Toxic Toys: Fisher-Price Little People

Fisher Price Little People scare me.  We used to have a ton of them and they are adorable.  However, they are made with a soft plastic (PVC?) which could contain phthalates, or other nasty chemicals.  Mattel, the parent company to Fisher Price does not have a great track record as far as safety goes.  They've had numerous recalls for lead paint and more.

I called Fisher-Price and asked them about what Little People are made of.  They were very vague and could not tell me anything other than the fact that Little People could contain PVC.  I asked several questions and could not get any more information than that.  If you look at the Healthy Toys test results, all Little People soft plastic parts test high for Chlorine, indicating PVC.  PVC is one of the worst types of plastic out there.  After rereading this article, I became convinced that Little People had to go.

Now, this was extremely hard to do.  When I was pregnant with Lucy, we bought the entire set of Little People castle and add on figures just because we thought it was so cute and wanted her to have it.  I had collected Little People from garage sales and had asked for them for Christmas.  We had Noah's ark, the barn, castle, birthday set, van, playground, and more.  Lucy and Julia spent hours playing with their Little People.  I felt bad getting rid of them, and I didn't do it right away.  It took me quite a while to come to this decision.

I started by trying to keep them away from Esther and out of her mouth.  When that didn't work, I told the girls that we had to put them in the basement because they weren't safe for Esther to play with.  I searched high and low for a replacement that I thought would be safe and just as fun for them.  We had some wooden toy dolls and animals, but the girls weren't as impressed with those.  After researching their safety, I was debating between adding some Lego Duplo sets to our collection, or getting some Playmobil 123.  We ended up buying Esther a big Duplo zoo set for her birthday last year, and right after that found a Playmobil 123 set at a garage sale.

Both Duplo and Playmobil are made of sturdy ABS plastic.  I still do not let them go in a baby's mouth, but I feel much better about my children handling and playing with these.  Both the Duplos and the Playmobil 123 have had many hours of use.  After a while, the girls agreed to let me sell the Little People on Craigslist so that they could buy more Playmobil and Duplo sets.  Esther has a big tub of Playmobil 123 that she calls "pay-mo" and gets out at least once a day.  She is getting a couple more sets for Christmas and her birthday.

Our toys are not all completely toxin free, but this was one that had bothered me for quite some time and I just had to do something about.  Especially because Little People so often find their way into a child's mouth, and because they are so toxic, and because they are meant for younger children to play with, they had to go.  We do have other toys that I am not thrilled about, and honestly, we do still have the Little People Thanksgiving and Christmas sets.  I bring those out seasonally and keep them up high on a table where Esther cannot reach them.  I would love to replace those too if I found something suitable.

With the holiday season coming up, are you keeping toy safety in mind?  I have a couple of reviews and giveaways from some great toy companies coming up, so stay tuned!

Green Eats

Looking for safe children's tableware?  Check out Green Toys new line - Green Eats!  We love Green Toys around here, and have been trying out their new tumblers.

These are made of recycled plastic milk jugs, and contain no BPA, phthalates, PVC, or external coatings.  Definitely a safe choice that I am very happy with.  My girls enjoy the colors and like to use their new cups.

I would love to see these made in a smaller version.  It takes the girls two hands to pick up the cups; and Esther is too little for one yet.  From left to right shown below I have an old tupperware style cup, an Ikea cup, and the new Green Eats cup.  I would like an option something the size of the first cup, but haven't been able to find anything.  Even the Ikea cup is a bit wide for my girls to hang on to when they are little.

These are great big kid cups that we really enjoy using.  Overall we love Green Eats tableware and are excited to have this safe choice available!  Thanks Green Toys!

CSN Stores

I mentioned a while back that I would be reviewing some fun summer items in April. Here is the first one - a Step 2 WaterWheel Play Table from CSN Stores. CSN Stores has over 200 websites with a large range of items available. We chose to review the water table from Toys and Games Online. CSN Stores shipped the water table to me quickly and as soon as nap time was over we put it together.

It was easy to assemble, just a few parts to snap together -

Yes, those are our snow boots in the background! It was just starting to warm up when we got the water table. The girls had to wear coats, but I let them play because they were so excited to try it out.

By the end of the afternoon they were pretty wet and cold but had a blast! Here you can see the table is just the right height for them.

It comes with two boats, a cup, and a water wheel tower. Most of the pieces say that they are #5 plastic, which is a "safe" plastic. There is also a note in the instructions that the table is recyclable when you are done with it.

The girls love the water table and have played with it almost every day since we received it. The WaterWheel Play Table is also a big hit with any of our little friends that come to visit. I like that we can play with water and not get soaked! This will be a great summer toy, and we're already getting lots of use from it. Thanks CSN Stores and two thumbs up for the Step 2 WaterWheel Play Table.

Smart Mom Jewelry Review and Giveaway

Like I said in my post on Toxins In Toys - Plastics, I'm very picky about the toys my babies have. Our home is not completely free of plastics or toxic toys, but all of the infant toys we own are safe. When we started our toy purge, baby toys were the first to come under scrutiny. Anything that a little one might put in his or her mouth has to be safe! My assortment of baby items includes cloth and wooden toys. I also have a silicone teether, and when my children need a pacifier, we use an all silicone brand. As much as I have researched silicone, I haven't found anything negative about it and feel that for some things, its the safest option. Silicone is a fairly inert substance and does not leach toxins like some plastics do. Aside from baby toys being safe, another thing to think about is the jewelry mom wears that a baby might try to mouth.

