The MLP Arena
Pony Talk => Pony Corral => Topic started by: mayanbutterfly on November 25, 2012, 03:31:18 PM
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So apparently My Little Ponies have PVC additives in them which can include lead, cadmium, organotins, and plasticizers like phthalates. They also contain vinyl chloride, a carcinogen according to the EPA.
PVC also releases dioxins which are really bad for us.
Here's one article that I looked at:
http://guide.thesoftlanding.com/newsletter/issue-12-pvc-in-christmas-toys-and-toxic-toys-r-us/ (http://guide.thesoftlanding.com/newsletter/issue-12-pvc-in-christmas-toys-and-toxic-toys-r-us/)
and here's another talking about toxic toys at Toys R Us
http://chej.org/wp-content/uploads/Documents/2010/ToxicToysRUs.pdf (http://chej.org/wp-content/uploads/Documents/2010/ToxicToysRUs.pdf)
This is all very upsetting to me because I love ponies and I have been collecting them since I was 4 years old. However, I feel uncomfortable buying them for my 3 year old daughter right now because of the health risks associated with PVC being in toys.
I actually don't know what to do with all of my ponies right now. I don't know how much of a health hazard it is to have them in the same room as I am in. Also, is there much point in keeping them if I think they are unsafe for my daughter to play with?
I have also contacted Hasbro about this issue and I am waiting to hear back from them.
I asked if PVC additives were put into vintage ponies as well because I haven't read anything about that.
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I bought the Walmart Black Friday double pack ponies and the smell of chemicals was overwhelming. Smelled like paint thinner to me!
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Its not just ponies with PVC in them, you're going to have to take away all their toys to keep them from toxins, and even then they're living in a house full of toxins and a world full of toxins. Even the new plastics in current baby toys are going to be found to cause cancer in another decade. Are you going to stop them from eating any foods wrapped in plastic? And I hate to tell you but I work in a school that still has asbestos since removing it would be so costly they just cover it up, but the covering is getting old and worn on a lot of their pipes. You really can't protect your children or yourself short of living in a bubble, which may contain toxins if its plastic and lead if its glass. As long as they're no longer chewing on everything they aren't in any more danger than everybody else living in this country and we do have a high lifespan so I guess we should be happy.
You said so yourself that you've been collecting since you were 4. Are you dead yet?
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You said so yourself that you've been collecting since you were 4. Are you dead yet?
No, I'm not, but I'm concerned that carcinogens in our toys could cause cancer in the long run.
If everyone stopped buying Hasbro's toys until they made them more safe and took out the PVC additives then I think that would be an improvement.
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The problem is all soft plastics need the additives to be soft. Without the additives the ponies would be hard and brittle.
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... i understand your concern ... yeah, the chemicals aren't good ... BUT ... you will never EVER get rid of all carcinogens in your home/life/outside world ... and yes, reducing your exposure to them is a good thing ... the reaction is a touch strong ... these chemicals are in EVERYTHING plastic to one degree or another ... so let's assume you get rid of ALL plastic toys (and i mean EVERY LAST SINGLE ONE), every bottle/sippy cup/plastic plate, plastic baggies, plastic wrap, the inside liner of your refridgerator, man made materials in your clothes, no plastic shampoo bottles/juice bottles, no juice boxes, no crackers (they come inside plastic bags), every single piece of plastic must be removed from your home, even the carpets and rugs because they are mostly plastics and man made materials ... and even then ... you face a much larger risk of getting cancer from radon gas that can NATURALLY seep into your home and most people don't even know it exists or is a threat ...
... the amounts in the items around is minor ... i'd rather chew on an MLP than breathe a lung full of polluted air or drink polluted water ...
... it's better to check your house for radon and possible lead and asbestos which pose a much larger and much more tangible threat that people can be proactive with than stressing about the minor things ...
... seriously ... i am not making light of this or telling you that you can't or shouldn't get rid of all your kids' toys ... but the risk is so infintesimal to ONLY get rid of their ponies and stuff ... i'd rather worry about the BIG things ... if you take away the ponies, don't let them outside because the air is filled with carcinogens too, don't let them eat or drink anything either cause it's most assuredly got minute traces of carcinogens in it too, from fish, to chickens, to cows, to fruits and veggies grown (organic) so it's better to starve to death then possibly get cancer ...
... people just need to be sensible ... yes, okay there have been dangerous toys ( a lot of lax laws in some manufacturing countires) from lead paint to small pieces to sharp bits ... THOSE are what you should be concerned with ... not the toys that when used properly (read that as in NOT GROUND UP AND HIGHLY PROCESSED for these tests) pose no threat to you or your family ...
i'm reminded of the whole Zhu-Zhu pet fiasco when in the middle of the craze they were suddenly lablled DANGEROUS ... because the people would did the testing literally ground up the zhu-zhu pet (batteries and all mind you) and THEN did the testing ... when if they had tested the toy in working condition there was no danger ...
please do not stress over this. don't freak out or aver react. it's a scary world ... you are more likely to be murdered than get cancer. you are more likely to get struk by lightning than win the lottery.
and even then ... take the bag of blocks recalled several years ago ... it was made in 17 different factories ... one batch out of thousands, from one factory out of 17, had one block that was painted with a red butterfly ... that one batch out of thousands with a very small red butterfly was red paint with lead in it ... it posed no threat to any child that didn't eat the block ... but still all the blocks were recalled ...
... follow a safety toy checklist ... toys should be cleaned regularly ... germs, cleaning chemical oversprays, dust, dit, etc etc ... check for broken pieces and sharp bits, check for normal wear and tear, check for stress lines, etc ... but please don't over react to things like this ... some of them are worth worrying about yes ... but most of the time (like the Zhu-Zhu scare) it's people doing extreme tests and taking things to where they really don't need to be taken ...
take it with a grain of salt and make your OWN decision ... please, please, plese, please don't let stories that are made to be sensationalized make you jump to conclusions ...
ETA: and if these minute amounts scare you ... certainly don't hang onto ANY older pre 2000ish toys because a lot of these standards didn't even exist until then ... including ponies ... :\ :(
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Meh, you only live once, and I sometimes lick and suck on my ponies (don't ask) and I'm perfectly okay!
Minus various mental problems but those existed before ponies.
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I'm not helping, am I?
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Okay, deep breathe. First off, I know what it is to be scared of things you once thought safe. As an individual with OCD and anxiety disorder, I am no stranger to finding yourself struggling with the idea of throwing out all plastics and daydreaming of living like you're from the 1800's.
The thing is, there are hazardous and potentially hazardous chemicals in every day life. All around you. Now, in general, they are in safe doses! As long as you don't go ingesting them, it's okay! Take for instance, lead. Lead can be a hazardous material, but in general it's effects are only heightened/worry causing when ingested. It can lay on the skin and much less product would be absorbed than if someone were to chew on or lick it.
If you don't feel safe having your child have toys that they don't quite yet know not to put in their mouths, that is your call! There are plenty of safe alternatives and even handmade goods out there. However, keep in mind that most items for sale have to be tested to be within safe standards before it is allowed on shelves. I remember a whole debacle where the new law was that everything had to be tested for lead and the way it was worded meant handmade sellers such as on etsy wouldn't be able to sell without testing each and every item. :/
To be honest, there is "harmful" stuff all around you. It's generally the amount that causes issue. Take radiation for example. There's radiation in bananas, in rocks, in the air you breathe, you get radiation from an x-ray. Nearly all things that exist produce some amount of what is called background radiation! Still, it's perfectly normal and safe. It's when you get a significantly larger dose of radiation then is normal that there may or may not be issues (like Chernobyl). It's the amount of the substance, not necessarily the substance itself.
Of course, different chemicals and compounds have different toxicity levels and in the end each individual is unique. It's why children's toys and things are tested to a higher requirement, because their bodies are smaller and they are developing and so something might effect them worse than an adult sized human.
All in all, I wouldn't worry too much. Do what makes you feel comfortable for you and your child, but don't let the worry of what might happen encompass your life. While there is certainly no harm in lessening the impact of chemical substances in your life and I am all for buying products with less ingredients or eating fresher food, it's important to find the balance between being active and informed and making yourself paranoid.
There will ALWAYS be things out there that people think may or may not be unsafe and there will always be amounts of chemicals or compounds in things in this world. It's fine to minimize what you can, but don't let it overtake you. You can worry yourself sick or you can take a deep breath, decide what things you are or aren't going to focus on and let the rest be.
I can't promise nothing will ever happen to you or yours down the road. Just as I can't promise what the weather will be like tomorrow. The one thing I do know though, is that letting fears rule your life, that can take living from you. In centimeters, inches, and miles. In the end, fear can be a great tool, it can keep you safe, but it can also be ones worse enemy. Take heart and be wise, but don't let the monsters under your bed dictate your decisions. They're sickening shadows that will take the light from you if you let your worrying go too far.
