Well, this was unexpected. Safety of vintage toys (Ponies).

[FantasticFirefly]

So, remember when the US passed regulation on toys and sellers started kindly included notes saying not to give them to children or handle while pregnant?


lead was banned in products marketed to children in 1978, but was still found in toys made after (USA). http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips/toys.htm
Of importance:

Plastic: The use of lead in plastics has not been banned. Lead softens the plastic and makes it more flexible so that it can go back to its original shape. It may also be used in plastic toys to stabilize molecules from heat. When the plastic is exposed to substances such as sunlight, air, and detergents the chemical bond between the lead and plastics breaks down and forms dust.

Anyway, I was googling for the name of lead compound included in PVC to give it desirable properties (flexibility, ability to retain shape and better pigments) - I ended up finding the article below.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/toys-from-the-seventies-and-eighties-could-be-poisoning-your-children-10125415.html

I am still trying to find the original paper (from the university). Sometimes you have to pay for published papers (if you find it, even if I need to buy it- please link me! I love specifics). From the article though it's far worse then thought. I knew lead would be present, and now banned phthalates I wasn't however expecting arsenic and cadmium in MY childhood toys. Honestly, this changes the way I handle vintage toys.

Article from the school:
https://www.sau.edu/News_and_Events/N150807_Research_Institute.html

[lovesbabysquirmy]

*sings*  "Don't put it in your mouth!"

[FantasticFirefly]

  Ok I have that song stuck in my head now.

For an adult, this is fine- yeah, don't eat them. collectors tend to not over handle their items anyway since oils from hands damages the piece. good idea to wash hands after handling your collection. I did a lot of doll restoration with a doll lady (those are quiet old) so anything that could create dust (due to lead concerns) was done in the garage. gloves, smocks, dust masks. She imparted the good habits like washing up before eating lunch, wearing a dust mask as annoying as it is. Obviously protecting your collection from breaking down as much as possible (sunlight, detergents etc reasoning why quoted above.)

Children though, they are far more sensitive to lead. the toys degrade and create dust with heavy metals. And, what could be absorbed through skin, or eating after the toys are handled. In the tests, the amount went higher with brighter pigments. Cadmium being let out of the toys kids are playing with to me is even more worrying. (it's been used in pigments for generations, creates brilliant yellows, oranges and reds- still in high end artist paints and must be used with caution- this is how I learned about respecting this metal and what exposure can do).

I don't have children, but I do worry about keeping my pets safe as well.  6-8lb kitties who walk on the floor and lick their feet/fur, so if it's on them it'll be ingested.... with I don't know how many ponies perhaps it's time for me to invest in something that blocks the door so nothing blows out of that room. and, if I have the potential of making dust- like aggressively scrubbing or scraping (smooze?) a pony waiting until I could use my carport.

The good news is, G4 is safe.

[Wardah]

The way I see it all the more reason to rescue G1 - G2 at the thrift store. After all don't want them to fall into the hands of children.

[kasin]

I wonder how this relates to ponies that are more or less prone to fading, brown cancer spots and turning rock hard? do you think some of the really squishy nirvanas like Greeks might have higher concentrations?

[FantasticFirefly]

I wonder how this relates to ponies that are more or less prone to fading, brown cancer spots and turning rock hard? do you think some of the really squishy nirvanas like Greeks might have higher concentrations?

(I have some Mexican ponies, Argies, Brazil. some are very deep shades- or problematic yellow. Not like I was going to carve a chunk out of my variants to send off to a lab (the horror!  ).

Initially the variants were the ones I handled with the most caution. Squishy and brightness is what made me concerned. other countries did not have as strict regulations. and well.... some you just feel the cheapness of a component so I assumed the worst- for those. US 80's toys though I thought would have been far safer, a little lead, but not this.
I just don't know. I expected lead, not the concerns the professionals had however in all the ways lead can leave the toy. Sunlight? we use that to get out marks. same with cleaning. If you're restoring one wear gloves to protect your skin? don't stir up dust? You mentioned sanding marks out of ponies elsewhere. Wet sand if possible in your garage, or outside. (OH is in a trade so I do have respirators and various filters on hand for renos.... if concerned use that above a dust mask. they are not expensive.)

