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What Greenpeace is NOT Telling You About Lead and Cadmium
in Children's Products
Myth #1
The mere presence of lead in a PVC children's product means a child will
come into contact with it at harmful levels.
Truth: A chemical that is present in a material must be released
from that material before exposure can occur.
Reality: Using Greenpeace's testing of Minnie's Spring Fever Backpack,
a child would need to ingest and systematically absorb the entire backpack
to reach Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) exposure levels.
Myth #2
The presence of lead/cadmium dust on the surface of PVC children's products
is dangerous.
Truth: When data are presented accurately, i.e. expressed on a standardized
(per square inch) basis, Greenpeace's results do not support its allegations.
Reality: A young child would need to lick or chew 62.5 Tweety totebags
before he/she would be exposed to enough lead/cadmium to exceed CPSC limits.
Myth #3
The levels of lead that migrate through "chewing" on a PVC product
are harmful.
Truth: Greenpeace used hydrochloric acid to determine exposure from
sucking. Because hydrochloric acid is much more potent that saliva, this
test indicates what a child must swallow to see an effect.
Reality: Using the chronic exposure limits established by the CPSC,
a child would need to bite off and swallow a substantial piece of the Kentucky
Fried Chicken toy everyday of the year to see adverse effects.
Myth #4
As PVC children's products get exposed to "the elements," lead/cadmium
are released.
Truth: It is generally accepted that excessive sunlight releases
lead stabilizers from certain products. However, this protocol is generally
applied to consumer products that will likely be in excessive sunlight.
Reality: None of the products Greenpeace tested are likely to be
exposed to prolonged, excessive levels of ultraviolet light, therefore,
the results are not useful or relevant to accurately determine the safety
of the products.
Myth #5
CPSC does not regulate children's products for lead content.
Truth: Since 1978 the CPSC has prohibited toys or other children's
products that exceed 600 ppm total lead content by weight.
Reality: As pertinent information came forth about levels of lead
in children's jewelry and in certain imported crayons CPSC was quick to
take action. The fact is, CPSC conducted similar tests on lead and cadmium
in PVC children's products and did not feel that any action was warranted.
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