LEADING TOY MANUFACTURER ARTSANA ABANDONS THE USE OF PVC FOR INFANTS PRODUCTS

23 November 1998

Amsterdam/ Rome -- Greenpeace welcomed today the decision by the companies Artsana, Prenatal and Grazioli to stop using vinyl plastic (PVC) in their products for infants and children under three worldwide. Artsana is the producer of the Chicco brand of products for infants, and is one of the 3 world leading manufacturers of infant toys in Europe and the US, together with Mattel and Hasbro (1).

In a letter to Domitilla Senni of Greenpeace Italy, Artsana state that they have substituted soft PVC with the plastics EVA and PE in toys for children under three years.

"This is a serious and effective step taken by a major toy manufacturer to protect infants from the hazards of soft PVC', said Madeleine Cobbing of Greenpeace International. "This decision confirms what we [Greenpeace] have been claiming for over one year, that substitutes for soft PVC are readily available and are cost effective for the companies concerned".

Chicco's and Prenatal's decision goes further than the action taken by their competitor Mattel, who announced in September that they would phase out the use of the chemical softeners phthalates in certain soft PVC products for children under three as from next year. A number of other US companies have also taken limited steps to address consumers concerns, including the leading toy retailer Toys R Us, who are withdrawing soft PVC 'direct to mouth' products worldwide. Some companies, such as the worlds' number two toy manufacturer, Hasbro, have yet to take any action at all on this issue.

At the same time, Chicco and the other Italian companies do not go as far as the toy companies Lego and Brio, who have a policy of not using PVC for any of their products. Their action also addresses environmental threats posed by the entire life cycle of vinyl. The Chicco decision relates only to their use of PVC in products for children under three.

"Chicco has taken a big stride towards a PVC free policy, in contrast with the inadequate moves of some other major companies," said Fabrizio Fabbri of Greenpeace. "We will urge them to take the next logical step, and phase out PVC from all their products".

This week the European Commission's Scientific Committee is meeting in Brussels to consider further studies on the leaching of phthalates from soft PVC toys, by scientists in the Netherlands, Austria, Spain and Britain. They will be considering whether their original opinion, that children could be exposed to unacceptably high levels of phthalates from soft PVC toys, is still valid. They are expected to announce their decision next week.

DINP, the plasticiser usually used to soften PVC destined for children's' products, has been shown to be toxic when ingested by animals, with effects ranging from liver and kidney damage to reproductive abnormalities and cancer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Madeleine Cobbing, Greenpeace International, +44 1453 753 988
- Fabrizio Fabbri, Greenpeace Italy, mobile +39 330 92 43 73
- Domitilla Senni, Greenpeace Italy, +39 06 572 999 21
Visit Greenpeace International's PVC Toys campaign website: http://www.greenpeace.org/~comms/pvctoys/index.html

(1) Chicco claims the infant toy market in Italy (8.5%) and is the leader in Southern Europe, and is 2nd behind Fisher Price (Mattel) in other European regions. It is a leading manufacturer and marketer of infant toys in Europe and the US. It has infant ranges (0-3) & toddler/pre-school toys (3-6). The PVC free decision only relates to its infant range.