Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): complete evaluation of toxicity hazards in toys and other products 
An Evaluation of the Hazards of Toys and other Products made from Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
November 25, 2005 
Comparing the safety of all materials used for food and water

Summary & conclusions

Easy-to-print version of this report (26 sec @ 28k)xxx

**July, 2002: Recent questions from our email inbox
Also - we get mail from a vinyl industry spokesperson.

Lead in PVC
(What is vinyl plastic?)

Phthalate Plasticizers
November 1999:
A discussion of the Koop Report
Declaring PVC and phthalates to be safe

Other hazards

References

Authorship of this material

Toys made with PVC 

Links to documents:
Additional topics & reports on this website

Jan. '99:
Lead, Cadmium, Phthalates still found in Children's Products

CONTACT US
we welcome comments and questions

A note to the reader:   You probably came here because you have heard or read about the dangers of PVC toys.  Our  purpose on these pages is to supply thoroughly researched background material, so that you will come away with a real understanding of the issue, and will be able to make your own decisions based on that understanding.   We strongly suggest you take the time to  read through at least the next page in sequence ( Summary) before following any links to other pages or references.    We think you will gain the best overview of the subject in the shortest time, and you will probably find most of your basic questions answered in this way.   You can't do this in two or three minutes!  If you are in a hurry. we suggest you print this article ( Click for printer-friendly version) and return to this website for additional information, links, and references when you have time.

Organization of the material:  We first present a summary of what we have learned about Polyvinyl Chloride, and the conclusions we draw.  We then offer practical recommendations.  Questions such as "Why?" or "How do you know that?" may then be answered by reading the following sections of detailed information.  For more perspective, including other views of the topic, follow appropriate links to references  at the end of this article.
We cover the hazards of PVC in three sections:  
* Metal stabilizers of PVC, emphasizing Lead stabilizers and lead toxicology;  
*Plasticizers, primarily Phthalates;
* Other hazards, including Vinyl Chloride Monomer, and the results of uncontrolled (i.e., backyard and accidental) burning of PVC wastes.  
General environmental problems, including Dioxins, are beyond the scope of this presentation.

Sources & references: News releases from the Arizona and North Carolina Departments of Health;  The analysis of Lead in toys published by Greenpeace ; Documents from the US CPSC, Environ Corporation, Health Canada, and Dutch National Institute of Public Health;    Graduate level texts on the chemical engineering of Polymers, specifically PVC; journal articles in the medical literature on the topics of Lead and Phthalate toxicity; various papers commissioned by the plastics industry evaluating the environmental problems of PVC. 

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Links to additional documents on this website

Findings of Lead in PVC toys:
THE GREENPEACE STUDIES FINDING  CADMIUM & LEAD IN VINYL

Environ Corp. comments on the original Greenpeace Lead/Cadmium study

CPSC Replication of Greenpeace Lead/Cadmium study

Lead intoxication associated with chewing plastic wire coating.  Kelley, M., Watson, P., Thorton, D., and Halpin, T. J.  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 42:465-467. 1993

LIST OF INFANT TOYS (INCLUDING TEETHERS) MADE FROM PVC, AND TOYS MADE FROM OTHER PLASTICS   (Compiled by Greenpeace in 1997.  This list may be out-of-date.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate whether or not any specific toy contains lead or cadmium)

More on Phthalates: TOXICOLOGY AND POLITICS

Dutch Government study attempts to replicate and quantify infant exposure to Phthalates from teething toys

(U.S.) EPA Fact sheet on DEHP in Drinking Water

Chlorine Industry response to evaluations of Phthalate toxicity

Other Topics
Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) Drinking Water Fact Sheet (U.S. EPA report)

  ORGANOTIN TOXICITY STUDIES: REFERENCES

Organotin compounds found to interfere with immune system cell activity.

Most recent list of toys made with PVC (March 1999)

Update, Jan. '99:
Lead, Cadmium, Phthalates still found in Children's Products

VARIOUS REACTIONS TO THE GREENPEACE STUDIES ON PVC TOYS:  
NIKE'S OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT, MORE ACTION IN EUROPE. Comment by scientists and health professionals; response from the toy industry and the Consumer Product Safety Commisssion;  rebuttals by the Environmental Quality Institute (Testing lab) and Greenpeace; letter to V.P. Al Gore, signed by over 20 health professionals; Austria bans PVC toys; Nike eliminates PVC from products and plant construction. 

DIOXINS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY...

TOXICOLOGY, PREVALANCE, AND POLITICS OF PHTHALATES
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