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Honestly I would not worry too much. Due to increased legislation, lead levels in toys are much more strictly tested than they used to be. Just because something is PVC doesn't mean it necessarily is a cocktail of lead, cadmium, organotins AND phthalates; although it may have some of one of these added as a plasticizer. Most of these things are only going to be present in high enough amounts to hurt someone if the toys are overheated, continually chewed, ground up into dust and inhaled in large quantities, etc.
And it's not a secret that this kind of plastic contains polyvinyl chloride, as some whistleblowers would argue; that's what PVC stands for. A lot of your household plumbing is probably made of PVC pipes. And don't panic because the name contains "chlorine". The chlorine is bonded to the long carbon chains that make up the plastic, so it's not floating around free like chlorine gas in its elemental form. You probably get more exposure to chlorine at the swimming pool that from your vintage MLP collection.
While I agree with the writers of the articles that the production of PVC is not environmentally friendly at all, I think it would be prudent to examine the expertise and the motives of the writers of anything like this online. Many are not scientists, and where they quote science it is out of context (just because PVC can contain organotins or cadmium does not mean that all toys made of PVC will contain dangerous levels of these or other chemicals). And if an organization is gunning to take down a particular retailer (using language to imply that the retailer is is the problem, when the company is one of many to sell these products and not the manufacturer of any of them), there are political considerations that may be coloring the facts and language presented.
I think finding ways to make more environmentally-friendly and safe toys (not to mention other household items!) is a worthy goal. I don't think the whole world is going to turn quickly away from cheap, overseas-manufactured toys quickly, though. In the current situation I personally feel that MLP are relatively safe provided you and your daughter are old enough not to be chewing on them or trying to heat them in the microwave!
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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.
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Chlorine is in our tap water.
There are so many things that could kill you or make you sick. A life spent scared is not worth living.
If you are concerned with your daughter's toys, seek out local manufacturers, buy wooden toys, etc.
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Meh, you only live once, and I sometimes lick and suck on my ponies (don't ask) and I'm perfectly okay!
Minus various mental problems but those existed before ponies.
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I'm not helping, am I?
+1. I enjoy kissing my ponies on the cheek every now and then :blush:
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Just...don't...eat them....? O_o Everything is harmful in large doses. I don't think playing with toys is going to give you or your daughter cancer.
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You said so yourself that you've been collecting since you were 4. Are you dead yet?
No, I'm not, but I'm concerned that carcinogens in our toys could cause cancer in the long run.
If everyone stopped buying Hasbro's toys until they made them more safe and took out the PVC additives then I think that would be an improvement.
Unfortunately, as well intentioned as that idea is, it is unrealistic. Many tests have been done on most children's toys, and the big USA toy companies are under much higher scrutiny than companies that import toys or fly-by-night operations, so I would like to think that it is reasonably safe to enjoy MLP products and other similar toys.
However no one else can tell you how to parent, and if you truly are uncomfortable with the PVC levels in most toys and various household items, it is completely understandable that you would like to keep them out of your child's hands.
Personally, I understand that there is some risk in many toys that my 4-year old son plays with, heck he could suddenly decide to chow down on one of the brushes or accessories that come with his pony toys. I keep an eye on him while he plays and only give him things that I feel is appropriate for him.
I am glad to see you being a proactive parent. Too many parents are either reactionary or completely uninterested in their child's welfare.
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Chlorine is in our tap water.
There are so many things that could kill you or make you sick. A life spent scared is not worth living.
Indeed.
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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.
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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.
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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 :muffin: 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!
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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 :muffin: 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
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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 :muffin: 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.
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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 (http://www.healthystuff.org/get-stuff.php?q=my+little+pony)
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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!!!
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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
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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. :ohyeah:
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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.
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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.
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I'd hate to be a kid with only unpainted wood toys...
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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. XD I think stuff like that, makes kids more creative.
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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. XD I think stuff like that, makes kids more creative.
cuz i don't freaking know.
Ask my younger self.
I'm tired. Goodnight.
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:hug:
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! :heart:
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.
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If anyone would like to safely dispose of their ponies in my childless household, just let me know!
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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. :ohyeah:
I agree with this. Why is every other comment about this here like this: 'WELL THE WORLD CAN KILL YOU WHY SHOULD YOU CARE'? The OP clearly cares. Heck, I read the OP's post, had no idea about it, and I care! I have serious health issues and the less of that crap I'm around the better. Steps can be taken to reduce exposures, including with ponies, in the OP's cases. That is perfectly legitimate.
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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. :ohyeah:
I agree with this. Why is every other comment about this here like this: 'WELL THE WORLD CAN KILL YOU WHY SHOULD YOU CARE'? The OP clearly cares. Heck, I read the OP's post, had no idea about it, and I care! I have serious health issues and the less of that crap I'm around the better. Steps can be taken to reduce exposures, including with ponies, in the OP's cases. That is perfectly legitimate.
Of course you should take measures to look after yourself and those around you, but it's about balance. The immortal question - where do you draw the line? :)
Eat well and exercise. Don't smoke. Don't do drugs. Don't drink alcohol. Put your fingers in your ears when a siren goes past... The list goes on.
I will always remember when my fiance was working in A&E when a young, normally fit and healthy man came in. He'd slipped on black ice whilst crossing the road, and hit his head on the curb. He died on arrival. My point - you can live as healthy a lifestyle as possible, but tragedy can still strike at any time. That's the cruel reality of life.
I'm a lady of science, and there is currently nothing to say that these plastic toys have any harmful effects on me or others. If My Little Ponies are ever scientifically proven to cause cancer, would people stop buying them? Would there be a pony black market? Smoking, alcohol, and drugs are all proven to cause various illnesses, but people still use them. :shrug:
It's all about lifestyle choices - and if the OP chooses not to buy ponies, then so be it. ^.^
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I'll match your "Plastics are scary and we shouldn't be using them" with a request to Google the ingredients in your lotions and cosmetics. Most of those products contain 100's of chemicals that are known to be harmful in moderate doses, and since cosmetics are easily absorbed into your body, you should be more worried about that exposure than from My Little Ponies. :-p
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The only thing I object to is the OP's idea that there is somehow a "safer" kind of plastic that Hasbro can use. As long as My Little Pony is vinyl ponies with hair they will have those chemicals. The only way to change that would be if they changed them into all plushies or something.
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If anyone would like to safely dispose of their ponies in my childless household, just let me know!
I second this! I'll gladly take ponies off anyone's hands. lol
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Red plastic usually has lead (minium) in it because that's what gives it its pigment. Any plastic that's red, orange, and even yellow may have the possibility of containing lead. Just don't chew on red plastic or handle it obsessively and you should be okay. Same goes with paint.
If you are really worried about carcinogens, you can eat things like crushed apple seeds or cherry pits that contain tiny amounts of a cyanide co-enzyme that actually kills cancer cells. Just do it in moderation.
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As others have said it's great that you care so much about your child and are prepared to do what it takes to keep her safe :) If you feel that ponies and other plastic toys are dangerous to her and decide to remove that danger from her it's entierly up to you.
However, as others have mentioned, most toys today go through extensive tests and wouldn't be sold if they weren't safe. So to make people stop buying anything from Hasbro when there's not any real reason to as they do follow the safety precautions isn't reasonable I'm afraid.
I know I'm not about to stop buying ponies.
I'm with most here when they say most stuff is harmfull in one way or another and to worry about everything really isn't gonna make life fun (believe me, I'm living with an irrational fear of getting illnesses every day and I constantly have to remind myself that I am being irrational, that I can't go around worrying because that if anything will make me ill, and that if something bad happends it happends and to deal with it then instead of worrying about something that might never happen).
As mentioned, pretty much everything is dangerous if you're exposed to a certin amount of it. I just heard reports of a woman who drank so much water her body couldn't handle it all and it killed her. So yeh, everything can unfortunatly be dangerous in larger doses.
Just pick your battles so to say :) What is a bigger risk than other things? How can you limit the risks without living a life in a bubble?
Besides, the media etc. are known to blow things out of porportion. There was the mad cow decease and people became paranoid about eating meat, there was the bird flu and people became paranoid about eating birds, there were reports that chips caused cancer and people became paranoid with that. Meanwhile it was only a handfull that actually felt the effects of it. Not to mention the vaccine that people took against some of these things actually cause more trouble than the actuall illness.
So sometimes the scare and paranoia can be way worse than the actually so called problem and therefor you should take everything your read or hear with a grain of salt and make rational decitions and conclutions.
As for our precious ponies, there have been thousands of little girls ever since the 80's playing with them and yes, chewing on them etc. and I don't think anyone has actually gotten any serious illness from them. I know where you're coming from LadyMoondancer but as Wardah said, the majority of us seem to be doing just fine despite playing with MLP's as children and therefor it's fairly safe to say that the ponies are indeed safe.