Smart Mom Jewelry includes donut shaped necklaces and bangles that are made of silicone. The silicone is non-toxic, latex-free, food-safe, and even dishwasher friendly. They use only the highest quality phthalate-free and federally approved silicone. Smart Mom Jewelry is a safe option for mom to wear and safe for baby to teeth on.

I received a donut shaped pendant and two bangles in coordinating colors to review. They have a great variety of colors, which made it hard to choose! I eventually decided on the turquoise pendant and turquoise and onyx bangles. The jewelry is sturdy and thick, a great size for baby to grasp and teeth on. I like that the necklace has a breakaway clasp so that if baby pulls on it to hard it will release. The necklace would also be very easy to adjust but pulling the cord through the clasp and shortening it, although I left mine long so its easy for a baby to grasp while nursing.

Smart Mom Jewelry has conveniently packaged gift sets, keychains, heart shaped necklaces, or you can even design your own gift set. If you're interested in trying Smart Mom Jewelry for yourself, they've graciously offered one reader a gift set of your choosing. I won't make you go to their website and choose a color, that's just too hard (there are too many fun options). :) Leave a comment on this post and let me know the name of your little one who would enjoy playing with this jewelry while you wear it. Be sure to include your email address so that I can contact a winner.

For an extra entry, become a follower of my blog and let me know you did so/ do so already in a comment. You can gain another entry by blogging about the giveaway including both a link to Smart Mom Jewelry and my blog. Come back here and leave a comment with the link to your blog post.

I'm going to close the giveaway on January 4 at midnight. If you can't wait that long or would like to give Smart Mom Jewelry to someone on your Christmas list, Moonstone pendants are on sale for 50% off this month while supplies last! Happy Shopping.

**Thanks for your interest. The giveaway is now closed and PisecoMom has been chosen by random.org as the winner.**

Toxins In Toys: Plastics

This month I've been posting about Toxins In Toys and some of the changes our family has made over the past few years. We've talked about lead and where it hides. Today I want to focus on plastics a bit. There are several potential issues with plastic toys - Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, PVC, and more.

Bisphenol A is an endocrine disrupting hormone - a developmental, neural, and reproductive toxin. Very low doses of BPA exposure have been linked to cancers, impaired immune function, early onset of puberty, obesity, diabetes, and hyperactivity among other problems. Exposure to BPA is widespread - it has been found in the urine of 95% of people tested in studies. Alarmingly, the median level of BPA in humans is higher than the level that causes adverse effects in animal studies. (information from an Environment California report)

Bisphenol A is found in hard clear plastics and has been in the news quite a bit for its presence in baby bottles, sippy cups, and the lining of canned foods. BPA can also be found in many toys including teethers and toys that infants may mouth. Although many newer toys are BPA free, anything you already have or purchase used should be suspect. We had to toss some rattles (things with the clear hard plastic parts on them) and baby toys that had BPA in them. I also have to wonder, even if plastic toys are now marketed as BPA free, what do they contain instead?

Phthalates are a human carcinogen, added to soft plastics to keep them pliable. Think teethers, bath toys, vinyl books... PVC often contains lead and phthalates and is the least recyclable plastic posing numerous health and environmental concerns. Phthalates in children's products are being phased out due to the CPSIA regulations.

Although the new CPSIA laws are aimed at making toys safer for children, the bottom line is that so many times I look at a toy and just don't know what's in it. Honestly there have been stays of enforcement on the CPSIA laws and I can't quite figure out which thing is banned and when. Many manufacturers are also selling off old products that will no longer be safe at a certain point when laws go into effect, but are okay to be sold now. Have you noticed the rubber ducks everywhere, packaged in with other toys and gift baskets? I got an Oriental Trading Company catalog recently and they had an enormous lot of rubber duckies for some insanely cheap price. No thanks.

I can go to the effort to contact every manufacturer (and I have quite often done so) and figure out whether or not my particular toy contains BPA, phthalates, or PVC, but more and more we are simply choosing natural toys that we know are safe. Toys are not labeled "contains BPA", nor are they required to be. Manufacturers aren't required to tell you what is in a toy and will sometimes reply to an inquiry with something along the lines of claiming that their toy doesn't leach BPA, or is non-toxic, or is compliant with government regulations at this time. Wording meant to creatively skirt the questions.

Plastics are petroleum based and are filling up our landfills and oceans. They are rarely recyclable and often break easily. Natural toys are much more durable, and often more open ended in their play options (no batteries, flashing lights, etc). Although natural toys can be more expensive, we have been focusing on purchasing one high quality item instead of several inexpensive toys that won't last long. Our house is small as it is, so limiting what comes into our home is a necessity. We do have some plastics - Lego is a reputable brand and uses a safer type of plastic, Green Toys uses recycled milk jugs to make their sturdy toys, and yes, we do have some (toxic) Little People just because the girls love to play with them. I have a basket of baby toys and these are all natural wooden or cloth toys. Here is a great article about natural toys.

As far as toy safety, I purchase toys from manufacturers that I trust. I don't necessarily trust the "natural" toys that are popping up at large retail stores. Just because something is made of wood doesn't make it safe. What type of glue holds it together? What type of paint is used on it? I look for a water based stain that shows the wood grain rather than a thick coating of paint that could be toxic or peel off. Things like art supplies, music, and books can still be purchased at super stores. Try thinking outside the box and invest in a zoo membership, aquatic center pass, museum gift certificate, or make a coupon book of visits to the park. The saying is true - homemade gifts are often the best. I've posted a few ideas for homemade toys on my blog and you can find more by searching the internet.

I hope this gets you started thinking about safe toy choices for your families. I have a couple more reviews and discount codes coming up, so stay tuned!

