Press/Media
MEDIA ADVISORY
*ATTN TV Reporters: B-Roll and Interviews in Spanish Available Upon Request* EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE until 12:01 a.m. EST, Wed. Dec. 3, 2008CONTACT: Bobbi Chase Wilding, Clean New York, 518-708-3875; clean.bobbi@gmail.com
Second Annual Consumer Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Toys to be Released for 2008 Holiday Shopping Season
Leading Environmental Health Groups Tested More than 1,500 Toys for Lead, PVC, Cadmium, and Other Harmful Chemicals Results to be Released on Wednesday, December 3 at www.HealthyToys.org
Groups Call for Fundamental Overhaul of Toxic Product Laws
(Albany, NY) In response to the overwhelming demand for information about toxic chemicals in toys, the JustGreen Partnership, in partnership with organizations around the country, is releasing their second annual guide to help parents make informed decisions this holiday season. In addition to listing the toxic chemicals found in some children's toys, the newly redesigned site -- www.HealthyToys.org -- will contain features such as a personalized holiday wish list that can be sent to family and friends, and a blog-friendly widget to quickly search for toy ratings. The Michigan-based Ecology Center and allied organizations tested over 1,500 of this year's most popular toys.
Local Event
Where: LCA Press Room, Room 130 in the Legislative Office Building, Albany
When: 11:00 am
Who: Representatives of the JustGreen Partnership, including Clean New York, New York Public Interest Research Group, and the Learning Disabilities Association of New York State
PHOTO OP: Examples of good and bad toys, live testing with XRF analyzer. Events will also take place in Buffalo, Ithaca, the Bronx and Manhattan. Please contact us for further details.
More information about HealthyToys.org:
At www.HealthyToys.org parents are able to easily check how products rank from highest to lowest in terms of lead, cadmium and other chemicals that are associated with developmental and learning disabilities, hormone problems and cancer. Toys made with PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, were also tested because they often contain phthalates and other hazardous chemical additives. Babies and young children are the most vulnerable to toxic chemicals since their brains and bodies are still developing and because they commonly put toys into their mouths.
Last year the massive public attention to the issue of toxic chemicals in children's toys prompted Congress to overhaul the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) and restrict lead and phthalates in toys beginning in early 2009.
To sample the toys experts used a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer that identifies the elemental composition of materials. This accurate device has been used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to screen packaging; the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to screen food; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for planetary exploration; and many State and County Health Departments to screen for residential lead paint.
***ATTENTION JOURNALISTS: Advance access to toy rankings on an embargoed basis and interviews with experts are available upon request. Please call Shayna Samuels at 718-541-4785 or Glenn Turner at 917-817-3396 for more information. ***