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Ah but even wood is a product with potentially harmful chemicals. Lets not forget that formaldehyde and aspirin are two things found in wood, the former being found in all plant products. There is NO SUCH THING as formaldehyde-free wood. Oils from cedar and pine are toxic to some bugs and small mammals. Extracts of these oils are used as pesticides. Wood also can harbor many more bacteria and molds as its so porous. Mycotoxins will be present in wood toys once they are played with and covered in anything that was on your kids' hands. Pressure-treated woods have even more chemicals.
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I recently watched a Finnish Customs tv-show episode where they took toy samples from large lots coming into the country. They took one of each type of toy, this happened to include G3 fakies, one styling sized wannabe Pinkie Pie and one normalized orange pony. They mentioned that they want darkest possible pony to test, purple was mentioned but apparently they didn't find one so took the orange. Later on that show they revealed that they found phtalates from the ponies and they 'turned out to be knock offs' (oh really.. :P) so they were not allowed to be sold.
This tells me that they test toys quite well, ponies for example have surely been tested so they wouldn't have too much of the possibly harmful chemicals in them. :shrug:
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If you are concerned about your baby maybe chewing on the ponies, give her soft plush ones until she is older not to do so.
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If you are concerned about your baby maybe chewing on the ponies, give her soft plush ones until she is older not to do so.
Ah but stuffed animals contain polyester, or PET, made with things like anitmony which is toxic to the lungs heart liver and skin [skin cancer is the most common cancer in the US]. If you trust the government, the anitmony is deactivated, but how many recalls on products that were once deemed safe do we need to have before we stop trusting the government?
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If you are concerned about your baby maybe chewing on the ponies, give her soft plush ones until she is older not to do so.
Ah but stuffed animals contain polyester, or PET, made with things like anitmony which is toxic to the lungs heart liver and skin [skin cancer is the most common cancer in the US]. If you trust the government, the anitmony is deactivated, but how many recalls on products that were once deemed safe do we need to have before we stop trusting the government?
jghfrehgjrfh EVERYTHING CAN BE DANGEROUS
PICKING UP A BABY CAN BE DANGEROUS
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I'm paranoid of skin cancer so I stay out of the sun! Yep, everything is harmful in some way.
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Very interesting topic! I actively try to minimize toxins in my environment (for example, I mix almost all my cosmetics and hygiene products myself from scratch), but I haven't thought about them being in my plastic toys. I avoid keeping food and drink in plastic containers, but I guess it might be a risk to just hold or be around such plastics.
Have you heard back from Hasbro about it yet? Depending on what they say, perhaps if enough people email them about it, they could take steps to make their toys safer and less toxic?
It saddens me to see so many people shrug this off. Yes, you can't go through life being all paranoid and avoiding anything that makes you happy - but toxins in our environment is a huuuge issue which is just recently starting to get enough attention. Think about all of the health problems people in western societies have. If many stem, at least partially, from this issue, don't you think it's wise to take some interest in it and do something about it?
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Since this sort of on topic... What about dyes in general? Are there any dangerous dyes? Like maybe some plushes are dyed with some bad chemicals too? Just curious.
D': Is there any 100% "safe" toy? Or is it all like 99.9% safe.
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Since this sort of on topic... What about dyes in general? Are there any dangerous dyes? Like maybe some plushes are dyed with some bad chemicals too? Just curious.
D': Is there any 100% "safe" toy? Or is it all like 99.9% safe.
Not sure about the rest of your question, (I know there are dangerous dyes, just not which ones or in what) but I can say there is no such thing as a 100% safe toy. Everything has something in it that is harmful, if you take it to the extreme, eating any kind of food or even breathing is technically detrimental to your health. The one has the potential to be riddled with either natural or man made chemicals, while the other causes you to take in continuous small amounts of carbon dioxide.
Neither ever really effect you but as you can see it sounds as if each one is killing you off right away and it needs to be fixed or else, "Oh noes! You'll die faster!"
I would say almost all toys that pass for being put on shelves (almost mind you, not all) are as safe for play as your going to get. As someone pointed out earlier, even wood toys contain their own hazards. It's about moderation and smart thinking. The only times those toys will be dangerous are if you melt them into a puddle and then suck up the air they give off or if you chew it into oblivion. Even then, you'd have to have a good amount for it to leave a permanent mark.
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i don't think any of us are "shrugging this off" ... just trying to put in a realistic manner ...
... yeah they shouldn't make anything that is crazy super duper unsafe that just by looking at it you die ... but if you want plastic ... then well, there it is ... you either have plastic or you play it safe and avoid all plastic in EVERYTHING ...
and ont hat site that "tested ponies for chemicals right ont he bottom of their page is their "potection from legal comebacks", because i'm sure they've had it with all their misleading fear mongering ...
"NOTICE: HealthyStuff.org ratings do not provide a measure of health risk or chemical exposure associated with any individual product, or any individual element or related chemical. HealthyStuff.org ratings provide only a relative measure of high, medium, and low concentrations of several hazardous chemicals or chemical elements in an individual product in comparison to criteria established in the site methodology."
A RELATIVE MEASURE TO WHAT!? they are telling you there is a "medium risk" but that it's not a health risk or chemical exposure risk ... just a "risk"? WTF?! LMFAO
air is bad too because again it contains radon and a bunch of other toxic gases and poisons ... dirt is bad because it too has poisons in it ... wood is bad because it contains NATURAL poisons and will pick up toxins from the air and soil and water ...
if the OP is going to rail against "toxic ponies" why don't they rail against ALL items containing plastics? removing ponies from one's life won't make ANY kind of difference in anything ... the exposure will still be there EVERYWHERE in EVERYTHING from things people use EVERY DAY ... worrying about toxic ponies makes as much sense as worrying about your child picking up a lump of uranium on the playground ... moot ...
a pony is just as harmful as the shoes on your feet, the clothes on your back, the computer you use, the phone you use, the mp3 player you listen to, the food you eat, the car you drive, the bus you ride, the subway you take, the home you live in, the bike you pedal, the soil in your garden, the products you use on your skin/face/hair, and the air you breathe ... there are so many other places to tackle the "reduce your exposure" that could and would make a MUCH bigger impact on yourself ... why point at ponies that in normal use are NO THREAT ... where as a vehicle IN NORMAL USE emits carbon monoxide on top of being a death trap on wheels? or the cell phones and other electronic devices that are being linked to several kinds of cancers IN NORMAL USE?
... it just seems like a really strange and microscopic part of a bigger problem ... like the Titanic is sinking, but the maiter d is only concerned because he can't keep the glasses on the table kind of thing ... i'm not "shrugging it off" i just know there are much bigger fish to fry when it comes to this ... that's what i'm concerned with, that people are freaking out over a very microscopic part of a much bigger problem ... like treating a symptom instead of the disease ...
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:hug:
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! :heart:
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.
This.
I'd say that website's system of HIGH, MED, LOW is of things tested and found to be below acceptable levels. So the ponies are safe, and a high reading might mean they are only just below recommended standards, which are pretty darned miniscule to begin with. I personally think that this is seriously misleading. saying that something has a 'HIGH' risk in all caps is definitely fear mongering, when in fact both the manufacturer AND the relevant government bodies of several countries/states/territories have found to to be safe in the case of internationally distributed products like most toys. Ponies, for instance have been tested and found to be absolutely within the realms of safe for children all around the world. No reputable testing body has ever claimed them to be unsafe.
While there are billions of dollars at stake, the rush to find a replacement for PVC would be akin to the space race, and there would be even more money in that. Imagine having a the only 'safe' material formula known to man! The fact is, there is no huge rush to replace PVC, because it holds no credible serious threat to our health. Scientists are working on it, but it's not the national priority of every world power, as it would be if that were the case.
Sorry for the rant, I just seriously hate these websites. I had a uni lecturer give us a task on our first day. He gave us a chemical-sounding name and told us to google it and go through, site by site in order of the results and document the search for what that substance actually was. Upon the initial hits, most of us were horrified. Whatever this substance was, the things it could cause and do to our health were mind-blowing.. I hoped I'd never have the misfortune to come across it. As I worked through to the second page of google results, I was dumbfounded. The substance of which we'd all been to terrified was water. Just went to show you that when you research, the misleading information is abundant everywhere. Find reputable sources. Whistleblower websites are usually talking something they know nothing about!
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i don't think any of us are "shrugging this off" ... just trying to put in a realistic manner ...
... yeah they shouldn't make anything that is crazy super duper unsafe that just by looking at it you die ... but if you want plastic ... then well, there it is ... you either have plastic or you play it safe and avoid all plastic in EVERYTHING ...
and ont hat site that "tested ponies for chemicals right ont he bottom of their page is their "potection from legal comebacks", because i'm sure they've had it with all their misleading fear mongering ...
