Think of kids as gigantic sponges – they absorb everything we do, but in much larger quantities.
Pound for pound, kids drink more water, eat more food, and breathe more air than adults do.
But...
Their immune systems aren’t fully developed until around age 10, lungs at about age 20, and many other organs are still works-in-progress until age 16.
And...
They tend to “live” on the floor, where residues from toxic things end up. And they put everything they find on that floor (or anywhere else) in their mouths.
All this makes them a prime receptacle for all things dirty that surround them. Everything that affects us, (the toxins and cancer-causing agents) affects them much more.
Many of the products you use in your home contain toxins that are known to cause both asthma and cancer.
The No. 1 medical reason kids stay home from school is asthma. It’s also the main reason you find them in the emergency room, and its levels are rising at alarming rates. Research has suggested that chemicals, pesticides, and environmental pollutants may play a significant role in the frequency of cancer in children.
The sooner you get these nasty influences out of your life, the better for everyone.
There’s a whole lot of things that you’re exposing your kids to without knowing it.
Problem: Paints and markers can contain things like trichloroethylene, which can cause liver and lung damage.
Of course, you won’t know they are there, because companies aren’t required to list all ingredients on the labels.
How to avoid the bad stuff: Look for products certified by the Art & Creative Materials Institute (ACMI).
This is not a 100 percent foolproof method, but it comes close. They pass products’ formulations through the keen eyes of a toxicologist who thoroughly examines them (taking misuse into account) and makes sure that they are safe for your kids. You should also scrutinize the labels for obvious red flags like hazard or poison warnings.
Also, check out websites like thegreenguide.com, which has a good list of “clean” and “dirty” arts and crafts supplies, based largely upon the ingredients that they are make from. There’s even a helpful list of bad stuff that you should look out for.
Yet another problem: Many pajamas on the market are treated with flame retardants – it’s the law.
The consumer products safety commission has a series of regulations that require flame retardancy for children’s sleepwear. This can mean added flame retardants to the finished products or that materials contain flame retardants from the start.
Research shows that these chemicals are pretty stable, but the jury is still out on their health effects. One solution is to buy organic cotton PJs that fit snugly. They’re not treated with flame retardants, but the snug fit ensures a good level of safety against open fires.
And yet one more problem: Some foam tiles are treated with antibacterials.
There is an issue with some foam tiles being treated with antibacterials. Since antibacterials have pesticides in them, we’d prefer to keep them far away from our kids. But we’ve found great nontoxic options made of EVA foam (which is also recyclable). Our current favorite is colorful foam tiles. You’ve seen them – some are decorated with numbers, others have the alphabet. Some are just super-chic geometric patterns. A close second is recycled rubber tiles. You can search for them online, but more and more big retailers are also carrying them. We’d say stay tuned to this one…
Your baby could be teething on toxins.
Many plastic toys are made of polyvinyl chloride (aka PVC or vinyl), a type of plastic that is made with phthalates.
Problem: Phthalates are a public enemy when it comes to kids (and adults, too).
They like to travel, leaching out of various products and into our bloodstreams, and are implicated in reproductive disorders and respiratory problems. They’re also found in some pacifiers, teethers, and chew toys.
Many toy companies have voluntarily removed PVC from their items due to safety concerns. Unfortunately, most of those companies are in Europe. (European countries banned phthalates in PVC toys over a decade ago. The city of San Francisco just did it, too.)
Solution:
You’ve got to get vinyl out of your life.
Start by using your nose. That “new shower curtain smell” or “new car smell” we’re all so familiar with is the smell of PVC.
The magic number is “3.”
Look for that familiar triangle that’s found on all plastic products. If you see a number “3” in that triangle, it’s PVC.
And the magic letter is “V.”
Also look for the letter “V” under the recycling symbol found on most plastic products. Unfortunately, it’s not a symbol for peace. It’s a symbol for PVC.
Buy latex or silicone teethers. No phthalates in those.
If you find that your kids’ toys are made from PVC, alas, the best thing to do is throw them out. Or put them in an airtight “Hall of Fame” style display case. PVC is rarely recycled, and unfortunately a landfill is the best fate for these truly un-kid-friendly things.
Your kids won’t be deprived. There are plenty of toys that aren’t made with PVC (wooden toys, for example), and many companies are voluntarily phasing out products with PVC.
Excerpted from: Squeaky Green: The Method Guide to Detoxing Your Home by Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry (c) 2008. Used with permission of Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, www.chroniclebooks.com.
Excerpted from: Squeaky Green: The Method Guide to Detoxing Your Home by Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry (c) 2008. Used with permission of Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, www.chroniclebooks.com.
