ANN ARBOR, Michigan, December 3, 2008 (ENS) - One in every three of the more than 1,500 children’s toys tested in time for the holiday shopping season have been found to contain “medium” or “high” levels of chemicals of concern such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic.

Researchers with the Michigan-based nonprofit Ecology Center tested for chemicals that have been associated with reproductive problems, developmental and learning disabilities, hormone problems and cancer; and for those identified by regulatory agencies as problematic.

The play mat in this set tested high for
bromine and antimony. (Photos courtesy
Ecology Center)

The testing was conducted with a screening technology - the portable X-Ray Fluorescence analyzer - that identifies the elemental composition of materials on or near the surface of products.

The Ecology Center and partners across the country today released their second annual consumer guide to toxic chemicals in toys, which can be found online at www.HealthyToys.org.

Environmental health groups are holding toy testing events nationwide and urging manufacturers and the federal government to phase out the most harmful chemicals at once.

“There is simply no place for toxic chemicals in children’s toys,” said Ecology Center’s Jeff Gearhart, who led the research.

“Our hope is that by empowering consumers with this information, manufacturers and lawmakers will feel the pressure to start phasing out the most harmful substances immediately, and to change the nation’s laws to protect children from highly toxic chemicals,” he said.

Lead was detected in 20 percent of the toys tested this year. Lead levels in 54 products were well above the 600 parts per million federal recall standard used for lead paint, and will exceed the U.S. legal limit in February, according to the new Consumer Product Safety Commission regulations.

If the new regulations were in effect today, some of the toys on the shelf this holiday season would be illegal to sell. When children are exposed to lead, the developmental and nervous system consequences are irreversible.

Levels of lead in many of the toys tested were above the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended ceiling of 40 ppm of lead in children’s products.

Children’s jewelry remains the most contaminated product category, maintaining its spot at the top of HealthyToys.org’s “worst” list for a second year.

Overall, jewelry is twice as likely to contain detectable levels of lead as other products, the researchers found.

Numerous Hannah Montana brand jewelry items tested high for lead. HealthyToys.org recommends that consumers avoid low cost children’s jewelry.

Lead, bromine and chlorine were found
in this piece of low-cost jewelry.

The website allows searches by product name, brand, or toy type to see if certain toys have toxic chemicals. The newly-redesigned site also lets visitors create a personalized holiday wish list that can be sent to family and friends, and a blog-friendly widget to quickly search the toy ratings.

With millions of toys on the market, HealthyToys.org could not test them all, but visitors to the website can nominate other products to be tested. The most commonly requested items will be tested each week leading up to the holidays.

Through its testing, HealthyToys.org found toys made in China are not the only ones that contain toxic chemicals. Tests show that 21 percent of toys from China and 16 percent of those from all other countries had detectable levels of lead in 2008.

About one-third of the 17 toys tested that were manufactured in the United States showed detectable levels of lead. Two toys had levels above 600 ppm. Among the highest lead levels detected was in a Halloween Pumpkin Pin made in the USA, which showed 190,943 ppm of lead.

Lead is not the only toxic found in the toys. Researchers also found toys containing cadmium, mercury, arsenic, and bromine. Forty-five products tested showed bromine at concentrations of 1,000 ppm or higher, indicating the use of brominated flame retardants - chemicals that may pose hazards to children’s health.

Arsenic was detected at levels greater than 100 ppm in 22 products, while 289 products contained detectable levels of arsenic.

Cadmium, a heavy metal, was found above 100 ppm in 30 products, while 38 of products contained detectable levels of cadmium.

Mercury was found above 100 ppm in 14 products, while 62 of products contained detectable levels of mercury.

HealthyToys.org identified products made with polyvinyl chloride, PVC, plastic by measuring their chlorine content.

“PVC is a problematic plastic because it creates major environmental health hazards in its manufacture and disposal and may contain additives, including phthalates, that may pose hazards,” the Ecology Center said. Twenty-seven percent of the toys tested this year by HealthyToys.org, excluding jewelry, were made with PVC.

“The good news is that 62 percent (954) of the products tested contain low levels of chemicals of concern, and 21 percent (324) of all products contain no chemicals of concern. These products look and feel no different than other children’s products on the shelf,” said the Ecology Center. “These findings show that manufacturers can and should make toys free of unnecessary toxic chemicals.”

View This Story On Eco–mmunity Map.

DALLAS, Texas, March 21, 2008 (ENS) - After eliminating 4,000 pounds of harmful chemicals, the management of Dallas Love Field airport is pledging to reduce 1,000 additional pounds as part of a national program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The airport plans to reduce 1,000 pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs, as part of the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities, NPEP, program.

In addition, it is pledging to eliminate 50 pounds of mercury by replacing light bulbs, thermometers, thermostats and other equipment under the NPEP Mercury Challenge campaign.

“More and more top facilities are finding smart, simple ways to conduct business and care for the environment at the same time,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard Greene. “It is even more inspiring when members of industry not only stick with their commitments to the environment, but expand on them, as Dallas Love Field has done.”

The management of Love Field is
reducing harmful chemicals in
the airport building.
(Photo credit unknown)

The airport will replace fluorescent light ballasts and instruments containing mercury with modern equipment that is free of the harmful chemical. It will also recycle light bulbs that contain mercury.

“Our efforts at Love Field are an extension of citywide policies pertaining to environmental responsibility, which are implemented through our Environmental Management System,” said Director of Aviation Daniel Weber.

“Our success with removing harmful chemicals from the system follows our earlier program to reduce air emissions, in conjunction with our tenant airlines,” Weber said. “Our staff will continue to work at reducing all Dallas Airport System facilities’ impacts on the environment.”