"NOTICE: HealthyStuff.org ratings do not provide a measure of health risk or chemical exposure associated with any individual product, or any individual element or related chemical. HealthyStuff.org ratings provide only a relative measure of high, medium, and low concentrations of several hazardous chemicals or chemical elements in an individual product in comparison to criteria established in the site methodology."
A RELATIVE MEASURE TO WHAT!? they are telling you there is a "medium risk" but that it's not a health risk or chemical exposure risk ... just a "risk"? WTF?! LMFAO
air is bad too because again it contains radon and a bunch of other toxic gases and poisons ... dirt is bad because it too has poisons in it ... wood is bad because it contains NATURAL poisons and will pick up toxins from the air and soil and water ...
if the OP is going to rail against "toxic ponies" why don't they rail against ALL items containing plastics? removing ponies from one's life won't make ANY kind of difference in anything ... the exposure will still be there EVERYWHERE in EVERYTHING from things people use EVERY DAY ... worrying about toxic ponies makes as much sense as worrying about your child picking up a lump of uranium on the playground ... moot ...
a pony is just as harmful as the shoes on your feet, the clothes on your back, the computer you use, the phone you use, the mp3 player you listen to, the food you eat, the car you drive, the bus you ride, the subway you take, the home you live in, the bike you pedal, the soil in your garden, the products you use on your skin/face/hair, and the air you breathe ... there are so many other places to tackle the "reduce your exposure" that could and would make a MUCH bigger impact on yourself ... why point at ponies that in normal use are NO THREAT ... where as a vehicle IN NORMAL USE emits carbon monoxide on top of being a death trap on wheels? or the cell phones and other electronic devices that are being linked to several kinds of cancers IN NORMAL USE?
... it just seems like a really strange and microscopic part of a bigger problem ... like the Titanic is sinking, but the maiter d is only concerned because he can't keep the glasses on the table kind of thing ... i'm not "shrugging it off" i just know there are much bigger fish to fry when it comes to this ... that's what i'm concerned with, that people are freaking out over a very microscopic part of a much bigger problem ... like treating a symptom instead of the disease ...
ALL OF THIS.
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When I was very young, far too young to be capable of critical thinking, I would shove a multitude of plastic toys into my mouth just to see how many I could fit. It never gave me cancer, but it did give me the superhuman ability to fit six cue balls between my cheeks and impress all my friends at parties.
All (attempted) jokes aside, I do believe it's not something to be worried about. I think we would be seeing many more abnormal affects right now if such products were highly toxic. Plastics have been around for quite a while now, and are used everywhere. In fact, the keyboard I'm using to type this is hard plastic!
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if the OP is going to rail against "toxic ponies" why don't they rail against ALL items containing plastics?
I agree that there's nothing to worry about unless you actually digest plastic on a daily basis, but really, no one here is "railing" on plastic. MayanButterfly is just worried. In fact, I don't think MayanButterfly has posted at all since the first page.
Hasn't anyone else gotten a fear in their head even though it's silly, or seemed serious until you learned more, and worried/panicked about it? I know I have!
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When I was very young, far too young to be capable of critical thinking, I would shove a multitude of plastic toys into my mouth just to see how many I could fit. It never gave me cancer, but it did give me the superhuman ability to fit six cue balls between my cheeks and impress all my friends at parties.
All (attempted) jokes aside, I do believe it's not something to be worried about. I think we would be seeing many more abnormal affects right now if such products were highly toxic. Plastics have been around for quite a while now, and are used everywhere. In fact, the keyboard I'm using to type this is hard plastic!
I know it's none of my business (and off topic, sorry) but please don't do that! While it's impressive if you make a mistake you could choke. :( :hug:
I try not to worry about the dangers of PVC in my ponies. I have OCD myself and I don't need anything else to fret about. :P It would be quite difficult to eliminate these things from our homes and lives. While reduction would lessen the risk I agree that all the worry about filtering out this stuff is so stress inducing (for me) it almost defeats the purpose.
-Em
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I know it's none of my business (and off topic, sorry) but please don't do that! While it's impressive if you make a mistake you could choke. :( :hug:
I try not to worry about the dangers of PVC in my ponies. I have OCD myself and I don't need anything else to fret about. :P It would be quite difficult to eliminate these things from our homes and lives. While reduction would lessen the risk I agree that all the worry about filtering out this stuff is so stress inducing (for me) it almost defeats the purpose.
-Em
No need to worry EmBee, it's hyperbole for humor's sake. I have a habit of telling tall tales that is very hard to kick, and it has caused me more trouble than any cue balls have to date. It's very nice of you to show so much concern, though. :)
Now bowling balls on the other hand... Okay, I'll stop. :blush:
Edit: Now that I think about it, I should start a thread on this...
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Very interesting topic! I actively try to minimize toxins in my environment (for example, I mix almost all my cosmetics and hygiene products myself from scratch), but I haven't thought about them being in my plastic toys. I avoid keeping food and drink in plastic containers, but I guess it might be a risk to just hold or be around such plastics.
Have you heard back from Hasbro about it yet? Depending on what they say, perhaps if enough people email them about it, they could take steps to make their toys safer and less toxic?
It saddens me to see so many people shrug this off. Yes, you can't go through life being all paranoid and avoiding anything that makes you happy - but toxins in our environment is a huuuge issue which is just recently starting to get enough attention. Think about all of the health problems people in western societies have. If many stem, at least partially, from this issue, don't you think it's wise to take some interest in it and do something about it?
I appreciate your comment. I have been trying to minimize the toxins around my family as well. I actually do all sorts of things like eating organic food, being really picky with the soaps and cosmetics I use, and trying to use less plastic to store food in and so on. I'm just concerned that ponies apparently have phthalates coming out of them and I am unhappy to learn that they have PVC additives in them because the process of making PVC releases dioxin into our environment which is bad for all of us.
Something that I want to figure out here would be... are vintage ponies more safe for kids to play with because they may have off gassed or something like that? Or maybe they were made with out PVC additives?
Also, I need to decide if I should buy more of the current Friendship is Magic My Little Ponies new from the store. A big part of why I was buying them was so my daughter could play with them.
I haven't herd anything back from Hasbro yet.
I know that there are toxins all around us, but I don't think there's anything wrong with minimizing our contact with them. Also, I think it's fair to be concerned that there are toxins in the toys we give to our children.
If anyone else is feeling the same concern that I am, then maybe you can write to Hasbro about your concerns as well.
So far I'm defiantly feeling uncomfortable with fakies, because many of them are obviously lower quality than MLP and I think it's more likely that their manufacturers are cutting corners with production.
Edit: I just wanted to add that some plastics are less toxic than others, like #2 food grade plastic is supposed to be less toxic than #3 PVC... so I'm not really saying that all plastics are evil here. I think some are better than others. This is why TY started using PE pellets in their beanie babies instead of PVC pellets.
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I sometimes wonder if the toxins in so many of our every day ordinary objects are responsible for my badly functioning thyroid. Something I probably will never know, I suppose.
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I sometimes wonder if the toxins in so many of our every day ordinary objects are responsible for my badly functioning thyroid. Something I probably will never know, I suppose.
These two chemicals are listed as affecting the thyroid on the website I was looking at that started my thinking about all of this
Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE)
and
1,2,5,6,9,10-Hexabromocylcododecane (HBCD)
If you want to read more they are listed at the bottom if this page:
http://raisingnaturalkids.com/2011/11/25/tis-the-season-for-clean-toys-green-toys-and-toys-made-close-to-home/
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Short reply here, but I try to take all things from the net with a grain of salt. Many things are posted now with skewed infotainment and some persuasive articles can get pretty nasty. I was only able to read the first article. The other wouldn't open, but I would say of you're concerned do more research. I wouldn't put a lot of stock in just a few articles. Always of course do what you believe is best for your family. I do feel a some others it will be difficult to avoid toxic substances with so much being harmful.
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I know it's none of my business (and off topic, sorry) but please don't do that! While it's impressive if you make a mistake you could choke. :( :hug:
I try not to worry about the dangers of PVC in my ponies. I have OCD myself and I don't need anything else to fret about. :P It would be quite difficult to eliminate these things from our homes and lives. While reduction would lessen the risk I agree that all the worry about filtering out this stuff is so stress inducing (for me) it almost defeats the purpose.
-Em
No need to worry EmBee, it's hyperbole for humor's sake. I have a habit of telling tall tales that is very hard to kick, and it has caused me more trouble than any cue balls have to date. It's very nice of you to show so much concern, though. :)
Now bowling balls on the other hand... Okay, I'll stop. :blush:
Edit: Now that I think about it, I should start a thread on this...
