When my children started going off to school several years ago, I was shocked to discover that typical children's products, such as backpacks and lunch bags, were often made of harmful plastics and chemicals.
I began to search for labels that read "lead safe" and "PVC-free." Back then, these labels weren't easy to find in your average store. Thankfully, society is becoming more aware of the dangers of toxins for children and the range of suitable back-to-school options is much greater than it used to be.
That doesn't mean the problem is gone away. Far from it. Just take a look at the Center for Health, Environment & Justice's (CHEJ) report on the hazards of vinyl. PVC is the most toxic plastic for children's health and the environment. A recent CHEJ report found toxic chemicals (linked to asthma and birth defects) widespread in children's vinyl back-to-school supplies. In fact, 75 per cent of the supplies tested had elevated levels of toxic phthalates - enough to make them illegal if they were toys.