Product Review - Preserve Toothbrushes and Razor

I've been wanting to try out Preserve's toothbrushes and razors for a while now. The company is amazing in what they are doing as far as making products from recycled plastics and even the products themselves are recyclable when you are done with them! Why throw away a toothbrush when you can recycle one?

I received an adult toothbrush, a child's toothbrush, and a razor from Preserve to try out. Its actually taken me a while to put up this post because I have two girls and was searching everywhere for a second child's toothbrush. I wasn't able to find one around here even though some stores carried a few Preserve items. I caved and bought Julia an Elmo toothbrush so I could give Lucy the Preserve one and try it out. After I caved, I finally found the toothbrushes at a health food store (not one I regularly go to). You can check here to find a store near you, but you may find they don't carry the full line of Preserve products.

Preserve collects plastic from yogurt containers and other #5 plastic products, sorts it, cleans it, tests it, and turns it into their products. You can read about the process here and see just how much of an impact this has on saving earth's resources. There is also a great video clip linked from their homepage that shows how they process the plastic. There aren't any recycling drop off points near me, but if you live near a Whole Foods Market, they have bins to collect your #5 plastics.

So, what about the products? The adult toothbrush is nice, the curved handle is a bit different, but works well. It comes in cute colors, and is fairly inexpensive. You can print off a prepaid mailing label and send in your toothbrush when you are done with it! They even sell a subscription where you can select a frequency to have toothbrushes mailed to you (every 2, 3, 4, or 5 months). Did you know that Will Ferrell used a Preserve toothbrush in the movie Stranger Than Fiction? lol

The child's toothbrush is okay. Its cute, but rather plain compared to the other children's toothbrushes out there. I didn't look closely enough because I thought that it came with an animal molded into the handle, but the animal is just on the package. Lucy didn't complain about it, thankfully she still thought a new pink toothbrush was exciting. We will probably purchase more of these, but I'm not sure how long we can go until they remember their spinning Dora toothbrushes and ask for those again.

The razor was too scratchy for my sensitive skin. It works okay for shaving my underarms, but scratched up my legs too much. I generally use a razor that you can buy replacement heads for, so I guess its not quite as important that it be recyclable since I don't throw it away all that often. I like the idea of this product, but it didn't work for me.

Overall I like the company and what they are doing. I would enjoy trying out other products from their line and wouldn't hesitate to choose the Preserve brand when shopping for something new. Like their logo says, there is really "nothing wasted" if you decide to try out a Preserve toothbrush or razor - you can always mail it back to be recycled when you are done with it!

Nature Studies - Beaches and Bugs

I just posted a long list of nature studies resources we enjoy having in our home. A couple of items that we recently received from A Toy Garden deserved their own special mention. As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been searching for things (games, toys, books, etc) to make nature studies interesting and fun for my girls. We've had a blast with each of these two items and give them two thumbs up.

Sonya suggested that we review the Bug Bingo game because the bingo cards have so much information printed on them and the pictures are quite detailed and true. I wasn't sure if the game was going to be over Lucy's head, but it said ages 3- adult, so we decided to give it a try. Lucy and Julia both enjoy finding bugs outside and were very interested in playing this game.

At one point I asked Lucy if she had to go to the bathroom because she was dancing around and wiggling so much. She said no, she was just very excited about the game and trying to see all of the pictures. The game is very simple to play, there are large printed bingo cards, bingo marker chips, and flash cards with the bug pictures and information. One person holds up the flash card and each player checks to see if they have a matching picture on the game card in front of them. I didn't read much of the information on the backs of the cards because Lucy was enjoying just matching the pictures and I didn't want to overwhelm her with too much at once. She was able to play on her own, and even wanted to check Daddy's game card for him when he had to distract Julia from destroying the game. She didn't want to stop once she got five in a row so we kept going until we all had a Bingo and our game cards were filling up.

I really like that the cards have the information printed on the backs. I did read out loud a few sentences about a some of the bugs and we'll definitely read more of the information as Lucy gets more used to the game and is a bit older. For now I thought it was great that she was just learning the names of the bugs and by matching the pictures she was learning what each one looks like. There are even a few terms like "metamorphosis" included, which is fun.

We all enjoyed playing this game and will be using it often. There are six game cards included, so even Grandma and Grandpa can play when they come over. A Toy Garden also sells Nature Bingo, Ocean Bingo, and more. I think these might be appearing on Christmas wish lists in the near future.

The second item we received for review is the Green Toys Sand Castle set. We already had the tea set by Green Toys and absolutely love it. Green Toys is a wonderful company - their toys are made of recycled plastic milk jugs (a very safe plastic) and are BPA and phthalate free. There is no coating on the toy, so definitely no lead paint here. The toy even comes packaged in recyclable cardboard. The plastic toy itself is very durable and sturdy, I was impressed with the quality.

The set comes with a pail, shovel, rake, and castle mold. The pail has a thick rope handle and is a great size. Lucy had fun scooping water from the lake so that Daddy and Julia could fill the castle mold with wet sand and make castles. The mold worked well and made nicely formed castles. The shovel and rake are both quite sturdy and will hold up to quite a bit of use. We'll use this set at home to work in the garden, collect nature finds on walks, and much more.

I honestly wasn't sure what I would think about the sand castle set since we already own several pail and shovel sets that we use in our sandbox at home. After playing with it though, I'm ready to throw all of the others away and just use this set. Other sand toys crack and the handles snap off and they just aren't as sturdy and nice as this set, not to mention I'm sure the other ones we have are not a safe plastic nor in the slightest bit environmentally conscious. I much prefer my children play with something I know is safe and responsibly made. This is a fun set that I know will last for quite some time.

