Frequently Asked Questions About Vinyl Toys

1. Why do toy manufacturers choose vinyl to make so many types of toys?
   Vinyl – also called PVC or polyvinyl chloride – is a particularly durable and versatile type of plastic that is widely used not only in toys, but also in construction products, automotive accessories, electronics and medical goods like blood bags and IV systems. In all these applications and others, vinyl can be manufactured to meet exacting customer and regulatory standards, even in the most demanding and health-sensitive products. Vinyl has a proven record of safe use in hundreds of different applications that stretches back over its nearly 70-year history.
   
   In addition to its safety record, toymakers also use vinyl because of its versatility; it can be easily formulated to be flexible or rigid, or to be virtually any color of the rainbow. Vinyl’s durability helps toys to withstand even the most rugged play, and parents can appreciate the fact that it can be easily cleaned, helping to keep kids safe from germs.
   
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2. What are plasticizers and why are they added to some vinyl toys?
   Plasticizers are ingredients used in the formulation of vinyl that give the product its softness. The most common types of plasticizers used in vinyl toys come from a family of compounds called "phthalate esters" (pronounced ‘thal-ate’).
   
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3. How does the industry respond to Greenpeace’s allegations about possible dangers from vinyl toys?
   The campaign waged by Greenpeace and others against vinyl is not based on a responsible science and the group’s allegations have caused needless fear among parents of young children. In order for parents to make informed decisions about their children’s health and safety, they need information based on facts. Vinyl is without doubt one of the most thoroughly researched materials in existence, and parents can rest assured that it can be placed in the hands of their children without fear. For example, a recent critique of a Greenpeace report found that the group had misinterpreted its own results when it claimed that lead and cadmium found in some vinyl toys was a health risk to children. In reality, a child would have to eat and digest large quantities of vinyl for it to pose an actual health risk.
   
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