Every year, part of the back to school ritual is loading up
on new school supplies for the term.
These include new pencils, pens, erasers, protractors, lunchboxes,
backpacks, and toxic chemicals? If you’re surprised that toxic chemicals are
lurking in your child’s school supplies, you’re not alone. Many parents were similarly surprised by a
new study that states your child’s school supplies could endanger their health.
The Center for Health, Environment, and Justice released a
recent study in which they analyzed the harmful chemicals in a variety of
school supplies. What they found were
widespread toxic amounts of phthalates, which were used as plasticizers,
substances which increased the flexibility, transparency, and durability of
plastic and PVC- vinyl products. It’s no
wonder the Center for Disease Control says children are exposed 20- fold to
these harmful chemicals. They’re in the
very supplies these children use in school every day!
In the study, 75% of backpacks, binders, lunchboxes, and
rain gear purchased in New York contained unacceptable levels of
phthalates. As a parent, you try to
protect your child from harmful chemicals in their toys, but are you aware of
the harmful levels of toxins in their lunchboxes and binders?
Exposure Can Produce
Serious Health Risks
Exposure to these toxic chemicals has been linked to:
- endocrine disruption
- birth defects
- early onset puberty
- obesity
- diabetes
- cancer
- asthma
- allergies
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- liver damage
- damage to reproductive organs
Children are at a much higher risk of these conditions
because of their higher sensitivity to toxic chemicals. A 2008 Canadian researcher observed that
children “are more vulnerable to the potential adverse effects of phthalates
given their increased dosage per unit body surface area, metabolic
capabilities, and developing endocrine and reproductive systems." In addition to their small size, children put
things in their mouth constantly. Who
among us doesn’t remember the kids in school who ate paste and stuck objects in
their eye lids or their mouths for a laugh?
The cumulative exposure to phthalates over the course of our
lifetimes is the source of great debate.
But in 2008, the US National Research Council advocated further study
and inquiry into these toxic chemicals due to adverse effects occurring in
homes across the country. Until the Safe
Chemicals Act, and similar legislation works its way through Congress, parents
need to be vigilant about what their children are exposed to.
How to Decrease Your
Child’s Risk
- Avoid vinyl or pvc products. Choose plastics with the recycling codes 1,2, or 5. Recycling codes 3 or 7 are more likely to include phthalates.
- If the ingredients are listed on the packaging, look for the following harmful chemicals
- DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate)
- DEP (diethyl phthalate)
- DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
- BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate)
If Your Child Is Exposed
If
you’re concerned that your child may have been exposed to high amounts of toxic
chemicals in their school supplies, you should consult a physician. Mention the kinds of products available in
your child’s home and classroom that could be potential risk factors. Remove the toxic items from your home and
your child’s school backpack.
If
your child has been harmed by these dangerous products, you may also want to
review your legal options with a trusted personal injury attorney. This trusted advocate can review your legal
remedies with you and suggest a course of action.