Visit A Toy Garden to find either of these fun "nature studies" items. Check out the autumn category for a large variety of fun fall items. (A Toy Garden also sells Fundanas, another of our favorite nature studies tools.) Thanks for the great recommendations, Sonya!

More On Silicone

In my post on silicone muffin baking cups, I stated that Le Creuset baking cups are 100% silicone with no added plastics. In my reading about silicone, I came across a few comments that made me wonder if companies marketing silicone products were adding plastics to their products. Reviewers on amazon complained of a smell when cooking with silicone and others suggested that it could be the "other" plastics burning or melting. I suppose this is all speculation, but I thought it would be good to clarify with the companies I was interested in before using silicone.

Le Creuset states right on their packaging that they use 100% FDA approved premium grade silicone. Wilton responded to emails of mine and said that they too use 100% silicone with no other additives. Good to know.

My personal opinion on silicone at the moment is that I wouldn't trust just any store brand silicone product. I also don't completely trust silicone for baking, I've read some concerns about the silicone oil (the oily feel to silicone that makes it non-stick) leaching out into the food, but on the other hand most things I read say that silicone is very inert and will not leach or react. I do love the muffin tin liners, but don't see a need to use other silicone pans for baking in. Silicone spatulas and kitchen utensil type items are great too though. Soothies silicone pacifiers are also the only kind I'll let my babies use because of other pacifiers being made of toxic plastics. Everything in its place I guess.

Anyway, just a bit of my opinion there. I also wanted to clarify that I had emailed Wilton and their silicone is 100% silicone as well, since in my recent post I brought up the question.

Muffin Tin Mondays and a Giveaway!

We've been on the hunt for muffin tins and supplies ever since our first Muffin Tin Monday meal. The girls really enjoyed it and I've been looking forward to participating again. Today's theme is Party/ Celebrate which is perfect because Julia's 2nd birthday was yesterday. We didn't get a chance to make her cupcakes so we did that today instead. I had planned to make them with her yesterday after nap, but Daddy decided we should take a trip out to the beach. The girls had an absolute blast at the beach and were more than happy to make cupcakes with me today instead.

Now, making muffins is NOT what Muffin Tin Mondays are about! But... seeing as its a party theme and I had some new silicone muffin cups to review for my blog, I figured this would work. I also thought all you MTMers might want to enter the giveaway.

I had never tried silicone bakeware of any kind before and was skeptical. However, in looking for a safe toxin free muffin tin, I didn't have many choices. All of the muffin tins I could find at the store were non-stick, meaning they include Teflon. I hate Teflon. (The fumes from cooking with non-stick cookware are known to kill small birds.) I also hate how it scratches off and I just can't see letting my kids eat off of it. I was unable to find a stainless steel muffin tin locally. (There is this one on amazon, but it would cost me $25 to get two of them.) In all of my research on plastics, I haven't come across any negatives about silicone. I decided to try the silicone baking cups and use those on top of our non stick muffin tins since I trust the silicone more than the Teflon.

Le Creuset makes silicone baking cups that are 100% silicone with no added plastics in them. They offered to send me two of the six cup packages for review. (and two more for giveaway... more about that later...) I received a package of bright blue and one of bright yellow. When I opened the package the baking cups seemed rather thin and flimsy. I tried to tear one of them and it held up; there is a bit of stretch to them so they don't rip. They did fit in the muffin tin nicely, even better than paper baking cups that end up flying all over the place as I'm trying to pour batter into them. We mixed up our cupcake batter and poured it into the cups. Here are my two helpers...

Like I said, I had never baked with silicone before, but I was pleased with how the cupcakes turned out. The baking cups peeled right off, even better than paper liners do. I tried one while it was still warm and it came out of the baking cup perfectly. They also washed up easily, much easier than my muffin tin does.

I normally try not to use the paper liners because I hate peeling them off of muffins, they always make a mess. There's also the paper waste of it all that I don't like. I usually end up trying to pry my muffins out of the pan and then of course have the yucky pan to clean up afterwards. I'm totally hooked now. No wasteful liners, no yucky pan to clean, no cooking spray, no broken muffins. The cupcakes also cooked nice and evenly with perfectly rounded tops- I'm not sure if that had to do with the silicone or not. I had planned to just use these for Muffin Tin Mondays, serving fun lunches to my girls in them, but I'm going to have to buy some more since I loved them for baking with so much. You actually don't even need to use a muffin tin, just place the cups on a cookie sheet and bake. They are oven, freezer, microwave, and dishwasher safe (although I'd think they would fly around the dishwasher and not come clean all the way).

Would you like some silicone baking cups of your own? Le Creuset is offering two of their six baking cup sets for giveaway. I'll choose two winners and each will receive one set. If you'd like to enter, please leave a comment and include your email address (or be sure that email is enabled on your blogger profile page). For an extra entry subscribe to my blog in one way or another and let me know that you did or already do in a separate post. This giveaway will close on September 1st at midnight.

We thoroughly enjoyed our cupcakes and will be back to celebrate Muffin Tin Mondays with an actual muffin tin lunch next time!

*Giveaway is now closed. Two winners have been contacted, thanks for your interest.*

The Bosch Mixer: A Story

With my forray into the blogging world and reading blogs, I’ve come across rave reviews for the Bosch Mixer. It seems that all moms who feed their families healthy food and bake their own bread use the Bosch Mixer! Ok, that’s an exaggeration, but I’d never heard of it before reading blogs about healthy cooking and then kept reading about it. I’ve been interested in a KitchenAid mixer for quite some time, so I set out to compare the two and decided whether or not to add the Bosch Mixer to my wish list.

