It’s that time of year again where we gear up for school by shopping for and purchasing school supplies. If you are anything like me, it’s one of my favorite activities ever. Give me a Staples and I’m in heaven! But there are some choices to be made – now more than ever – about which items you should select for your child’s school-year gear.
Did you know that your child’s school supplies, the ones made with soft vinyl, are toxic? That’s right, they have something in them called phthalates that leach off into the air and can cause some serious problems with your children’s health. Like what? Well how about asthma, learning disabilities, diabetes and other chronic health problems. In fact, “Congress has banned phthalates in children’s toys, yet they are widespread in these and other PVC back to school products. Children are at risk from even very low-level exposures to these toxic chemicals. That’s why it’s important to purchase PVCfree school supplies whenever possible.” source
So what should you look for to avoid these chemical-leaching, plastic products? Well first things first, DON’T BUY PLASTIC ANYTHING. I really hate to harp but it’s just not necessary. There are so many other alternatives out there now that buying anything plastic just isn’t necessary.
What if you HAVE to buy plastic? Then look for the better plastics. Anything that has PVC or the number 3 inside the recycling symbol is PVC; don’t buy it. Look for the better plastics like I discussed in a previous blog post. If you have to buy plastic anything, the safest are the ones coded 4 or 5 in the recycling symbol.
And if your own child’s health isn’t enough to think about, think about the towns where these plastic items are produced. The families and children who live there endure months upon years of breathing in the toxic fumes required to create these toxic materials. For more real life stories, check out the Center for Health, Environment & Justice’s Back to School Guide.
Green Parenting is written two times per month on Fridays.
For questions or comments, email Elise Jones.