Dedicated Email: Lead and Cadmium and Arsenic. . .That’s What (Some) Toys Are Made Of
Filed Under Dedicated Emails | January 8, 2009
The holidays are over and you’re probably doing a little bit of judicious clearing out, purging the old toys to make room for the new. But did you know that along with the toys that came into your home over the holidays there may also be potentially toxic materials? Even though there are standards around toxic chemicals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and antimony in children’s toys the media is constantly reporting recalls and discovering toys with unsafe levels of chemicals, mostly lead.
So what’s a mum to do? Well definitely keep an eye on Health Canada’s recall list but why not consider getting the toys in your home analyzed for lead and other toxic chemicals by Analyze It? Analyze It, a local company started by father-of-two Andrew Kenny, comes to your home and screens your toys – and other household items too – for toxic substances. Originally focused on environmental soil analysis and the mining industry, concern over the safety of his children’s toys lead Kenny to expand Analyze It’s testing repertoire to include toys.
How does it work? Analyze It uses a portable XRF analyzer to determine which non-organic elements are present in parts per million thanks to safe, low-energy x-rays. The tests are non-destructive and depending on how many products you’d like to have tested, a typical inspection takes two to three hours. Analyze It can test wooden, plastic and fabric toys – yup, surface paints on fabrics can contain lead too, just check out this recent recall to see the odd places lead can be found. You can even get a group of your friends – and their toys – together and throw a toy testing party.
The Analyze It site is also a great reference, with lots of useful info on just why lead and other toxic chemicals are so bad for kids anyhow – think impaired intellect, memory loss, mood swings, infertility, joint and muscle disorders and more – as well as recall info and more resources for safety-conscious mamas.
So if you wonder what might be lurking in your house email andrew@analyzeit.ca or call 604.837.8805 and book a consultation.
Analyze It: www.analyzeit.ca
