Posts Tagged ‘PVC’
Sunday, May 16th, 2010
Check out our New Mom's Guide to Choosing a Crib Mattress!
I was recently checking the customer reviews of crib mattresses – the traditional varieties made with polyurethane foam, fire retardants, PVC/vinyl with phthalates, just to mention a few of the chemical components – and found that many of the reviewers said they know their baby is safe with the crib mattress they chose because it fits snugly in their crib (which means no tiny fingers can get stuck in between the mattress and the crib), and it’s firm.
I was quite amazed to realize that the majority of people have so little information about the potential dangers of the chemicals found in crib mattresses and the toxic fumes they can emit into the air our babies breathe for 12 to 15 hours a day.
In fact, the chemicals used in most crib mattresses, including many of those labeled ‘organic’ or ‘natural,’ have been linked to so many illnesses and other conditions that even the President’s Cancer Panel – which is anything but ‘fringe’ – is jumping on the bandwagon to reduce our exposure. See President’s Cancer Panel Warns Against Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life for information on the Panel’s latest annual report.
I thought it might be a good idea to write a blog listing the chemicals in crib mattresses and giving more information about each. But we actually have all that information on the What’s NOT in a Naturepedic Crib Mattress page of our website.
Many experts say you may be able to avoid cancer, ADD and ADHD, endocrine and hormonal problems, asthma and allergies, obesity, respiratory illness, and a host of other conditions if you have fewer chemicals in your life and in the life of your children.
This is vital information for parents. Please read it, and send a link to the page to your friends. And while you’re at it, also read What IS in a Naturepedic Baby Crib Mattress – and you’ll see the difference.
You can also download our excellent New Mom’s Guide to Crib Mattresses. It’s a quick and easy read, and probably answers every question you have.
Tags: crib mattresses, fire retardants, firm crib mattress, natural crib mattresses, Naturepedic, New Mom's Guide to Crib Mattresses, non-toxic, organic crib mattresses, phthalates, polyurethane foam, President's Cancer Panel, PVC, snug fit crib mattress, toxic chemicals in everyday life, toxic fumes, vinyl
Posted in ADHD, Autism, SIDS, Naturepedic, New Mom's Guide to Choosing a Crib Mattress, PVC/vinyl, crib mattress firmness, fire retardants, phthalates, polyurethane foam, toxic chemicals | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 5th, 2010
If we could sum up what we want for our kids in two words, ‘happy’ and ‘healthy’ would probably be the winners. Raising children who are happy and healthy as they grow and when they become adults is no small feat! However, it is becoming more and more obvious that many chemicals we use every single day can thwart those goals. Check out the latest study on the effects of phthalates, phenols and phytoestrogens on little girls.
It’s been known for some time that phthalates – used to soften PVC/vinyl so it can be used as a waterproof covering on crib mattresses – can affect hormonal development in little boys. In some cases, it affects their behavior, and the physical damage can be so severe it can even cause structural changes. This information was pivotal in the recent banning of three types of phthalates in some children’s products. Others phthalates are still under investigation.
The new study shows that little boys aren’t the only victims – little girls are at risk, too.
The study, conducted at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, tested 1,151 girls, aged 6 through 8 at the time the study started, from New York, greater Cincinnati and northern California. The content of phthalates, phenols, and phytoestrogens was measured in the girls’ urine.
One year later, they measured the chemical content again, and checked for signs of early puberty – breast development and pubic hair. By then the girls were 7 to 9 years old and, yes, they were developing breasts and pubic hair! The more of the chemicals they had in their body, the more likely they were to be maturing prematurely.
This developmental problem can also lead to health problems in later life – increased risk of breast cancer, for example.
How can you help your children avoid these problems? To start with, Moms, and potential Moms, should be aware that chemicals in their body can pass to their children while still in the womb. Moms, and Moms to be, should study up on these chemicals and use products that don’t contain them. If Mom’s body is free of these chemicals, she won’t be passing them on to her children.
To help you get a good start on that process, be aware that all three chemicals are found in lotions, shampoos, cosmetics, nail polishes and many other consumer products – especially if they contain added fragrance. Perfumes are definitely out. Check into organic essential oils as an alternative.
Next, get a Naturepedic baby crib mattress – no phthalates, phenols, or phytoestrogens. And no other harmful chemicals like those found in fire retardants.
