Mickey's Toxic Toys

As 2010 winds down, many of us at WTC are taking some time off before we head into the 2011 legislation session. Our policy director is currently on vacation in Florida with her family for some much needed rest and relaxation. She’s having a great time but she also discovered that even at “The Happiest Place on Earth” her family can’t escape toxic chemicals!

Here’s what she found hiding in plain sight at Disney World:

For those of you who are regular readers of this blog, you’ll recognize this army of Mickeys is made of vinyl plastic (PVC), one of the most toxic plastics on the face of the earth.  It’s a poison plastic associated with toxic chemicals at every phase of its life cycle.  Phthalates, endocrine distruptors linked to childhood asthma, breast cancer, and reproductive problems, among other things, are added to make it pliable.  It’s also frequently contaminated with heavy metals such as lead.

Would you want such a toxic product anywhere near your kids?  Disney thinks so. They’re using vinyl as a cutesy label to encourage consumers to buy their product. Shame on you, Disney! 

But they’re far from the only toy manufacturer using PVC in kids’ products.  At www.toxictoysrus.com they’re campaigning to hold Toys R Us to its 2008 promise to clearly label and phase out PVC from kid’s products.

Our policy director didn’t leave Disneyworld with a new “Vinylmation” toy because she knows better after decades of work to get toxics out of our homes and communities. But moms that aren’t toxics experts should be able to choose a gift without worry that it could leach lead, phthalates, or other toxic chemicals.

Help all Washington kids find safer toys in their stockings this year by getting your letter to Santa (aka Washington Department of Ecology) off to the north pole (aka Olympia). Click here to send a comment to Ecology asking for strong regulations on toxics in toys and other children’s products.

Image courtesy of flickr user marvin L