Hahah wow it would help if I noticed the small print, wouldn't it??? I believed your story :blush: because I saw a man who could swallow and regurgitate pool balls on a talent show... phew! :whew:
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Glanced around the raisingnaturalkids link, very interesting. I know this isn't really the most important thing, but I'd have a realllly hard time explaining to my future kids why they couldn't have this toy or that toy they really wanted.. :unsure:
-Em
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If you are concerned about your baby maybe chewing on the ponies, give her soft plush ones until she is older not to do so.
Ah but stuffed animals contain polyester, or PET, made with things like anitmony which is toxic to the lungs heart liver and skin [skin cancer is the most common cancer in the US]. If you trust the government, the anitmony is deactivated, but how many recalls on products that were once deemed safe do we need to have before we stop trusting the government?
jghfrehgjrfh EVERYTHING CAN BE DANGEROUS
PICKING UP A BABY CAN BE DANGEROUS
In my case, there's actually a non-negligible chance that my being alive will eventually cause me cancer.
You see, I am a likely carrier of something called Lynch Syndrome, which is basically a genetic disease where some of your genes that kill off cells that "go rogue" as a kill-switch...don't work all that well (in the case of the syndrome that runs in my family, the technical term is "missense errors" aren't caught all that well--in layman's terms, sometimes the genetic code can stutter in such a way to cause pre-cancer or cancer, and folks with Lynch syndrome don't catch these "genetic stutters" as well as other folks).
What this means for me (in practical terms) is that I have something from a 50 to a 75 percent chance of developing SOME kind of gastrointestinal or endocrine cancer over my lifetime--something like 50 percent chance of colon cancer, and a lesser chance of endometrial cancer, pancreatic cancer, and a number of more obscure ones. (This is actually the less severe of two major genetic colon cancer syndromes--there's one that's worse in that you are downright guaranteed to get either colon or breast cancer over your lifetime.)
There is literally nothing to be done about this, as an aside, save for me getting yearly checkups (including colonoscopies--urgh) so that they can catch stuff when it goes precancerous before it goes into full-blown cancer (and a big problem)--much like people have to check their skin for melanomas, I have to have...other parts of me checked for "funny looking polyps" and the like.
I could avoid every carcinogen known to man, stuff myself with nothing but antioxidants, and I will still have an even shot of getting cancer over my lifetime because my genes are broken in that respect. (I also have a near-certainty, if my entire maternal side of the family is any guide, of developing diabetes--yup, there's a genetic syndrome there, too. Nothing to be done about that, either--have had relatives who were born and raised on diabetic diets and still went into adult-onset diabetes severe enough to require insulin.)
Having two genetic syndromes (one a genetic cancer syndrome, the other a familial metabolic syndrome) really does tend to put things in a bit of perspective--no, I don't recommend people go breathing in Pony Fumes on a regular basis, and I don't recommend going on a dioxin bath, but as long as babby doesn't have some serious genetic disorder regarding DNA repair (and you'd know of babby did, because you'd have a very strong family history of cancer including some fairly weird ones like heart cancer) and is not given carte blanche to gnaw on the toys, she should be OK.
If you're particularly worried about outgassing from vinyl and PVC, you probably should take the ponies out and sit them in a well ventilated room for a few days, and of course don't put the ponies in the heat (which is not all that good for them anyways :D).
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I find a lot of these sites are run by those radical "occupy" types who would love nothing better than corporations to collapse and a return to a more agrarian type of society.
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I saw get ponies for your kid. Hundreds of thousands of children play with them. That's a really slim chance of something happening to yours
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Hahah wow it would help if I noticed the small print, wouldn't it??? I believed your story :blush: because I saw a man who could swallow and regurgitate pool balls on a talent show... phew! :whew:
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Glanced around the raisingnaturalkids link, very interesting. I know this isn't really the most important thing, but I'd have a realllly hard time explaining to my future kids why they couldn't have this toy or that toy they really wanted.. :unsure:
-Em
No problem, you've just inspired me to make my Tall Tales Thread in the off-topic forum. That oughta keep my imagination in check.
I agree with you about explaining it to the kids. I'd feel so awful denying a kid, any kid, a toy they had at the top of their Christmas wish list or begged for as a birthday present. I know how sucky not getting "that one toy" year after year is. You can explain health risks to a kid until you're blue in the face, but they'll never fully understand, especially if Bobby next door got a ton of toys from Santa and they didn't. :(
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In other words, plastic is naturally NOT toxic?
Plastic's made of oil. Burning and refining that kills wildlife and the atmosphere. Plastic is the least worry of it. In fact, I'd rather see it in plastic than in the atmosphere. As long as you and your kids don't chew on the ponies or hold them to your nose and sniff for long periods of time, you should be alright.
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As long as you and your kids don't chew on the ponies or hold them to your nose and sniff for long periods of time, you should be alright.
Tonight's top story: Children's new high is huffing toy ponies.
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As long as you and your kids don't chew on the ponies or hold them to your nose and sniff for long periods of time, you should be alright.
Tonight's top story: Children's new high is huffing toy ponies.
...
Oh my!
;)
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To the person who buys organic food - you do realise that the reason it is organic is because they spray the stuff with chemicals that aren't tested? They're actually worse for you... Organic food is a hilarious modern-day rip off praying on people's conscience.
Other than that, I have nothing more to add. This thread is just making me angry.
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To the person who buys organic food - you do realise that the reason it is organic is because they spray the stuff with chemicals that aren't tested? They're actually worse for you... Organic food is a hilarious modern-day rip off praying on people's conscience.
Other than that, I have nothing more to add. This thread is just making me angry.
Organics crack me up. As a farm girl, I know all about both sides, pests and pesticides, illnesses, treatments and immunisations. To be honest, I'd rather have the chemicals.
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To the person who buys organic food - you do realise that the reason it is organic is because they spray the stuff with chemicals that aren't tested? They're actually worse for you... Organic food is a hilarious modern-day rip off praying on people's conscience.
Other than that, I have nothing more to add. This thread is just making me angry.
Organics crack me up. As a farm girl, I know all about both sides, pests and pesticides, illnesses, treatments and immunisations. To be honest, I'd rather have the chemicals.
Howdy farm girl! ;) I think providing you wash the stuff before you eat it, that's as good as it'll get. But yeah, no rip-off 'organic' food for me XD
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Very interesting topic! I actively try to minimize toxins in my environment (for example, I mix almost all my cosmetics and hygiene products myself from scratch), but I haven't thought about them being in my plastic toys. I avoid keeping food and drink in plastic containers, but I guess it might be a risk to just hold or be around such plastics.
Have you heard back from Hasbro about it yet? Depending on what they say, perhaps if enough people email them about it, they could take steps to make their toys safer and less toxic?
It saddens me to see so many people shrug this off. Yes, you can't go through life being all paranoid and avoiding anything that makes you happy - but toxins in our environment is a huuuge issue which is just recently starting to get enough attention. Think about all of the health problems people in western societies have. If many stem, at least partially, from this issue, don't you think it's wise to take some interest in it and do something about it?
I appreciate your comment. I have been trying to minimize the toxins around my family as well. I actually do all sorts of things like eating organic food, being really picky with the soaps and cosmetics I use, and trying to use less plastic to store food in and so on. I'm just concerned that ponies apparently have phthalates coming out of them and I am unhappy to learn that they have PVC additives in them because the process of making PVC releases dioxin into our environment which is bad for all of us.
Something that I want to figure out here would be... are vintage ponies more safe for kids to play with because they may have off gassed or something like that? Or maybe they were made with out PVC additives?
Also, I need to decide if I should buy more of the current Friendship is Magic My Little Ponies new from the store. A big part of why I was buying them was so my daughter could play with them.
I haven't herd anything back from Hasbro yet.
I know that there are toxins all around us, but I don't think there's anything wrong with minimizing our contact with them. Also, I think it's fair to be concerned that there are toxins in the toys we give to our children.
If anyone else is feeling the same concern that I am, then maybe you can write to Hasbro about your concerns as well.
So far I'm defiantly feeling uncomfortable with fakies, because many of them are obviously lower quality than MLP and I think it's more likely that their manufacturers are cutting corners with production.
Edit: I just wanted to add that some plastics are less toxic than others, like #2 food grade plastic is supposed to be less toxic than #3 PVC... so I'm not really saying that all plastics are evil here. I think some are better than others. This is why TY started using PE pellets in their beanie babies instead of PVC pellets.
About the vintage vs. new ponies question: I just want to add that I (and I'm sure many others) clean our vintage ponies with way more dangerous chemicals than that are inside the ponies plastic to begin with.
I've been scrubbing close to 500 ponies over the last few weeks with medical gasoline and universal cleaning sprays to make them nice and shiny again.
And I'm pretty certin those chemicals are way worse for my health than the plastic in the ponies are. Now I'm not gonna go around and stuff my ponies in my mouth so I'm feeling safe anyway, but to give them to a kid who might end up putting them in their mouth with those substances on them wouldn't be the best idea.
