PVC TOYS: GREENPEACE REMOVES PVC TOYS FROM TOYS 'R' US DEMANDING A PVC-FREE POLICY WORLDWIDE

Amsterdam / Linz (Austria), 29 October 1997

Greenpeace today entered the TOYS 'R' US headquarters in Austria. Activists from the environmental group collected and removed soft PVC toys from the store shelves and raised the banner "PVC toys endanger our children", demanding that TOYS 'R' US adopt a consistent PVC-free policy worldwide.

Over the past few months, TOYS 'R' US in Belgium and its franchises in Denmark (Top Toys), the Netherlands (Speelhorn) and Indonesia (Umi Parmasi) have already committed themselves to removing soft PVC baby toys from their shelves, along with several other European retailers (1).

"All children should be protected from the potential hazards of PVC toys ", said Madeleine Cobbing of Greenpeace International. "How can TOYS 'R' US take action in some countries and not others? Hundreds of their stores are still selling soft PVC toys containing hazardous chemicals. It is downright immoral", Cobbing added.

As part of its international "Play Safe" project, Greenpeace met with TOY 'R' US last 25 September at its corporate headquarters in the US. The company agreed to look into the hazards of PVC toys, but no action has been taken worldwide.

Earlier this year, Greenpeace conducted analyses of soft PVC toys and found that 71 toys from 17 countries around the world contained 10-40% by weight of hazardous chemicals (softeners called phthalates) (2). Further tests conducted by independent laboratories in the US found that many soft PVC children's products contain high levels of the hazardous metals lead and cadmium (3).

The dominant softener found in the toys tested by Greenpeace has been shown in previous studies (4) to be toxic when ingested by animals. Effects ranging from liver and kidney damage to reproductive abnormalities were identified. Another recent study (5) also indicates that the most abundant phthalate found in the Greenpeace analyses shows some capacity to weakly mimic the hormone oestrogen. The hormone system is an extremely sensitive chemical messenger system which regulates the development of the embryo, cell programming, organ development, brain function and behaviour, metabolism and immune system functions.

Recently, three European countries have urged the toy industry to take action against soft PVC chewable baby toys. In April, July and October respectively, the Danish, Dutch and Belgian governments warned toy retailers, distributors and manufacturers of the potential hazards of soft PVC toys which, when sucked or chewed, can leach hazardous softeners (6).

The Dutch Ministry of Health tested soft PVC toys to determine softener levels and leaching rates. The tests showed that some of the toys leach phthalates at such a rate that 5-50% of all babies sucking or chewing on these toys would ingest more phthalates than the amounts the Dutch government finds acceptable.

Last Friday, the Philippines Department of Health issued a press statement calling on all toy retailers and manufacturers in the Philippines to remove from the shelves "soft PVC toys and infant care products for infants/children under 3 years of age".

"Piecemeal measures are not enough. TOYS'R'US should adopt a worldwide policy to stop selling these toys", said Gertrud Koerbler of Greenpeace Austria. " We also call on the Austrian Government to initiate a complete ban on soft PVC toys throughout the European Union".

Madeleine Cobbing, Greenpeace International, t. +44 171 865 82 87 -
Luisa Colasimone, Greenpeace Communications, t. +31 20 52 49 546 -
Stills available from John Novis, Greenpeace Communications, t. +31 20 52 49 580

NOTES

(1)

Several European retailers have already taken action to remove soft PVC toys from their shelves. These include Foetex and FDB in Denmark, Brio and KF in Sweden. In Belgium, Fedis, the Belgian federation representing distribution sectors including some toys retailers, has also withdrawn these products. In the Netherlands, Prenatal, De Bijenkorf, Hema and Blokker have also stated that they will not sell soft PVC toys for infants in the future.

(2)

"Determination of the Composition and Quantities of Phthalate Ester Additives in PVC Children's toys", Greenpeace Research Laboratories, University of Exeter, Department of Biological Sciences, August 1997.

(3)

"Lead and Cadmium in Vinyl Children's Products. A Greenpeace Report", Joseph Di Gangi, Greenpeace, 1997.

(4)

* Ema M., Kurosaka R., Amano H. & Ogawa Y. (1995) Comparative developmental toxicity of n-butyl benzyl phthalate and di-n-butyl phthalate in rats. Arch Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 28: 223-228. * MyersB. A. (1991) 13-week subchronic dietary oral toxicity study with di(isononyl)phthalate in Fischer 344 rats (final report) with cover letter dated 05.20.92: Supplemental information. Hazelton Laboratories, Washington. EPA/OTS Doc #89-920000224. * Wine R. N., Li L. H., Barnes L. H. Gulati D. K., & Chapin R. E. (1997) Reproductive toxicity of di-n-butylphthalate in a continuous breeding protocol in Sprague-Dawley rats. Environ. Health Persp. 105(1): 102-107.

(5)

* Jobling S., Reynolds T., White R., Parker M. G. & Sumpter J. P. (1995) A variety of environmentally persisting chemicals, including some phthalate plasticizers, are weakly oestrogenic. Environmental Health Perspectives 103(6): 582-587.

(6)

At the end of July the European Commission issued an information alert to each European country on the possible hazards for children chewing on soft PVC teethers. Greenpeace has since requested more concrete action from the EC and is still awaiting response from Mr Bangemann, the EU Commissioner for Industrial Affairs, who is in charge of toys regulations.