After reading reviews on amazon and elsewhere, I realized that although many people love their KitchenAid mixers, there were a few commonly reported problems. KitchenAid mixers are often reported to leak oil; I even posted a poll on a private message board that I belong to and several moms there agreed that their KitchenAid leaked oil! I found many reviews here reporting problems with KitchenAid mixers. Along with leaking oil, some mixers just flat out stopped working, often times when people were trying to mix larger loaves of bread in them.

I couldn’t find nearly as many reviews of the Bosch Mixer, but the reviews I read all included the words “I love my Bosch Mixer.” After looking at this comparison chart, I was pretty convinced. Bosch has an 800 watt motor vs KitchenAid’s 575 watts. It has a three year motor warranty and 1 year on parts, vs KitchenAids 1 year warranty. The Bosch actually weighs less and is smaller (a big plus for my tiny kitchen), but is better at mixing bread dough in large batches. I was about to cross the KitchenAid off of my wish list and write in “Bosch Mixer.” ...but wait! What was it made of? The blender looked suspiciously like polycarbonate plastic (which would contain the toxin BPA). I had more research to do.

Whenever I typed “Bosch Mixer” in Google’s search engine, Pleasant Hill Grain always came up advertising themselves as “The Bosch Mixer Store: low prices, free shipping, and 25 years Bosch experience.” Alright, these people know their Bosch Mixers, I’ll ask them my questions. Pleasant Hill Grain’s website stated that the Bosch Mixer bowl was made of “super-tough Makrilon” and the blender attachment was made of “Lexan polycarbonate”. Lexan is a brand name polycarbonate, and definitely contains BPA. The bowl I wasn’t quite clear on. I Googled “Makrilon” and it came up as Makrolon, also a brand name polycarbonate, again, containing BPA. I couldn’t find information on any other websites selling Bosch Mixers that said what the mixer bowl and blender pitcher were made of.

I emailed Pleasant Hill Grain asking them what type of plastic the mixing bowl was made of. The first reply I received simply stated:

“Christy, I know the bowl is made of Makrilon plastic. Thank you, Dee”.

I replied thanking them for the email, but again asking for information about whether or not the Bosch mixer and blender contain BPA. I received this reply:

“...Bosch is made in Slovenia and according to what we know, it is against German manufacturing law to make anything with BPA. I feel pretty safe saying that the Bosch mixer and blender does not have BPA.... Tom”

I wasn’t thrilled with this reply; “prettty safe” didn’t sound very factual to me. After some searching, I discovered that KitchenResource.com was the Bosch distributor for the US. I contacted them with my questions. I simply wanted to know what type of plastic the mixing bowl and blender pitcher are made of and if they contain BPA.

My first response from Kitchen Resource stated that the blender is made of polycarbonate and that it was the only part of the Bosch Universal Mixer that was made of polycarbonate. They also included some information saying that the major concerns with polycarbonate are heating it, or bottles which contain liquids for longer amounts of time which may allow time for leaching.

I replied to Kitchen Resource, letting them know that Pleasant Hill Grain had assured me there was no BPA in the mixer or blender, and that they may want to clarify this information with them, as it was false. Their website stated that the bowl was Makrilon, which would contain BPA, so I asked for clarity on what type of plastic the bowl was made of.

My contact at Kitchen Resource replied stating that the mixer bowl was polypropylene and that he had asked for confirmation from the factory and would let me know for sure.

After three weeks I heard back:

“...The Bosch mixing bowl is PP (polypropylene). The Bosch blender jar is polycarbonate. At one time, Bosch used a polycarbonate from Bayer, trade named Makrolon, as the material to make their blender jars. I do not know what their source is for that plastic at this time. I have been assured (undocumented) that, because Germany is verrrry environmentally conscious, Bosch does not uses materials that can leach BP-A. There is some indication that some polycarbonate plastics are better than others. Those from China might be more suspect than those from Europe, for example. However, I do not have enough data to reach a firm conclusion about that.”

So far Pleasant Hill Grain, the 25 year Bosch authority, was wrong on two accounts 1) the Bosch Blender DOES contain BPA and 2) the mixer bowl is not made of Makrilon, nor was it ever.

I contacted the folks at ZRecs.com because they’ve done this type of consumer research with companies and plastics information. I forwarded them a few emails and their reply confirmed my thoughts:

“There are many things made of polycarbonate whose manufacturers will say "does not leach" BPA. Polycarbonate is, by its nature, composed of chains of BPA. There are many different ways to test whether or not a given plastic will leach BPA, and the results are influenced by many variables that are not regulated or independently monitored - test sensitivity, what the plastic is subjected to, and so on. We prefer (and recommend) products that do not contain BPA, as these are not subject to the (often secret) testing methodologies of companies.”

In the meantime Pleasant Hill Grain changed the information on their website after I had let them know I was in contact with their distributor and finding conflicting information. They did not reply to me or correct the erroneous emails they previously sent. I happened to find out that they had changed the information upon visiting their website again.

Whew, so what is the point of this long story? I am not interested in mud slinging, just in consumer advocacy. I’m concerned that it took me over a months worth of time, numerous email conversations, and being given false information several times just to find out the truth. Pleasant Hill Grain didn’t know the answer to my question, nor did they respond when it was revealed to them. I did finally figure out that the Bosch mixer is made of safe plastic, the blender is not. I absolutely will not purchase or use the blender until Bosch changes their plastic formulation to get rid of the BPA. Will I purchase or use the Bosch Mixer without the blender? I don’t know. I do find it unsettleing that companies aren’t sure what is in their products, especially when it comes to toxic chemicals. Does anyone else see a problem with this?