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Best.Thread.In.AGES!
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To the person who buys organic food - you do realise that the reason it is organic is because they spray the stuff with chemicals that aren't tested? They're actually worse for you... Organic food is a hilarious modern-day rip off praying on people's conscience.
Other than that, I have nothing more to add. This thread is just making me angry.
Organics crack me up. As a farm girl, I know all about both sides, pests and pesticides, illnesses, treatments and immunisations. To be honest, I'd rather have the chemicals.
LOL! My dad majored in Agriculture and Entemology, grew up on a farm, and worked his whole life with chemicals, and he says the same exact thing!
As for the original topic concern: Every single thing we have on the face of this planet - whether altered by human hands through science or not - all comes from our Mother Earth. Sure, there are some things that can be fatal - just as there are deadly poisonous snakes. But you don't stop hiking or camping because you *might* get bit by a snake. AND, Back in the 1800's, before all these things were around, people also generally lived MUCH shorter lives... ;)
So, I'm keeping my ponies!
*Licks her Baby Moondancer's PVC goodness*
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Just bought some quarantine tape to put around my pony room :D
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I would take my sources from any website that ends in .gov or .edu over a mom blog. Also while buying organic may a ripoff, buying local food at a farmers market is better for you because it traveled less and wasn't exposed to so many pollutants and also you're helping a local seller. It also far cheaper!
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I would take my sources from any website that ends in .gov or .edu over a mom blog. Also while buying organic may a ripoff, buying local food at a farmers market is better for you because it traveled less and wasn't exposed to so many pollutants and also you're helping a local seller. It also far cheaper!
Even though we are starting to veer off topic, I support farmer's market shopping whenever possible or knowing where your veggies come from. A couple of the supermarkets nearby buy from local farmers to save on shipping costs and support the local growers, so it is always nice to see various regional farms show up.
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it just seems like a really strange and microscopic part of a bigger problem ... like the Titanic is sinking, but the maiter d is only concerned because he can't keep the glasses on the table kind of thing ... i'm not "shrugging it off" i just know there are much bigger fish to fry when it comes to this ... that's what i'm concerned with, that people are freaking out over a very microscopic part of a much bigger problem ... like treating a symptom instead of the disease ...
Could not have put it better myself.
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As long as you and your kids don't chew on the ponies or hold them to your nose and sniff for long periods of time, you should be alright.
Tonight's top story: Children's new high is huffing toy ponies.
You'd be surprised. xD Some kids just like smelling things just because. I bet someone out there actually does smell their ponies.
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I love to smell my ponies! But only if they still smell rubbery and fresh like my childhood ones did. Most of them don't smell that good anymore. :( I also love to smell my pokémon toys Just love the new plastic smell!) and any book before I read it. (Mmm, ink!) I'm not worried, though. I think it would take hours and hours and hours to get bad affects from smelling a pony or a book, and smells are really only good for whiffing.
Now that I think about it, there are ponies designed to be smelled!
I hope Hasbro gives a good response, but I kind of doubt they will. It would be neat if they could describe the plastic-making process and what sort of qualities a plastic toy must have or not have in order to pass inspection. But I'm kind of expecting it'll be something like "All our toys pass inspection (insert numbers and technical gobbledygook) and are deemed safe for childrens' use by our government standards. Please buy more of our products!"
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I think this is this kind of topic where people become a bit polarised and the discussion is reduced to a series of contradictory anecdotes, opinions and sometimes name-calling. It becomes almost impossible to form an informed opinion. :huh:
In the end, if you are concerned about the effects of certain chemicals in your surroundings, you need to get the facts and make up your own mind about what steps you want to take.
You can search the internet for original research papers (e.g. "Thyroid Disrupting Chemicals in Plastic Additives and Thyroid Health" in the Journal of Environmental Science and Health). These provide the most unbiased information you will find on the web. Although, sometimes you cannot access them unless you’re registered (but if anyone finds a paper they want to read, I may be able to get hold of it for you. :))
Also, try to stick to official websites (e.g. http://www.ecetoc.org/index.php or http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search ) where they link to official reports and original research. Another option is books - I have a toxicology textbook at home from when I studied it, I’m happy to look up certain chemicals too.
You also have to remember that there is a limited number of tests each new chemical introduced to the market must undergo, and chemicals already existing before 1981 less so – and there’s 100 000 of them! :blink:
This has improved (somewhat), in the EU at least, since the introduction of REACH, since which 14 substances have been banned and at least 73 have been identified as potentially hazardous (currently being investigated further). And around 3000 new chemicals are currently being registered under REACH (http://echa.europa.eu/reach-2013 ).
A lot of these ‘green’ organisations’ concerns are regarding the very long term impacts of these chemicals, many of which have been introduced within our generation. It is impossible to say what long term effects each of these (thousands of) chemicals will have on us, we simply haven’t had enough time to find out!
But those concerns are based on emerging evidence from more long term scientific studies. I appreciate that media like to hype, ‘hippies’ like to condemn all chemicals and ‘cynics’ like to scorn all concerns. This is why I say, find out for yourself and then do what you think is right.
For example, if we know mercury has negative effects on a growing fetus (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp.asp?id=115&tid=24), we can avoid cosmetics containing mercury! Or depending on how much it concerns you, campaign for mercury-containing cosmetics to be banned (e.g. if it isn’t already) or try to reduce the amount of coal being used (mercury is one of the by-products released when coal is burned).
So you can’t avoid all contact with toxins, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother at all. Every bit helps. Someone used a titanic metaphor... I think of it more as, just because the whole ship’s sinking doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to get the lifeboat going! >_<
Find out the facts, decide what matters to you and work on it. ;)
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Someone used a titanic metaphor... I think of it more as, just because the whole ship’s sinking doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to get the lifeboat going! >_<
LOL I love this
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I think the big thing is, with *anything* regarding an Internet source, make sure to research and find other sources/opinions before you take anything at face value.
Vinyl is everywhere, and hard to avoid; gloves, many cars have vinyl seats, most baby toys are vinyl. The chemicals we are exposed to everyday are usually in amounts small enough that they cause no traceable harm, too. One way sites scare people is cancer studies involving amounts that are unrealistic to consume. That's not to say that *all* studies are unrealistic, but some are.
Like I said, do your homework before you get too worked up. :)
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I think this is this kind of topic where people become a bit polarised and the discussion is reduced to a series of contradictory anecdotes, opinions and sometimes name-calling. It becomes almost impossible to form an informed opinion. :huh:
In the end, if you are concerned about the effects of certain chemicals in your surroundings, you need to get the facts and make up your own mind about what steps you want to take.
You can search the internet for original research papers (e.g. "Thyroid Disrupting Chemicals in Plastic Additives and Thyroid Health" in the Journal of Environmental Science and Health). These provide the most unbiased information you will find on the web. Although, sometimes you cannot access them unless you’re registered (but if anyone finds a paper they want to read, I may be able to get hold of it for you. :))
Also, try to stick to official websites (e.g. http://www.ecetoc.org/index.php or http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search ) where they link to official reports and original research. Another option is books - I have a toxicology textbook at home from when I studied it, I’m happy to look up certain chemicals too.
You also have to remember that there is a limited number of tests each new chemical introduced to the market must undergo, and chemicals already existing before 1981 less so – and there’s 100 000 of them! :blink:
This has improved (somewhat), in the EU at least, since the introduction of REACH, since which 14 substances have been banned and at least 73 have been identified as potentially hazardous (currently being investigated further). And around 3000 new chemicals are currently being registered under REACH (http://echa.europa.eu/reach-2013 ).
A lot of these ‘green’ organisations’ concerns are regarding the very long term impacts of these chemicals, many of which have been introduced within our generation. It is impossible to say what long term effects each of these (thousands of) chemicals will have on us, we simply haven’t had enough time to find out!
But those concerns are based on emerging evidence from more long term scientific studies. I appreciate that media like to hype, ‘hippies’ like to condemn all chemicals and ‘cynics’ like to scorn all concerns. This is why I say, find out for yourself and then do what you think is right.
For example, if we know mercury has negative effects on a growing fetus (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp.asp?id=115&tid=24), we can avoid cosmetics containing mercury! Or depending on how much it concerns you, campaign for mercury-containing cosmetics to be banned (e.g. if it isn’t already) or try to reduce the amount of coal being used (mercury is one of the by-products released when coal is burned).
So you can’t avoid all contact with toxins, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother at all. Every bit helps. Someone used a titanic metaphor... I think of it more as, just because the whole ship’s sinking doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to get the lifeboat going! >_<
Find out the facts, decide what matters to you and work on it. ;)
Thanks for your advice here. I agree with other people that the healthystuff website is frustrating because it doesn't really say if these levels are dangerous or what their ratings really mean.
