Prague Toy Fair - Play Safe Without PVC

["Greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

"PLAY SAFE WITHOUT PVC!", ANIMALS CALLED AT PRAGUE TOYS 
FAIR 


PRAGUE, March 12, 1998 -- "NO PVC TOYS" said the boards shown by 
15 Greenpeace activists dressed as various animals such as a penguin, 
pig, dog, beetle etc. in front of Industrial Palace at the opening 
of the International Toys Fair in Prague. The point of this action was to 
show that PVC Toys which could damage health of the smallest 
children are still on sale in the Czech Republic.

"We have to do everything to remove this risk to the safety of our 
chidren," said Dr. Cestmir Hrdinka,Greenpeace campaigner  at the 
opening of Toys Fair in Prague. "Toys are supposed to calm children 
and make them happy and not to harm their health."

The environmental organization Greenpeace has been campaigning for 
several months to point out the danger of risk chemicals known as 
phthalates which can leach out from PVC Toys when children handle and 
chew on them. These phthalate softeners are toxic when ingested by 
animals, with health effects ranging from tumors and liver and kidney 
damage to reproductive abnormalities.

Despite the fact that the risks are obvious, competent authorities in the
Czech Republic didn't take any steps to protect our children from 
the danger of PVC toys. Therefore we are here today to call on 
producers and retailers to withdraw these PVC toys from the shelves. 

-END-

Greenpeace on the internet at http://www.greenpeace.org