Our children are our most precious members of
society. They are also the most vulnerable. They're more
exposed: pound for pound, children eat more food, breathe more air
and drink more water than adults. Young children put
everything they can get their hands on into their mouths.
They're more susceptible to health affects from their exposures:
because their bodies are still developing, chemicals in their
environment can create profound and lifelong health problems,
including developmental delays, cancer, and reproductive
problems.
Sadly, many chemicals in everyday products can pose
dangers to children. The recent recalls of toys and jewelry
for containing lead are just the tip of the iceberg. Other
dangers include phthalates - chemicals that are used to make vinyl
plastic (PVC) flexible, carry fragrances in personal care products
like shampoos.
Parents shouldn’t
have to worry every time they buy a bottle, bib, teether, car seat,
toy, crib wedge, or other child care product, about whether it
contains lead or any other toxic chemical. What can we do about it?
Most people assume that if a product is being sold that the
government has screened it for safety. This is simply not the case.
Although there are steps we can take to reduce our exposure, we
cannot shop, eat or exercise our way out of the problem of toxic
chemicals in commerce, in our homes, and in us. Government and
industry action to phase out these chemicals in favor of safer
alternatives is needed now.
Coalitions of
organizations in several states are promoting policies that will
require that toxic chemicals in children’s products be substituted
with safer alternatives. The Ecology Center in Michigan compiled a database of over 1200
children’s products and reports their findings at www.HealthyToys.org
. The database is searchable by product
name, brand name, or product type, and we will add to this
database over time. Product types include backpacks, bibs, apparel,
jewelry, room décor, pacifiers, teethers, toys, dolls, and games.
We’re pleased to be able to provide this useful information to
parents in time for the Holiday shopping season and henceforth. But,
still, we can’t shop our way out of this problem. Government action
is necessary. And product recalls are profoundly inadequate. No one
has yet successfully answered the question of what to do with
recalled products. The only solution is to stop producing toxic
products to begin with.
We can improve our health
and the health of workers and our communities by adopting these
common sense policies:
• Phase-out the
most harmful chemicals and switch to safer
alternatives;
• Require that
all chemicals are screened for safety and that toxicity data and
product ingredients be made publicly
available;
• Promote the
development of safer alternatives and environmentally friendly
“green” technologies;
• Protect
workers and communities where toxic chemicals are produced, used,
and disposed of.
Specifically, the JustGreen
Partnership is working with legislative champions to develop a
child-safe products act to be introduced in and passed through both
houses of the New York State Legislature and signed into law in
2008. This bill should contain the following policy elements:
Dates certain for
phase-out of toxic chemicals from children’s products and by which
substitution of safer chemicals or processes is
required.
Safety labeling for all
products stating that they are in compliance with the law (i.e.,
do not contain the law’s identified chemicals), and warning labels
for all products that are not (i.e., contain toxic ingredients).
(bilingual)
Support for an
independent, third-party certification program such as GreenSeal
or LEED to verify claims.
Regular inspection at
the retail and importation level, funded by the Environmental
Protection Fund.
Penalties for
non-compliance.
Partial exemption from
liability for retailers who require contents disclosure from their
product suppliers.
Technical Support and
compliance assistance for businesses.
Requiring the newly
funded Pollution Prevention Institute to prioritize solutions for
identified toxic chemicals and product categories.
Authorization of
participation in an Interstate Chemicals Clearinghouse, to bring
together research and data gathered on chemical hazards,
alternatives, and initiatives for implementation of safer
chemicals policies by the states into a single location, while
establishing new data, research, dialogs and collaborations. Also
funded through the Environmental Protection Fund.
Take Action
Here's how you can make a
difference:
Contact your State Senator
and Assemblymember personally and ask them to work
with JustGreen to advance Child-Safe Products Policy.
Print out copies of this postcard and get your friends and
family to sign them (send back to us at 323 Bonnyview Lane,
Schenectady, NY 12306 no later than June 1st).
Use the form below to send an email to Governor Paterson.
