Jon Fox
CALPIRG Education Fund
San Francisco, CA – Today the California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) Education Fund released new tips highlighting ways to create safer and healthier learning environments by eliminating indoor air pollution caused by toxic chemicals.
Many children’s school supplies are made from, or contain, toxic chemicals. These toxic chemicals include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), lead, cadmium, phthalates, and bisphenol A (BPA), to name a few. Yet many parents and caretakers may not know that common back-to-school items – from backpacks to binders – contain toxic chemicals.
“Even low-dose exposures to toxic chemicals are linked to cancer, birth defects, and impaired learning in children,” said Jon Fox, Consumer Advocate with CALPIRG Education Fund. “These chemicals are especially dangerous to the health of growing children because much of a child’s physical and intellectual development occurs during their school years.“
To help address the concerns of parents, CALPIRG Education Fund published the following Back-to-School DOs and DON’Ts:
Avoid Toxic Chemicals
Use non-plastic products wherever possible. If you have to purchase plastic, avoid:
* If no symbol, call the manufacturer to find out what’s in the product.
Backpacks
Better: Natural Fiber
OK: Polyester or Nylon (better than PVC)
Avoid: backpacks with shiny plastic designs (may contain PVC or lead)
Notebooks
Better: recycled cardboard or natural fiber covered notebooks
Avoid: metal spirals encased in colored plastic (usually contain PVC); plastic cover notebooks
Three-Ring Binders
Better: cardboard, fabric-covered, or polypropylene binders
Avoid: vinyl 3-ring binders (made of PVC)
Crayons & Markers
Better: soy or beeswax crayons; pencil highlighters
Avoid: paraffin wax crayons; dry-erase and permanent markers (contain toxic solvents); scented markers
Glue
Better: water-based glues; glue sticks; “school” glue
Avoid: epoxies; rubber cement; super glues (contain toxic solvents)
Pens & Pencils
Better: plain wooden pencils made from sustainable wood or recycled newspaper
Avoid: pencils with glossy or paint coating; scented pens
Paper Products
Better: recycled paper
Avoid: bleached paper; paper with added lotions, fragrances and dyes
Art Supplies
Better: Paints that are water-based and colored with natural, non-metal pigments
Avoid: smocks made of PVC; modeling clays made of PVC (contain phthalates)
Clothing
Better: PVC-free raincoats and rain boots
Avoid: PVC-containing clothing, rain gear and accessories
Accessories
Better: natural-fiber jewelry
Avoid: plastic or metal jewelry containing phthalates, cadmium, and lead
Lunchboxes
Better: cloth lunch bags; unpainted metal lunch boxes
OK: BPA-free plastic lunch boxes
Avoid: PVC-lined lunch boxes; BPA-containing lunch boxes; painted lunchboxes that may contain lead; boxes treated with antimicrobial chemicals
Beverage Bottles
Better: stainless steel containers
OK: BPA-free plastic or BPA-free aluminum containers
Avoid: single-use plastic water bottles
The California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) is a result-oriented public interest group that protects consumers, encourages a fair sustainable economy, and fosters responsive democratic governance.
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