Whippycorn, I'm interested in knowing what your book says about Chlorine, Bromine, Phthalates, and PVC in general if it has that in it. I'm also wondering about acrylic and polyester...
Thanks!
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As long as you and your kids don't chew on the ponies or hold them to your nose and sniff for long periods of time, you should be alright.
Tonight's top story: Children's new high is huffing toy ponies.
You'd be surprised. xD Some kids just like smelling things just because. I bet someone out there actually does smell their ponies.
I like weird smells. Every time I use a permanent marker, I smell it when I open it and again right before I put the cap back on it. Sometimes I'll open them just to sniff them and then put them back. I can also often be found smelling a book that I'm actually supposed to be reading. I'l be reading and then BAM. My nose is in the crease so each nostril can vacuum up the scent of the pages. I'm sure there are people out there who loves the way MLP toys smell.
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I'm gonna second what Whippycorn said because it was sensible as heck.
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As long as you and your kids don't chew on the ponies or hold them to your nose and sniff for long periods of time, you should be alright.
Tonight's top story: Children's new high is huffing toy ponies.
You'd be surprised. xD Some kids just like smelling things just because. I bet someone out there actually does smell their ponies.
I like weird smells. Every time I use a permanent marker, I smell it when I open it and again right before I put the cap back on it. Sometimes I'll open them just to sniff them and then put them back. I can also often be found smelling a book that I'm actually supposed to be reading. I'l be reading and then BAM. My nose is in the crease so each nostril can vacuum up the scent of the pages. I'm sure there are people out there who loves the way MLP toys smell.
I do the same thing with new books. I just love the smell!
And I'm also a shameless MLP sniffer :P I've caught myself many times lately after buying new G4's and opening, sniffing them and going "ah, nothing beats new pony smell".
But I figured 'hey, some people like new car smell, I like new MLP smell' :P
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It is your decision as the mother to decide what is right for your child. In the end that is all that really matters.
So here is other food for thought though on other hazards that i consider more concerning...
Flouide is in the water supply. There are many dentists who are against this as it causes dental flurosis, look up Dr. Russle Blaylock. Also, (you can read this on your toothpaste label) you should contact your poison control center if you swallow more toothpaste than what is necessary to brush your teeth...which is a pea sized amount. One 8 ounce glass of water has the equivilant amount of flouride as that pea sized toothpaste...
Most vaccines contain a substance, thimerosol, as a preservatives. Thimerosol is Mercury, and is present in all childhood vaccines.
Aspartame is a waste byproduct of ecoli, (the bacteria that lives in your colon and is found in stool)
They spray aerosal aluminum and barium in the air. Its called cloud seeding or chemtrailing. Ask Bill Nye the science guy about it!
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Ponies only become toxic once you own 1,999 and since I only have a wall of about 1,000-1,100 I am perfectly safe. Once I reach 1,999 I will get a hazmat suit.
Muwhahaha!
visitors can't see pics , please register or login
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Did you know breathing oxygen literally rusts us from the inside out and that is why we're not immortal?
But really. I don't think it's that big of a deal. I bet the poisons are in such a small trace it's nothing.
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Reading this thread make me think of the Spongebob episode where he's afraid to leave his house because he might hurt his butt...
Going along with that, we can't all live like Spongebob and live in fear!
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Reading this thread make me think of the Spongebob episode where he's afraid to leave his house because he might hurt his butt...
Going along with that, we can't all live like Spongebob and live in fear!
LOL I love that episode! And his "friends" Penny, Chip, and Used Napkin! *starts singing the "Indoors" song*
Anyway...carry on. *back out of thread*
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Reading this thread make me think of the Spongebob episode where he's afraid to leave his house because he might hurt his butt...
Going along with that, we can't all live like Spongebob and live in fear!
LOL I love that episode! And his "friends" Penny, Chip, and Used Napkin! *starts singing the "Indoors" song*
Anyway...carry on. *back out of thread*
Kinda OT but that was one of the best Spongebob episodes, before it got dumbed down.
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Great post, Whippycorn!
I don't appreciate people making fun of a legitimate concern. Many of us have health problems that are related to modern society in one way or another. Toxins in plastics, fabrics etc are a big health issue. Just because we haven't all fallen down dead by now doesn't mean that we are completely unaffected by these things. And just because you take interest in the topic and try to limit the bad stuff in your life doesn't make you a crazy paranoid hippie :/
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I don't appreciate people making fun of a legitimate concern. Many of us have health problems that are related to modern society in one way or another. Toxins in plastics, fabrics etc are a big health issue. Just because we haven't all fallen down dead by now doesn't mean that we are completely unaffected by these things. And just because you take interest in the topic and try to limit the bad stuff in your life doesn't make you a crazy paranoid hippie :/
:like: Thank you for saying so. I know I can't go live in a cave or throw out all my possessions, but it is irksome that this stuff is so prevalent.
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Interesting post. I certainly agree that we live in a world which - no matter where we are and what we do - is fundamentally dangerous. However, we are all entitled to our own opinions and personal preferences with how we live our lives and to what we expose ourselves - whether that be that the concept of chemicals in our ponies worries us or doesn't worry us.
I will continue to be reassured that I live in a country which has the degree of health & safety and quality control and product control that the UK [and most many other nations] has. At least once every couple of weeks I ll walk into a retailer who has a sign up about a product recall - the fact that such recalls happen assures me that there is a testing and proactive action [not just reaction] system out there. That being said, again as others have mentioned, such measures get safer and safer as the years pass and back in the 80s there was no where near the same level of control. It was and is possible that red pigments back in the 80s had a lead based content - however this is now an outdated notion as it is now illegal in the UK and I believe in the US for modern toys to contain certain chemical products [there is a maximum level for lead and an all out ban on phthalates]. So for this I would think if your concern is safety then modern toys are a much better idea than anything older.
I understand and appreciate that my ponies may have a chemical base which is not "good for me" but at the same time I work and live not far from an exceptionally busy main road, 3 miles from an airport, 4 miles from a Royal Airforce Base, 20 miles from a nuclear power station and 35 miles from the UKs nuclear submarine base - if I focused on it I think I would most likely be more concerned with these and their chemical elements than the plastic toys I enjoy. But that is my personal opinion and its my choice to not concern myself with it - it is on the other hand understandable that the OP and others would find this as something important enough to concern themselves with.
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I don't appreciate people making fun of a legitimate concern. Many of us have health problems that are related to modern society in one way or another. Toxins in plastics, fabrics etc are a big health issue. Just because we haven't all fallen down dead by now doesn't mean that we are completely unaffected by these things. And just because you take interest in the topic and try to limit the bad stuff in your life doesn't make you a crazy paranoid hippie :/
:like: Thank you for saying so. I know I can't go live in a cave or throw out all my possessions, but it is irksome that this stuff is so prevalent.
True that. DX
Though honestly, I try to live without so many anxieties because honestly everything kills you in one way or another. It's best to just limit your exposure to anything that might do it quicker.
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phthalates have been proven to be harmful in lab rats when they are injected with vastly higher rates then the average person would be exposed to. Ingesting on the other hand is neutralized at the molecular level by adding a single sugar molecule to the chain. Our bodies naturally do this , however it does not mean someone will not react differently given certain genetic conditions. In any case a toxin or possible cancer gen varies it effects biased on time of exposure, amount of exposure, ones genetic predisposition, age, health , and many other factors than changes the outcome of said substance. merely being exposed is no guarantee either way that one will or will not have a harmful effect.
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I too back up Whippycorn's post! We can chose to do whatever we feel is best. I don't see why everyone is getting so incensed about it.
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Excellent post, Whippycorn - thank you for sharing your insight!
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Here's the response that I got from Hasbro:
Thank your for your patience while we researched My Little Pony for you.
My Little Pony, both old and new, do contain PVC and chlorine. Regrettably, the levels information is not available. They do not contain any of the other ingredients you inquired about. Please let us know if you need additional assistance.
(I had also asked about what levels of Phthalates, Lead, Chlorine, Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury, Bromine, Chromium, Tin, and Antimony are in My Little Pony toys if any)
Also, this link looks informative and is on PBS's website, I'm just starting to read it.
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/toxins-in-toys.html (http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/toxins-in-toys.html)
I also asked Hasbro to try to provide me with more information about how much PVC and chlorine are in the ponies.
Edit: I just read this:
Phthalates have been banned in the European Union since 2005. Nine other countries, including Japan, Mexico and Argentina, have also outlawed the chemicals. China, which makes 85 percent of the world's toys, has developed two manufacturing lines, one for the European market and the other like-minded nations that ban phthalates, and another one for the United States and dozens mostly developing and third world countries that don't restrict them.
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/ban-phthalates.html (http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/ban-phthalates.html)
Do you think that means that My Little Ponies sold in Europe have less toxins in them than ones sold in the United States?