Pantry Storage Containers

*I* bought plastic for my cupboards, gulp.  We had trouble with moths in our pantry cupboards and since then I've been looking high and low for safe containers to put flour, sugar, and other staples in.  After considering my options, I finally bought lock and lock plastic which I feel is relatively safe.  Its made of polypropylene (much safer than polycarbonate) and has a silicone seal.  They offer a lifetime warranty on the product and I'm pleased with the sturdiness of it.  Its air and water tight, so I don't think my little moth friends will be getting in nor out of these containers.  They state that its dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe, but mine will not be put in the dishwasher or microwave.  

Meijer had these on sale last week 20% off and I finally figured out that a 16.3 cup lock and lock is the size that will hold a 5lb bag of flour/ sugar/ etc.  They sold these in a package of 3- the 16.3 cup container with two smaller ones inside.  I purchased enough of these sets to put sugar, whole wheat flour, bread flour, and a few other things in the large ones and used the smaller ones for rice, quinoa, barley, etc.  I bought a long container to keep noodles in, and a large container to hold bread that I make in my bread machine.  I used my label maker to put labels on things, but these containers are also very see through, which is great for seeing how much sugar or flour I have left.  

Overall I'm happy with the new organization of my cupboards and am happy that the moths are now under control.  We had one infestation where we had to throw away quite a bit of food and while I was putting things in my new containers I found that they had started coming back again, but I think I finally have them beat.  It did cost a bit to purchase the containers, but was worth it.  The moths can eat through plastic bags (like the bag rice comes in or a plastic ziploc bag) but they can't get through solid plastic containers like these.

Note- I had considered glass containers, but couldn't find anything with a seal.  If you can find canning jars with a wide mouth in larger gallon or 1/2 gallon sizes, you can use these white plastic lids.  I thought these jars would be too heavy and large for my small pantry, but it may be a good option for someone.  

Safe Sassy Toys

http://thesoftlanding.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/which-sassy-baby-products-are-bpa-free/#comment-675

This blog has compiled a list of some safe Sassy toys. We're steering away from plastics altogether here based on my research, but its nice to know what are the safer options (especially since my kids have the lion teether and won't part with it).

More in the Kitchen

Here are a few things we've done lately...

- got stainless steel measuring spoons and cups from Bed Bath and Beyond
-donated to ewg.org and got their holiday bag including a cast iron pan and Kleen Kanteen! The pan is a Lodge Preseasoned (which you can get for a decent price on amazon) and its worked well the first time I used it, much better even than my expensive nonstick Calphalon. I'm thinking of buying more. I haven't used the KK yet but I know I will use it constantly this summer. I need to buy the girls each one.
-found a new Pampered Chef stoneware pizza pan on Craigslist - love it! I want another one and then I'll toss all my cookie sheets.
-got a small bamboo cutting board at Meijer for $3 or so
-dishes- we bought a large set of Pfaltzgraff off Craigslist and got rid of everything else. We really like the set and it feels like an upgrade from what we had so we're happy.
-slow cooker - we had a very old Rival brand (which contains lead) we tossed and got a new Hamilton Beach for Christmas (they state they do not use lead or cadmium in their slow cookers)
-glass storage - I bought the Anchor Hocking set of 8 or so glass containers with the plastic lids and a small set of 5 with lids and we love them! Even if it weren't for the sake of not using plastic, I'd still recommend them to anyone. They dont hold food smells like plastic, are so much easier to wash and just look and feel much nicer. You can reheat foods in them without worrying.

And here's what we still have to do:

-find a safe muffin tin, either stainless steel, stoneware, or cast iron
-find child size silverware
-get another stoneware pan or stainless steel cookie sheets
-get more Kleen Kanteens for DH and the girls
-find a replacement for plastic spatulas/cooking utensils??? can you use stainless steel ones on stainless steel pans? right now we have plastic
-get a stainless steel collander to replace the plastic one
-figure out how to freeze food without using plastic?? Our glass storage stuff was to expensive to replace all the freezer containers with.

Thats all I can think of. I'm really enjoying using my new things and safetyfying the kitchen.

What About The Kitchen?

Ok, so here's what we're doing in the kitchen so far...

We tossed the plastic cutting board, we have a glass one but I would like to buy a wooden one (Who ever thought of using glass for a cutting board? It makes a loud noise to cut on it.)

I went through all the baby cups, sippies, etc and according to the ZRecommends site, we have "safe" plastic now, but I'd still like to trade it out for non plastic options. I'm trying to find info on my Gerber bowls, spoons, and some other misc items. I purchased some Anchor Hocking glass juice cups that are just the right size for Lucy, but after 2 days of use she already broke the first one. Good thing they are cheap and I can get them locally at the Pfalzgraph outlet. I'm not sure how well they are going to work, we'll see how many more she breaks I guess. I'm looking for some child sized silverware to replace our plastic and melamine ones. Oneida makes some, I just have to go to some of the big department stores to see if they carry the child size.

I have an Avent pump and bottles that I've used a few times with Lucy. Thankfully I rarely have to pump, so I'm keeping the pump and one or two bottles to pump into, but I'm getting rid of the rest. If we need bottles I would buy glass ones and just pump and pour it into the bottles right away. I have some Gerber breastmilk freezer storage bags which are "safe" plastic, but I'm not sure if I'd be comfortable using them.

