At press conferences in New York and London in September, Greenpeace revealed that it had found significant levels of hazardous chemicals in soft PVC toys and warned parents and consumers to avoid buying them. Greenpeace Australia has called on the federal government to require companies to withdraw the toys immediately.
PVC plastic uses more additives than any other plastic, and chemical softeners are needed to make PVC toys flexible. Greenpeace tested 63 soft toys from 17 countries, including Australia. Almost all contained substantial quantities of hazardous softening additives, most frequently 10-40% of their weight. These chemicals, called phthalates, are known to leak from PVC products during use, especially when pressure is applied, such as when a small child sucks or chews on a toy.
Dr Darryl Luscombe, a Greenpeace toxics campaigner, said, "The toy industry is unnecessarily exposing small children to hazardous chemicals during one of the most vulnerable periods of their development".
In independent laboratory studies, the dominant phthalate found in the tested toys has been shown to be toxic when ingested by animals. The health effects range from liver and kidney damage to reproductive abnormalities. A recent study also indicates that the phthalate found in most abundance by Greenpeace has the capacity to weakly mimic the hormone oestrogen. Since the hormone system is extremely sensitive, any disruption may have implications for the development and metabolism of a young child.
The Danish and Dutch governments are now asking for the recall of some toys. The Italian company Chicco has voluntarily withdrawn three teething rings from the market in Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Greece and Argentina. Several retailers, including KF, Blokker and Prenatal have removed PVC toys from the shelves in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Greenpeace first alerted the toy industry to the issue in August 1996 when it met with the industry's trade association, the International Council of Toy Industries. After two meetings, negotiations broke down, so Greenpeace is taking direct action to warn the public of the potential hazards of the toys. Greenpeace has released a list of soft PVC and non-PVC toys to help consumers make informed choices when buying toys for Christmas.
The entire life cycle of PVC plastic is a polluting process. Its production involves highly toxic additives and generates hazardous chlorinated emissions and wastes. When burned in accidental fires or incinerators, PVC products are a significant source of dioxins.