I added this when I shared on FB. use separate items for ponies. I don't think adults shouldn't collect, just handle carefully and use some caution, like not boil perm a pony in the family salad bowl.

as the toys break down over the years *think of all the wear and slimy plasticizer leak ponies we find* and these metals migrate out during wear/handling/age/exposure, creating dust. If you clean/style mlp's or other old toys using your dishes, stop. please go to a thrift shop and get ones just for ponies. I know a couple still boil, and lots of us do kettle perms to replace soft curls. My "pony" pyrex was almost free at a thrift shop it was so cheap. And doing a huge clean, or work with your collection wash your hands after. We don't absorb these things as easily as children but we still need to be careful.

and that rock hard weird plastic. yes, I wanted to send off a sample of the plastic type cheif, gingerbread, coffetti that can have that weird one that stains all brown, gets slimy and rock hard.

[ringwraith10]

This is definitely interesting, but I do feel that the article may be sensationalizing a bit. It's a little known fact that arsenic occurs naturally in apples (specifically in the core). We still eat apples and don't get arsenic poisoning, though.

This is still good to keep in mind, though, and vintage toys should never be given to children! Even when people scoff at the lead argument, there's still a good chance that there is mold and other icky, dangerous stuff that has built up in the old toy over the decades.

I'll do some research and see if I can find the original study for you. As a library associate and Interlibrary Loan Coordinator I should be able to find something...

[zombienixon]

The presence of poisonous elements shouldn't be as much of a concern as the concentration they're in. It's likely to be a low amount.

[FantasticFirefly]

I think I managed to find the paper, I didn't have to pay to get it- but will have to actually read, read it when I have the focus necessary. They said they wished to preform further tests on items to see transfer out of the toys. Most of the ponies they tested were peach and lighter toned (peachies they got cheap?).

I mean, I have friends who work with stained glass and repairing old sash windows (lots oh lead) but they are safe about it. One helped me with my house, it's a 60's build so removing the trim we were chipping up paint.

and yeah, crunchy earth anti vax people make me giggle sometimes. a pear has formaldehyde in it. poison is in the dose, but in kids you want to minimize lead exposure. my assumption is likewise for pets.

The presence of poisonous elements shouldn't be as much of a concern as the concentration they're in. It's likely to be a low amount.

Enough lead and cadmium is concerning. this is why there are limits as to how much. PPM. Some 80's toys went way over.

[ringwraith10]

I found the original paper and have made an ILL request for it, so if you want to see it, send me a PM.

[Leave a Whisper]

The way I see it all the more reason to rescue G1 - G2 at the thrift store. After all don't want them to fall into the hands of children.

[LadyMoondancer]

Well, the reason we don't worry about arsenic in apples is it's contained in the seeds.  I have never seen a recipe that used apple seeds, LOL.

The article is probably a little sensationalized, but I feel that as collectors we tend to downplay these kind of concerns because we don't want them to be legitimate.

[FantasticFirefly]

Well, the reason we don't worry about arsenic in apples is it's contained in the seeds.  I have never seen a recipe that used apple seeds, LOL.

The article is probably a little sensationalized, but I feel that as collectors we tend to downplay these kind of concerns because we don't want them to be legitimate.

Pears, you eat the formaldehyde (what little there is). I'm mildly allergic, otherwise i love pear. and wouldn't worry- because poison truly is in the dose.

The interesting thing is, in a way this already being a common avoid thing in the general populous, it helps collecting.

Some of my lots I bought off places like on Craigslist were only ever listed because the seller ended up with all boys. OR seller was told by a friend vintage stuff isn't safe for kids, and they didn't want to give the kids toys they wouldn't be allowed to play with.... so they sold them (I gave those little collections a safe happy home, and cool I get to chat with the original owner about her ponies. As a total dork, I name the collection after the owner too in my records. )

[lostpony]

Be safe!

 by giving me all your ponies right now.

[mskittylovesrobin]

Be safe!

 by giving me all your ponies right now.

Interesting read! But lostpony, that made me laugh lol x