Dishes - we have a set made by Gibson (the company at fault in the Utah news story) that we are selling. I'm researching better options and we'll use the money towards a better set and then get rid of our Corelle dishes once we have a safer option.

Melamine kids dishes? Can't find good info on these. I've seen the finish on these get old and crack and peel, so they dont seem safe to me, plus they aren't micowavable, so what about when you put hot food on them? Seems like it might not be safe. I won't buy it, but we do have a cute set I'm keeping and wont use for hot foods.

I got rid of a Nalgene water bottle and a Princess cup, both #7. Plastic utensils and styrofoam cups had to go as well. I'm not sure what we'll do if we have a party? Say "Bring your own silverware?", maybe.

I'm hoping to replace my tupperware/ gladware/ etc with glass dishes. They do have plastic covers, but at least it doesnt touch the food much. I emailed Anchor Hocking about their lids. They are #7, but not polycarbonate.
..............................................................................................................

The code #7 on the plastic storageware lids refers to the recycling code. The plastic lids are made from a combination of LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) and a material called POE (Poly Olefin Ester). Both materials are Federal Drug Administration (FDA) acceptable. Since more than one resin is used, the only category we could assign, and stay within the labeling guidelines, was the code #7. Please refer to the following website for information regarding the recycling labeling code system:

http://www.americanplasticscouncil.org/s_apc/sec.asp?TRACKID=&CID=313&DID=931

You will note code #7 states; use of this code indicates the package in question is made with a resin other then the six listed above, or is made of more than one resin listed above, and used in a multi-layer combination.

Again because Low Density Polyethylene and Poly Olefin Ester are used and are two different resins the recycling code #7 must be used.

...........................................................................................................

I'll come back and edit this post later, this is still a huge work in progress. I'm still trying to figure out my pots and pans, tupperware measuring cups, etc.

Article on Toys, Lead, and Plastics

What follows is a summary that I've typed up of the current research on lead, toys, and plastics. It is by no means complete, and a much of it is quoting from various websites. As I get time I may come back to it and clean it up some. If nothing else, the links at the end are worth checking out!

I’ve recently become increasingly aware of the dangers of children’s toys. Toy recalls are all over the news, and recent reports by reputable agencies such as the Environmental Working Group are finding toxins in our toys and homes. Although some of this may at first seem to be a big media scare, I’ve come to believe that it is in fact a real concern. CNN.com published an article in which a family underwent testing to determine what toxins their bodies were carrying. The children “had chemical exposure levels up to seven times those of their parents….He had two to three times the level of flame retardants in his body that's been known to cause thyroid dysfunction in lab rats.” Lead poisoning and other chemicals in our bodies are serious concerns; couple this with the fact that autism is on the rise – 1 in every 150 children is currently being diagnosed as somewhere on the autism spectrum, and you will realize that we are contending with a serious issue. I’m not implying that lead toys are causing autism in children, but I am aware that there are numerous health problems and autoimmune disorders that doctors cannot find a cause for and I do believe that they are related to our lifestyle and environment. Any attempt at making our daily lives safer and healthier for our children is worthwhile and a valuable effort.

Of course this brings to mind the question – are my kids safe? There isn’t exactly a definite answer, as there are many variables, but this question keeps nagging and prompts some action. I’ve spent many hours researching the issues and trying to wrap my head around what is safe and what could be unsafe, and what to do about it. I’ll start with the issues and then try to summarize and explain the position that our family is taking.

The issues:

Recalls – toys are being recalled left and right for lead paint in excess levels. I’m glad that toys are being recalled, but it leaves me wondering what next – do I have a toy that will be recalled next week, leaving my child with lead in her system and a $5 voucher for a replacement toy? Do I have a toy that was overlooked and will not be recalled, but actually contains lead? At the risk of making this article far too long, I’m including a quote from http://saras-toy-box.blogspot.com, it’s the best summary of the lead issue that I’ve found so far. This article is from a blog about toys and toy safety that I recently came across; I’ve found it to be very informative and a great resource. Italics are my own added emphasis.

“The risk from lead occurs when a child put a toy in his mouth. This is of greatest danger to children under two because they naturally explore the world with their mouths, and also have fast growing brains. Low levels of lead affect brain development and can cause developmental delays in young children. Lead has also been shown to effect adult brains, is toxic to the kidneys and blood and is a powerful carcinogen. There are no symptoms for lead poisoning, so all children should be tested for lead exposure.

There are two types of lead contamination in toys. Surface (or coated) lead and embedded (or substrate) lead.

Most of the recent recalls are due to surface lead. The Consumer Product Safety Commission regulates surface coated lead and has set the standard at no more than 600 ppm (parts per million). There are no regulations for non-toy products.

Embedded or substrate lead is often used as an additive in such materials as vinyl or plastic, which is why Christmas tree lights now come with a lead warning label. Toys or children’s products with embedded lead meet all federal safety standards. Why? Because there are no safety standards.

Yet, health experts warn that even embedded lead has no place in products for children as even low level exposure poses a health risk. The CPSC reports that a four-year old boy died from lead poisoning after ingesting a jewelry charm with embedded lead. Wal-Mart and Toys R Us voluntarily recalled bibs this year due to concerns regarding embedded lead.

Things to know about lead in toys:

• Lead is not only a problem with metal toys. Lead can be painted on wood, fabric and plastic as well as injected into plastic and vinyl.
• Plush Toys are NOT guaranteed to be safe. While most fabric toys do not have lead, you do need to watch out for fabric that has been painted. The recalls of fabric blocks and a plush Curious George doll underscores the possibility of lead contamination in fabric toys.”