Additionally, always check for dangerous chemicals in everything that goes in or on your baby. Use natural soaps, lotions and shampoos exclusively. And watch out for the toys they play with – especially those made of PVC/vinyl (like rubber duckies); they usually contain phthalates to make them soft. If you have questions about personal care products, check the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Database. You can also check the book Home Safe Home for a wealth of information on healthy alternatives for just about everything. It’s so hard to find this kind of information all in one place – this book is packed with stuff!
To find out more about the study, see Exposure to Three Classes of Common Chemicals May Affect Female Development on the Mt. Sinai site.
Getting rid of harmful chemicals in your life is good for you, your children, and the environment. Have fun finding healthy alternatives!
Tags: added fragrance, baby crib mattresses, Cosmetics Database, crib mattresses, dangerous chemicals, early puberty, Environmental Working Group, Exposure to Three Classes of Common Chemicals May Affect Female Development, fire retardants, Home Safe Home, hormonal development, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, Naturepedic, phenols, phthalates, phytoestrogen, PVC, vinyl, waterproof covering on crib mattresses
Posted in Naturepedic, PVC/vinyl, dangerous household chemicals, phthalates, safe bath and personal care products for kids, toxic chemicals | No Comments »
Monday, April 5th, 2010
With all the recent news and studies about phthalates, and the attention given to them by the EPA and FDA, we can sometimes forget that phthalates are just one type of dangerous chemical to which we’re exposed. In fact, we’re exposed to thousands of potentially harmful chemicals every day – and hundreds are showing up in newborns.
Hundreds? That’s right. A study conducted by the Environmental Working Group tested umbilical cord blood samples from newborns and found 287 chemicals. (This study isn’t new, but it’s still very relevant.)
Are the chemicals the study found dangerous? Well …
• 180 cause cancer in humans or animals
• 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system
• 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests
It is any surprise that autism, ADD and ADHD, childhood obesity, eczema and other conditions are ever-increasing – some at epidemic rates?
For example, here are the annual growth statistics for autism from 1992 to 2008.
To make matters worse, the exposure continues for most children from the minute they’re born: Cribs made with toxic glues and solvents; crib mattresses that contain chemical fire retardants, PVC/vinyl, phthalates and polyurethane foam (protect your child with our organic crib mattresses); food grown with pesticides, antibiotics and synthetic hormones then loaded with preservatives; polyester clothing and bed linens infused with formaldehyde to make them ‘easy care’ – the list goes on and on.
Check out the study, Body Burden — The Pollution in Newborns, for more information on exactly what chemicals were found, how they may have entered umbilical cord blood, and so on.
There are a lot of things you can do it prevent this from happening to your baby, and to you! Start by getting rid of potentially hazardous chemicals in your own home and body. You can find out more about how to do this in our blog post Going Green in 2010 – A Few Simple Things With A Big Impact.
And don’t forget to protect your child with Naturepedic crib mattresses and other products. We started Naturepedic to protect our own family, now we’re helping you protect yours.
Tags: ADD, ADHD, antibiotics, autism, Body Burden - The Pollution in Newborns, chemical fire retardants, Crib Mattress, crib mattresses, cribs, eczema, Environmental Working Group, formaldehyde, going green, hormones, Naturepedic, obesity, organic crib mattresses, pesticides, phthalates, polyester, polyurethane foam, preservatives, PVC, solvents, toxic chemicals in umbilical cord blood, toxic glues, vinyl
Posted in ADHD, Autism, SIDS, Crib Mattress, Green your home and nursery, Naturepedic, Studies, going green, phthalates, toxic chemicals | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010
Getting an organic crib mattress is easy – just call up Naturepedic and it will be at your doorstep before you can say “where’s my stuff?” But getting a non-toxic crib is another matter. What is a parent to do?
A recent discussion on Debra Lynn Dadd’s (aka the Queen of Green) Green Living Q & A blog highlights the problems involved in finding a truly non-toxic crib. One reader even said they bought a crib that was allegedly non-toxic only to find out later that the glue used to hold it together contained three times the amount of formaldehyde recommended as safe. Boy, you just can’t leave any stone unturned!
What are the parameters to keep in mind?
* The crib should be made of solid wood – not particle board, a laminate or veneer. And not PVC or some other form of plastic.
* The glue used to hold the crib together should be non-toxic.
* Ideally, the crib should either be unfinished – which includes clear, colorless finishes, unless you know they are non-toxic – or, if painted, ensure the paint used doesn’t contain toxic solvents, dyes and so on.
For more info on specific brands others have found (and/or eliminated), check out Non Toxic Baby Cribs – the aforementioned discussion on Debra Lynn Dadd’s website.
