database for toys, which alerted me many months back that some of the Melissa and Doug toys we had contained lead. These folks know what they are doing, and the site is super helpful for seeking out information about a product.
Some of the results are shocking. Like list listing, for the Britax Marathon Platium. Now I know the Britax car seats are expensive: we have one we bought on sale, the Roundabout (my model is not listed), and so I would expect the highest quality in the seat. This model is listed as having the highest level of concern due to the high amount of bromine.
Eee gads, or this organic bib. Yep, you read that right. It contains high levels of lead! How does that happen?
This reusable lunch bag contains leadand other toxins, and this princess lunch box contains cadium, chlorine, and bromine.
Ugh. I didn't check the handbags, as I don't have many of these. But I do let my girls play with their grandmother's old purses, who knows where they came from. They most certainly look like fake leather, so they've got to be vinyl. Yucky, nasty stuff (plus it makes my inner feminist cringe to see them walk around with them anyway).
Thanks to Momsrising for spreading the word about this. And you can download a widget for your blog or website to search for product ratings. You can also search it from your phone (just don't ask me how to do it, follow this link).
And it wouldn't be a Non-Toxic Kids post without some idea for how to improve this unsafe situation. Send a letter to Congress to fix the Toxic Substances Control Actand keep our families safe from toxins in everyday products.
Katy can be found at Non-Toxic Kids sharing helpful information about how to raise kids as naturally as possible. She is a teacher, freelance writer, and mama from the mountains of Vermont.