The National Partnership for Environmental Priorities promotes the voluntary reduction of 31 priority chemicals. Through work with the EPA, both public and private organizations identify activities that will reduce the use of these chemicals, preventing their ability to accumulate in the environment and cause harm to humans and the ecosystem.

The Mercury Challenge promotes the voluntary, systematic elimination of equipment continaing mercury, a potent neurotoxin that can affect the brain, spinal cord, kidneys and liver.

More than 150 organizations nationwide have joined the NPEP program, which has set a goal of reducing the use or release of four million pounds of priority chemicals by 2011.

Dallas Love Field is one of only four airports nationwide to join the NPEP program and is the first to add more goals to its original commitment.

The airport covers 1,300 acres and has three runways. Love Field was the primary airport for Dallas until 1974, when Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport opened. Love Field is now Dallas’ secondary airport and serves as a major focus city for Southwest Airlines. Continental Express and American Eagle also offer service from Love Field.

View This Story On Eco–mmunity Map.

Cleaning is one of those micro-level things that seems small — something that goes in the “I’m just one person; what difference could it possibly make?” category — but can really add up over time and with widespread green best practices. How much does it add up to? Here are some numbers to help give the topic context.

17,000 — the number of petrochemicals (that’s petroleum-derived chemicals; almost always toxic to ingest) available for home use

30% — the amount of the above that have been properly tested for exposure to human health and the environment.

63 — the number of synthetic chemicals found in the average American home, which translates to…

10 gallons — on average, of harmful chemicals that are in the average home, right now.

275 — the number of active ingredients in antimicrobials that the EPA classifies as pesticides because they are designed to kill microbes.

5 billion — the number of pounds of chemicals that the institutional cleaning industry uses each year.

23 gallons — the average volume of chemicals that a janitor uses each year.

25 percent — of the amount above, the percentage of which are hazardous.

So, it’s not just about taking it easy on the planet. Sure, petrochemical-free cleaners don’t use petroleum products, but green cleaners are also so much more healthy for you, your family and your home.

In a previous Greenzine special, we featured one of the organizations dedicated to pursuing green issues and products. The organization is called Pure Habitat NYC [www.purehabitatnyc.com]. This is a fabulous company that serves its’ clients by doing a “green” spring cleaning of a home’s environment and then by providing expert consultation on green lifestyle.

We conducted an interview with Cory Tixier of Pure Habitat and here is a text version of her answers. Here is the whole interview, we hope you enjoy.

Question #1: What is Pure Habitat and why was it created?

Pure Habitat provides two services which, offer urban dwellers a new beginning in pure living. We believe education is the foundation of commitment, and we are committed to educating our clients.

Our services:

Service #1: Green living

This consulting service is highly beneficial to anyone interested in learning and achieving a greener standard of living. The experience will change the way you think, live and feel–all for the better.

We realize that being green is not as easy as we would like it to be. Unfortunately we are creatures of habit. Our goal is to help you change your habits to more earth friendly ones; we will help you understand what makes things “green” and how to make the switch.

Green living consulting covers a wide rage of topics, some you may not have considered. From things as simple as recycling to the total renovation of your space.

Service #2: Green Cleaning

With the help of eco friendly products and our unique approach to cleaning we will care for your space as if it were our own. Your home will be cleaned with safe aroma therapeutic cleaners, leaving it rejuvenated and free of harmful chemicals. In every step of our cleaning process we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment, making us think twice about what happens to every plastic bag we use, every bucket we fill, even the transportation we utilize. This service promotes a green lifestyle, leaving clients with weekly eco information. We may not leave chocolets on your pillow but we will leaving valuable information including samples of products, plants that help clean the air and current Environmental news.

Pure Habitat was created out of necessity. A necessity to change the way we behave in relation to our environment. We believe humankind has had a profoundly negative impact on the environment through excess, neglect and indifference. It is time for us to redefine our place in the natural order of our planet so that all things can live in peace and harmony. We are witnessing a critical moment in the history of our earth. Its future cannot be left in the hands of those in power that are most guilty of excess and neglect.

Question #2: What was it like to work with the Sundance Channel on the green bags that were handed out at the Green Launch Party?

The whole thing was very exciting. Of course there were a few hang-ups on our end; which no one seemed to have a problem with. Everyone at Sundance here in the city and Utah were very understanding and more than willing to help. I would love the opportunity to work with Sundance Green on future “green” projects!

Question #3: Which part(s) of the environmental movement is Pure Habitat most interested in advocating or advancing?

There are many many areas that one could focus on in regards to our environment. However I think I am most interested in the human/nature relationship. I want to be able to reconnect people with the earth and with that comes an understanding and empathy for our ecosystem. With education and communication we learn to understand where we fit and our responsibility as stewards of this planet

Question #4: In what ways do you see the internet as a facilitator of the environmental movement?

From my experience the Internet allows for easy communication with large amounts of people, which I believe to be very critical in any movement. Information should always be free and easily accessible for everyone. The Internet allows people all over the world to share ideas. More importantly it connects like-minded people. Building communities, weather on line or not its human relations, which are desperately needed. It’s actually to good to be true. I am sure the government will step in soon, its too private.

Question #5: How do you think your organization could benefit from being a part of the upcoming Eco-mmunity map soon to be launched at the Sundance Channel?

We have been working with New Yorkers for just over two years now. Our client relations as well as our vendor relations, and an over all understanding of everything green, has grown and continues to grow considerably. We want to become a significant resource to urban dwellers and being on the Eco-mmunity map would allow us to be more accessible to those in need. The more questions are asked the better teachers we become.