Truthfully, it can take some research to find what you’re looking for. They’re also not the least expensive cribs on the market, so don’t expect to find one for $59.99 – although you can find one that converts to a toddler bed so you’ll have years of use.
But, it’s worth the time, effort and expense because you know your baby will be safe.
Organic cotton crib mattress from Naturepedic, non-toxic crib and toddler bed (check out our mattresses that convert to toddler as well), organic cotton sheets and other bedding – all you need is some nice non-toxic paint for the walls and some cotton throw rugs and you’ve got yourself a very nice, very safe, welcome home nursery for your baby.
Tags: cotton throw rugs, Debra Lynn Dadd, formaldedyde, glue, Green Living Q & Q, laminate, Naturepedic, non-toxic baby cribs, non-toxic crib, non-toxic paint, organic cotton crib mattress, organic cotton sheets, organic crib mattress, particle board, plastic, PVC, Queen of Green, safe nursery, toddler bed, toxic solvents, veneer
Posted in non-toxic cribs | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010
Check out the startling details in a new health report from Safer Chemicals Healthy Families.
Read The Health Case for Reforming The Toxic Substances Control Act
The results of a compilation and analysis of 30 years of environment studies, recently published as a health report from Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, revealed startling details about the increase in disease in the U.S. over the last 35 years, and the link to toxic chemicals.
Here are some of the statistics from the report:
- Leukemia, brain cancer, and other childhood cancers, have increased by more than 20% since 1975.
- Breast cancer went up by 40% between 1973 and 1998 and, while breast cancer rates have declined since 2003, a woman’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is now one in eight, up from one in ten in 1973.
- The incidence of asthma doubled between 1980 and 1995 and has stayed at the elevated rate.
- Difficulty in conceiving and maintaining a pregnancy affected 40% more women in 2002 than in 1982. For woman aged 18 – 25, the incidence of reported difficulty has almost doubled.
- The birth defect resulting in undescended testes increased 200% between 1970 and 1993.
- Diagnosed autism has increased more than 10 times in the last 15 years.
According to the report, there is a growing consensus that chemicals are playing a role in the incidence and prevalence of these diseases.
The birth defect resulting in undescended testes, for example, as well as other hormonal problems with young boys, could be the result of exposure to phthalates – the plasticizer chemicals used to soften PVC/Vinyl so it can be used as a waterproof covering in crib mattresses – which is one of the reasons three phthalates were banned in baby mattresses and other kids products. One study even found that the school-age boys of women who tested positive for phthalates in their urine while pregnant played in ways that were not typical of young boys – no trucks, rough housing, and so on.
What’s being done about the chemical problem?
Although the EPA has admitted they’ve failed to protect the public from the dangers of toxic chemicals, and is currently making changes, the track record is abysmal: Since the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was enacted 34 years ago, only 200 of the 80,000 chemicals that have since been produced and used in the U.S. have been tested by the EPA, and only five have been regulated.
Health care reform is currently the subject of intense controversy. But real reform will come when we start getting rid of the chemicals suspected of exacerbating, if not causing, illness.
Chemical policy reform would also free up a lot of health care dollars: If reducing exposure to chemicals resulted in healthier people, it would only take one tenth of one percent in health savings to free up $5 billion every year.
Read more details in the report, The Health Case for Reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act.
Safer Chemicals Healthy Families also has a campaign to help eliminate toxic chemicals. There are many facets to their campaign, including Parents for Non-Toxic Alternatives and several others directly concerned with toxic chemicals and the relationship to child safety. Check them out, you may want to become involved.
If you’re concerned about your child’s safety and want to do something about it right now, consider getting a Naturepedic toddler or crib mattress, along with our safe child and baby bedding and pillows. Also, check out the book Home Safe Home by Debra Lynn Dadd for thousands of safe alternatives for just about every chemical in your household.
Tags: asthma, baby bedding, baby mattress, brain cancer, breast cancer, chemical policy reform, child safety, childhood cancers, Crib Mattress, crib mattresses, Debra Lynn Dadd, eliminate toxic chemicals, EPA, health care reform, Home Safe Home, leukemia, Naturepedic, Parents for Non-Toxic Alternatives, phthalates, pillows, plasticizer chemicals, PVC, reducing exposure to chemicals, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, The Health Case for Reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act, toxic chemicals, Toxic Substances Control Act, TSCA, undescended testes, vinyl
Posted in ADHD, Autism, SIDS, Green your home and nursery, Naturepedic, toxic chemicals | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
It is troubling to see how many children are suffering from ‘learning disorders.’ Parents are tearing their hair out trying to find solutions, and often resort to putting their kids on drugs when they see no other solution. However, a new study linking ADHD to the chemical plasticizers ‘phthalates’ may offer some hope.
