Toxic Chemicals in Our Ponies?

[LadyMoondancer]

You said so yourself that you've been collecting since you were 4. Are you dead yet?

Okay, I hate to be a nitpicker, but prepare to see me being a nitpicker.

"I've been doing [activity] since I was [age] and I am not [negative side effect]" is not proof of anything.   I see this all the time with all sorts of different things . . . "I've been eating nothing but duck lard since I was three, and I'm not dead!"  "I routinely lick asbestos and I don't have cancer!"  "I've never worn a helmet while bicycling and I'm alive!"

The point is that some activities/behaviors INCREASE the risk of health problems, not that they guarantee that you will be harmed.   Even if you know someone who ate nothing but duck lard, never brushed their teeth, and never wore a helmet, and even if that one particular person lived to 97, in most cases those activities are detrimental to health.

[Wardah]

You said so yourself that you've been collecting since you were 4. Are you dead yet?

Okay, I hate to be a nitpicker, but prepare to see me being a nitpicker.

"I've been doing [activity] since I was [age] and I am not [negative side effect]" is not proof of anything.   I see this all the time with all sorts of different things . . . "I've been eating nothing but duck lard since I was three, and I'm not dead!"  "I routinely lick asbestos and I don't have cancer!"  "I've never worn a helmet while bicycling and I'm alive!"

The point is that some activities/behaviors INCREASE the risk of health problems, not that they guarantee that you will be harmed.   Even if you know someone who ate nothing but duck lard, never brushed their teeth, and never wore a helmet, and even if that one particular person lived to 97, in most cases those activities are detrimental to health.

Yeah maybe if it is one person, then yeah it is not really something you can go by but when it is a majority of people that are fine you can figure your chances of any problems are slim.

[StarlightGaze]

Yeah, I would be especially careful about handling ponies whose plastics art starting to deteriorate and ooze. Also red ponies like Big Mac probably have lead.

I took my Funko vinyl Pony out of her box earlier to play with her a little and the chemical smell she was giving off was really off putting, so she didn't stay out long!

[BerryPunch]

Yeah, I would be especially careful about handling ponies whose plastics art starting to deteriorate and ooze. Also red ponies like Big Mac probably have lead.

I took my Funko vinyl Pony out of her box earlier to play with her a little and the chemical smell she was giving off was really off putting, so she didn't stay out long!

o.o

[Jypsy]

Yeah, I would be especially careful about handling ponies whose plastics art starting to deteriorate and ooze. Also red ponies like Big Mac probably have lead.

I took my Funko vinyl Pony out of her box earlier to play with her a little and the chemical smell she was giving off was really off putting, so she didn't stay out long!

Is there any reason why you say red ponies probably have lead vs other ponies?

Overall, there has been very little evidence that has shown that PVC poses a significant risk with occasional usage. It should not be ingested according to most studies, but handling should not be cause for alarm. The same goes for funko toys. You might want to leave your vinyl toy out for a while in a well ventilated area to air it out if the smell bothers you. Keeping it away from heat will also keep the smell from getting worse.

Also this was available on Hasbro, Inc's website. It explains what chemicals their toys may contain, so people can make informed decisions.

[mayanbutterfly]

I just wanted to add that I found this website that has tested ponies... you can see the results here:

http://www.healthystuff.org/get-stuff.php?q=my+little+pony

[partypony566]

Everything is dangerous.
Eating food could kill you.
Walking around your house could kill you.
Unless you live in one spot, not moving, barely eating... heck, that could even kill you!

Everything is dangerous in one way or another.

This!!!

[Starly]

Everything is dangerous.
Eating food could kill you.
Walking around your house could kill you.
Unless you live in one spot, not moving, barely eating... heck, that could even kill you!

Everything is dangerous in one way or another.

This!!!

Yup, I live life on the EDGE, I TASTE my ponies every day and I'm still alive.
Somehow.
I think.

"Toxic chemicals? In MY ponies? It's more likely than you think!"

-lickchewbitederp-

ohgodwhyamistillawake

[Whippycorn]

Yes the world is full of toxins, just as it is full of plastic, but that doesn't mean you have to just accept that and surround yourself in them. If you want to reduce your daughter's exposure to these things, then I say why not.

You CAN buy more food that is not packaged in plastic. You CAN buy your daughter fewer plastic toys, more toys that have been tested and found to be safe(r) and more that are made of wood/ natural fabric.

For example I had a lovely rubberwood dollhouse when I was little which I loved. There's an ever increasing supply of these types of toys too, as more people realise the dangers of all that plastic for themselves, their kids and for the planet.

Don't let anyone's comments make you feel like you're being paranoid, I say well done for thinking about the long term health of your daughter. 

[partypony566]

I don't think anyone thinks the OP is being paranoid, it's great to be cautious about the health of our little ones, however I think the general gist here is that you can breathe in harmful fumes from buses and cars but we still need to go outside. some things we can limit exposure to and something's we just cannot avoid, like someone else said, our water has chlorine and fluoride in it.

[banditpony]

Doesn't most plastic contain additives of some sort? When you stop and think about it, there are so many things in this world we use that contain something dangerous, you can't hide from it all. As for toys, that's why some people are all for unpainted wood toys only for their children.

[Starly]

I'd hate to be a kid with only unpainted wood toys...

[banditpony]

I'd hate to be a kid with only unpainted wood toys...

I only said unpainted because if it has paint, then all the worries about lead. (Speaking of that, I stumbled across omg lead paint, brochure from the 50s/60s and it's still a concern for modern times)

Why wouldn't you like wooden toys? My friends grandpa made toys, and they were really fun to play with... some where quite interactive. I think stuff like that, makes kids more creative.

[Starly]

I'd hate to be a kid with only unpainted wood toys...

I only said unpainted because if it has paint, then all the worries about lead. (Speaking of that, I stumbled across omg lead paint, brochure from the 50s/60s and it's still a concern for modern times)

Why wouldn't you like wooden toys? My friends grandpa made toys, and they were really fun to play with... some where quite interactive. I think stuff like that, makes kids more creative.

cuz i don't freaking know.
Ask my younger self.
I'm tired. Goodnight.

[Pangel]

 

I think it's great that you're taking an interest in what your child is playing with. Sadly a lot of parents I see pay little attention to their children, so it's lovely to see someone so caring. It's good to question things!

Science says a lot of things 'could' cause various ailments, illnesses, and diseases, and 'may' increase our risks of getting these things, but they're normally extreme. We also need to think about where this information has come from, as you will find that sometimes studies have been financially backed or created by a company in order to promote a product or service.

I think that if the toys were really unsafe and harmful chemically, then they would have been recalled.

I personally didn't like the website you provided regarding chemicals.  I especially disliked the traffic light system down the side. In my opinion websites like that are responsible for scare mongering, as the information about chemicals can easily be misrepresented and taken out of context.