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Here's the response that I got from Hasbro:
Thank your for your patience while we researched My Little Pony for you.
My Little Pony, both old and new, do contain PVC and chlorine. Regrettably, the levels information is not available. They do not contain any of the other ingredients you inquired about. Please let us know if you need additional assistance.
(I had also asked about what levels of Phthalates, Lead, Chlorine, Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury, Bromine, Chromium, Tin, and Antimony are in My Little Pony toys if any)
Also, this link looks informative and is on PBS's website, I'm just starting to read it.
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/toxins-in-toys.html (http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/toxins-in-toys.html)
I also asked Hasbro to try to provide me with more information about how much PVC and chlorine are in the ponies.
Edit: I just read this:
Phthalates have been banned in the European Union since 2005. Nine other countries, including Japan, Mexico and Argentina, have also outlawed the chemicals. China, which makes 85 percent of the world's toys, has developed two manufacturing lines, one for the European market and the other like-minded nations that ban phthalates, and another one for the United States and dozens mostly developing and third world countries that don't restrict them.
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/ban-phthalates.html (http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/ban-phthalates.html)
Do you think that means that My Little Ponies sold in Europe have less toxins in them than ones sold in the United States?
According to hasbro's statement on their hasbro, inc site :
(http://csr.hasbro.com/saf04-material-content.php)
PHTHALATES
Phthalates are chemicals used to soften plastics. All Hasbro’s products comply with applicable phthalates global laws and regulations, including the European Union Phthalates Directive and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA).
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If I die being happy then so be it :)
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Here's the response that I got from Hasbro:
Thank your for your patience while we researched My Little Pony for you.
My Little Pony, both old and new, do contain PVC and chlorine. Regrettably, the levels information is not available. They do not contain any of the other ingredients you inquired about. Please let us know if you need additional assistance.
(I had also asked about what levels of Phthalates, Lead, Chlorine, Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury, Bromine, Chromium, Tin, and Antimony are in My Little Pony toys if any)
Also, this link looks informative and is on PBS's website, I'm just starting to read it.
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/toxins-in-toys.html (http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/toxins-in-toys.html)
I also asked Hasbro to try to provide me with more information about how much PVC and chlorine are in the ponies.
Edit: I just read this:
Phthalates have been banned in the European Union since 2005. Nine other countries, including Japan, Mexico and Argentina, have also outlawed the chemicals. China, which makes 85 percent of the world's toys, has developed two manufacturing lines, one for the European market and the other like-minded nations that ban phthalates, and another one for the United States and dozens mostly developing and third world countries that don't restrict them.
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/ban-phthalates.html (http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/ban-phthalates.html)
Do you think that means that My Little Ponies sold in Europe have less toxins in them than ones sold in the United States?
According to hasbro's statement on their hasbro, inc site :
(http://csr.hasbro.com/saf04-material-content.php)
PHTHALATES
Phthalates are chemicals used to soften plastics. All Hasbro’s products comply with applicable phthalates global laws and regulations, including the European Union Phthalates Directive and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA).
"It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture for sale, offer for sale, distribute in commerce, or import into the United States any children’s toy or child care article that contains concentrations of more than 0.1 percent of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate( DBP), or benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP)."
So that is the amount in the law that Hasbro complies with. So complying with that law may indeed mean that they do not have any Phthalates in their products.
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Hmmm.... I say that's a pretty reasonable response.
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Great post, Whippycorn!
I don't appreciate people making fun of a legitimate concern. Many of us have health problems that are related to modern society in one way or another. Toxins in plastics, fabrics etc are a big health issue. Just because we haven't all fallen down dead by now doesn't mean that we are completely unaffected by these things. And just because you take interest in the topic and try to limit the bad stuff in your life doesn't make you a crazy paranoid hippie :/
I concur. There are lots of bad things that are being produced. There are an increasing number of countries banning Monsanto also (GMO food) because of the evils they entail.
I say people need to get back to doing for themselves and get back into the self sufficiency arts that are starting to go by the wayside. I can food and have a vegetable garden. I am interested in learning candle making and soap making. I know how to make my own laundry detergent and i have a food storage. I encourage people to educate themselves and trend away from all this synthetic stuff in our food if you can.
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Here's one more reply that I received from Hasbro:
Hello Maria,
Thank you for your email.
Regrettably, as Stephanie mentioned, the levels information is not available.
Please be advised that our products are free from Phthalates in material and paint. We believe based on scientific evidence that PVC in toys presents no health risk to children. Hasbro’s toys are designed to be compliant with all current laws around the world, including those relating to PVC. For more information on PVC, please go to www.cpsc.gov and to www.toy-tia.org.
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This is interesting and I can see why people are concerned. However, I don't think Hasbro would knowingly put collector's and kids in danger so I'm thinking it's not enough to do any harm.
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Well everything you do can expose you to cancer including breathing outside...so I say enjoy your ponies and have fun. Life is too short to live in a bubble.
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Well everything you do can expose you to cancer including breathing outside...so I say enjoy your ponies and have fun. Life is too short to live in a bubble.
<3
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I appreciate that Hasbro is taking the time to respond to your e-mails, at least.
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Did you know breathing oxygen literally rusts us from the inside out and that is why we're not immortal?
But really. I don't think it's that big of a deal. I bet the poisons are in such a small trace it's nothing.
OMG my chemistry teacher used to tell that to us too! We're oxidising as we breath in oxygen. Can you imagine drinking a sip of OJ for every whiff of a pony you take to balance out? lol
Even natural items contain poisons. Apple seeds contain cynide but you need to eat like 60 apples worth of seeds all at once before you can drop dead. lol I am not that hardcore, so if I want to die, I'll pick something less grueling compared to forcing myself to down 60 apples at once. I guess the same goes to PVC. You'll probably need to actively chew and ingest ponies regularly for the next 2-5 days before you die from kidney and liver failure. Or whiff them 56 times a day for 2 years before you get nose cancer, and each whiff must be taken with a deep breath in with nostrils suctioned to the plastic creating a vacuum in between.
From a parenting point of view, I can see that it's good not to let your guard down because anything can be potentially harmful for the young and tender. They are curious and they often do the most unimaginable things once your eyes are not fixed on them. I would be wary about PVC causing possible harm, but it definitely wouldn't be top of the list. There are SO MANY other things to watch out for, like my niece has a penchant for stuffing things into her nose and once she almost did it with a screw! Even without phthalates, the screw was a much bigger hazard to any young child than a plastic pony I feel.
The next most harmful thing I feel isn't PVC but SUGAR. There're a lot more kids down with diebetes compared to the generation I grew up with when we had limited pocket money to buy junk food. Your child can be exposed to PVC for the next 20-30 years before any side effects start to show, but with all the sweet foods, you can easily see the terrible effects of diebetes on kids in less than a generation.
I'm not saying your fears are unfounded, but if it takes 30-50 years for PVC to show any symptom, well... most people would have grown up or been dead by then. Not to mention, there are probably deadlier chemicals that can kill you off within that 30-50 years while waiting for dioxins to finally take effect. You are better off worrying about if there are melamine in your milk powder or abestos in your toothpaste.
Point is given the extensive list of murderous "invisible" killers we have today, PVC actually needs to take a number and wait at the bottom of the list before it gets a chance to take your life or cause harm in a significant way. Like someone said, there are bigger fish to fry -once you can take out the "big boys" like I don't know... car fumes, carbon emissions, radiation from phones and machines, mercury from leaking batteries...etc - yeah, then go on to focus on the less offensive stuff like...PVC.
I actually note a higher problem with plastics around food rather than toys, because I see a lot of restaurants microwaving or cooking foods with their plastic packaging still on. That is actually extremely TOXIC because the plastic packagings are exposed to high heat together with the food, and you don't know if any chemical reaction had taken place or how much toxins had seeped into the food when the plastics were exposed to high heat. This is especially true if the food is packed in low quality plastic packaging that are not heat resistant enough.
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The next most harmful thing I feel isn't PVC but SUGAR. There're a lot more kids down with diebetes compared to the generation I grew up with when we had limited pocket money to buy junk food. Your child can be exposed to PVC for the next 20-30 years before any side effects start to show, but with all the sweet foods, you can easily see the terrible effects of diebetes on kids in less than a generation.
Just want to clarify something on this one. Sugar itself is NOT linked to diabetes. Obesity is. And whilst an increase in an intake of sugar can increase calories that can increase weight because of the increase in our children's sedentary lifestyles, sugar by itself is not the reason for the increase in diabetes. Eating fatty foods can also increase weight that can increase the chances of diabetes.
Truthfully Aspartame, the sweetener found in low Cal foods and diet drinks is much worse for you then sugar.
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lol, to be honest the sodium in prepared foods is probably as big of a concern as sugar. Candy and sweets have always been around, but microwave food with all it's preservatives, fast food, and soda are daily things now.