The study, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, found that the higher the concentration of phthalates in the urine, the more apt the children were to have ADHD symptoms. The researchers also found “significant relationships” between urine concentrations and errors in continuous performance tests (CPTs), which measure the child’s sustained and selective attention – the ability to focus on the right things at the right times – and impulsivity. CPT is used to support an ADHD diagnosis.
So, where are these phthalates coming from?
According to other studies, it starts in the womb: phthalates in mom’s body transfer to the child. Mom may have gotten them into her body via her hand lotion, nail polish, or a variety of other personal care products, or from food containers and packaging, laundry detergents or even the enteric coating on pharmaceuticals.
So, the kids get off to a bad start. Then, right from infancy, they sleep on crib mattresses with PVC/vinyl waterproof coverings made pliable by the use of phthalates. We’ve never used phthalates in our Naturepedic crib mattresses, and we never will.
From the crib mattress, the very long list of products containing phthalates continues: Plastic toys, building materials, textiles, the same liquid soap and detergent used by mom – it goes on and on.
According to a study published in Atmospheric Environment in 2008, manufacturers produce about 800 million pounds of phthalates each year (those figures are from 2004, the latest available at the time), and they contribute 10-60% of plastic products by weight.
Fortunately, the U.S. government is getting wise to phthalates. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned phthalates in crib mattresses and some children’s products last year – although only three phthalates were banned and several others are still used. Both the CPSC and the EPA are doing further investigation, and the EPA now has a Phthalates Action Plan by which they hope to determine the degree to which these chemicals should be restricted – or perhaps banned altogether.
But, unlike Europe – where phthalates were banned a decade ago – we’re a long way from full protection.
What is the answer? The obvious solution is to avoid them. Fortunately, there are more and more products out there that do not contain phthalates. Look for them. If you have questions about specific products, contact the manufacturer. If they can’t guarantee ‘no phthalates,’ switch to a brand that can.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 10% of U.S. children have been diagnosed with ADHD. Wouldn’t it be great if an environment free of phthalates and other dangerous chemicals could change that?
Tags: ADHD, Atmospheric Environment, banned phthalates in crib mattresses, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chemical plasticizers, CPSC, Crib Mattress, crib mattresses, diagnosed with ADHD, EPA, learning disorders, Naturepedic, Naturepedic crib mattresses, organic crib mattresses, phthalates, Phthalates Action Plan, PVC, vinyl
Posted in Naturepedic | 3 Comments »
Thursday, January 7th, 2010
It’s an unfortunate fact that money and power sometimes pull more weight than the health and safety of U.S. citizens. A prime example, covered in a recent Washington Post story, is the serious flaw in the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act that allows companies to withhold details about potentially hazardous chemicals from the public and all but a very select muzzled few in the EPA. Though the law is designed to help companies hide information on their products, ingredients and formulas from their competitors the result is protecting the health of the company’s bottom line while risking the health of the public. And, in many cases, the public being endangered are our children.
One such company, makers of a ’secret’ fire-retardant used in furniture and other products, issued a statement saying they support the secrecy clause because it is “essential for ensuring the long-term competitiveness of U.S. industry.”
Is this really the choice: consumers having the data necessary to make informed decisions or destroying the U.S. economy?
Actually no. We can live without toxic chemicals right now. We don’t have to wait for the government or any other entity to do a thing. And as we support companies that sell nontoxic products, the economy–and our health–will flourish.
There are literally thousands of manufacturers who already offer non-toxic products: Everything from food to clothing, from carpets to paint, from toys to a crib mattress (we’ll be happy to supply them), and lots more – it’s all there, right now. Non-toxic products are now sold in stores in just about every town in America, and there are hundreds of websites where you can buy things online. You can search for the things you’re interested in on Google, or check out Debra’s List for hundreds of websites that sell nontoxic products (including us!).
And the number of companies going green is growing exponentially as responsible manufacturers and the public become more aware of the risks some chemicals pose to our health and our environment.
The more we insist on buying from companies that produce non-toxic products, the more things will change. And soon exposure to toxic chemicals in the products we use every day will be a thing of the past. Wouldn’t that be wonderful!
Tags: baby mattresses, companies going green, fire retardant, harmful chemicals kept secret, Naturepedic, polyurethane foam, PVC, socially-conscious companies, Toxic Substances Cnotrol Act, vinyl
Posted in Naturepedic | No Comments »
Thursday, December 10th, 2009
Cute? Yes. But what about phthalates?
As of February 10, 2009, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) banned the manufacture of child care articles and toys containing phthalates (pronounced “thalates”). Phthalates are plasticizer chemicals commonly used in crib mattresses and mattress pads: they soften PVC/vinyl to make it pliable so it can be used as a waterproof surface.
They’re also used in many kids’ toys.
Although we’ve never used phthalates in Naturepedic crib mattresses, they have been used for decades by just about every other crib mattress manufacturer out there.
So why the big hullabaloo over chemicals that have been used in baby and child products for decades? Because we now know (have for many years, actually) that phthalates leach out of vinyl over time where they can reach your baby or child. And that is dangerous with a capital D.
Research has linked phthalates to hormonal and endocrine system problems, especially in boys. In 1997, a study published in the International Journal of Cancer found a high risk of testicular cancer associated with exposure to PVC products.
Other research has also linked phthalates to other types of cancer, and to liver problems.
Numerous U.S. government agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The U.S. Department of Health, the FDA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have issued public safety statements concerning the use of phthalates.
Also, a study done by The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concluded that phthalates are animal carcinogens and can cause fetal death, malformations and problems with the endocrine system. The AAP went on to say that the risk to children was even greater because their bodies and organ systems are still developing.
Phthalates have been banned in some European countries for 10 years – finally, the U.S. is catching up.
Read more about phthalates and the phthalates ban on our site.
Phthalates, by the way, are not just in crib mattresses. They can also be found in perfumes and fragrances, cosmetics, scented lotions, shampoos, aftershaves, nail polish, hair spray, toys, car interiors, medical devices like blood IV bags and tubing, vinyl flooring, vinyl wallpaper, and vinyl shower curtains – to name just a few of the most common types of products.
What can you do about? Get educated, get rid of crib mattresses and toys containing phthalates and, in general, get phthalates out of your life. An ounce of prevention ….
Tags: Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, CPSIA, crib mattresses, hormonal and endocrine system problems, liver problems, mattress pads, Naturepedic, phthalates, phthalates ban, plasticizer chemicals, PVC, PVC/vinyl, testicular cancer, toys containing phthalates
Posted in Naturepedic | No Comments »
Friday, November 20th, 2009
I read an article a few days ago called 10 baby products to keep baby safe. It listed ‘10 healthy baby things you should own.’ Interestingly enough, the top three products on the list were made by us (the Naturepedic Quilted Organic Cotton Deluxe Crib Mattress, the Naturepedic Organic Cotton Contoured Changing Pad, and our Naturepedic Waterproof Flat Crib Pad), but there were several other great products as well: Organic baby food and infant formula, a PVC/vinyl and phthalates-free bib, a very sweet little teddy bear, and more. Check them out here.
By the way, the Naturepedic products featured there are not the only ones we offer. We carry other toddler and crib mattress styles, mattresses for cradles, bassinets – just about every type of mattress or pad you might need. And we offer organic bedding. To see all our products, check the Naturepedic website.
Tags: Crib Mattress, Naturepedic, organic cotton, phthalates, PVC
Posted in Crib Mattress, Naturepedic, Organic Bedding | No Comments »
Monday, August 3rd, 2009
You’ve been working hard to keep your child healthy – maybe they’ve even slept on a Naturepedic organic cotton crib mattress! Now it’s time for school, and you’re faced with PVC-laden school supplies. Everything from pretty pink backpacks with images of their favorite characters to Spidey lunchboxes and modeling clay. Chances are they’re made with PVC or PVC/vinyl – one of the very things you’ve been trying to avoid!
To help you keep up all the good work you’ve been doing to keep your kids safe, the Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ) has just released a new handy wallet guide (although you have to fold it quite a bit to fit it into your wallet) listing the types of back-to-school supplies that are likely to contain PVC.
What are your alternatives? The CHEJ took things a step further and also made us a great list of PVC-free school supplies. It contains just about everything – pens and pencils, binders, lunch bags, food wraps, and a lot more. Even cell phones, computer monitors, rain gear and sneakers.
The CHEJ is also a great resource for information on PVC and other toxins that may be harming our environment and our health. Check them out.
Tags: Center for Health Environment and Justice, Crib Mattress, Naturepedic, organic cotton, organic cotton crib mattress, PVC, school supplies, toxins
Posted in Naturepedic | No Comments »