For the full article, see: http://saras-toy-box.blogspot.com/2007/11/lead-in-toys.html

Mega Blocks have been found to contain embedded lead but have not been recalled.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/10/maxi_lead.html

A Utah news station did some testing and found lead in dinner plates currently being sold at WalMart: http://www.kutv.com/content/gephardt/story.aspx?content_id=d567af85-e5fc-4343-bc6a-a7c3bc47ba9f

One thing that stood out to me in flipping through the recall list on cpsc.gov is the fact that these are toys that I would buy and could easily have in my home. The list of recalls is huge, and these aren’t just about a piece breaking off, most of them are lead related recalls.

Plastics- Plastics have come under scrutiny again lately because of the discovery of a toxic chemical, Bisphenol A, which has been found to leach out of plastic containers including commonly used water bottles and baby bottles. Another concern includes products (children’s teethers and toys) made with PVC including pthalates, chemical compounds used to make the PVC soft which can leach out of the toy and into a child’s body.

Bisphenol A (BPA)- Bisphenol A is an endocrine disrupting hormone that has been found to leach out of certain plastics and the lining of canned foods.

“Bisphenol A is a Developmental, Neural, and Reproductive Toxicant

• Scientists have linked very low doses of bisphenol A exposure to cancers, impaired immune function, early onset of puberty, obesity, diabetes, and hyperactivity, among other problems.
• For example, in one recent study, a single, low dose of bisphenol A administered to a newborn rat resulted in hyperactive behavior.

Exposure to Bisphenol A is Widespread

• Bisphenol A is most commonly used to make clear polycarbonate plastic for consumer products, such as baby bottles. Through use, this plastic breaks down and leaches bisphenol A into liquids and food to which it comes into contact.
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found bisphenol A in the urine of over 95% of people they tested.
• Alarmingly, the median level of bisphenol A in humans is higher than the level that causes adverse effects in animal studies.”

From http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/reports/environmental-health/environmental-health-reports/toxic-baby-bottles

BPA is found in polycarbonate plastics, labeled #7 in the triangle recycling code stamped on the bottom of an item. Most Nalgene bottles are #7 plastic, as are most baby bottles. However, manufacturers are not required to list the type of plastic their items are made of. One website has taken the challenge of figuring out which baby bottles, sippy cups, and pacifiers are made out of this harmful plastic. (http://zrecs.blogspot.com/2007/11/z-report-bisphenol-in-baby-bottles-and.html) Some companies use polycarbonate in certain products and not others, and other companies will not even respond to inquiries to disclose this information. There are no regulations in place on this issue, so companies could change their products at any time and include polycarbonate plastics even if they currently do not use them. There are a handful of responsible companies who are concerned about the issue and are committed to not using polycarbonate plastics.

Pthalates – Pthalates are found in PVC products and are a human carcinogen. Toy manufacturers have been pressured in the past to stop using pthalates, but it remains in some toys and kitchen plastics and is a danger. Teethers, bath books, and other soft plastics can contain pthalates. Again, companies are not required to disclose the use of PVC in their products. PVC often has lead added for strength, is the least recyclable plastic, and poses numerous risks to the environment and human health.

What to do? When I try to wade through all this information on plastics and what is safe and what isn’t, it starts to get a little crazy! For example, one website lists that Glad Cling Wrap and Saran Wrap are supposedly safe, but one should avoid Reynolds Wrap because it is made of a different type of plastic…. and so on. I’m in the process of trying to figure out which plastics in our kitchen and toy box are safe and what isn’t. Many items aren’t labeled and that requires trying to contact the company for information on what type of plastic certain items are made of. I’m left wondering if the other types of plastic in my home are actually safe, or if the toxin just hasn’t been identified yet. Plastics are petroleum based and are filling up our landfills and oceans, which is another reason to avoid them. I’ve referenced an article below that talks about the sheer mass of plastics in the ocean and how its harming wildlife and humans.

This brings me to the practical steps that our family is taking. Research in these areas is ongoing and confusing at best. However, there are real dangers involved. We will continue to research and educate ourselves on these issues. Ideally, changes need to be made on a corporate level, but in the meantime we’ll start at home by making the best decisions we can based on the information we have. Some of these are clear choices, and some are goals that we are working towards. Replacing every plastic item in our home is unrealistic. Taking a closer look at what plastics we use in our kitchen and the toys that our children play with seems like a logical first step.

Kitchen- As far as kitchen plastics, we have removed numbers 3, 6, or 7, and will not be using items with those numbers. Plastics should not be used in the microwave, and we are looking into alternates for food storage containers, such as glass. Cling wrap is best avoided as well. I’m still trying to figure out which type of plastic many of our baby items are (bowls, soft tip spoons, cups, etc). We will be replacing anything that is found to be PVC or #7 plastic, and any future purchases (sippy cups, bibs, etc) will most likely not be plastic to avoid this issue entirely.

Toys- Based on what we have learned, we would like to avoid purchasing plastic toys altogether. We have already started eliminating some of what we have. While we are not throwing everything plastic out the window, in the long run we would like to be able to provide safer alternatives. Although this means that practically everything at places like WalMart and Target is off limits for our home, we are finding that this is a step that more and more families are taking given the recalls and the possible dangers (embedded lead, surface lead, PVC with pthalates, BPA).

Aside from eliminating plastic toys due to safety hazards, simplifying our lives a bit more by having less is another reason. We have a small living space and often feel cluttered as it is. Replacing a large number of plastic toys with a few higher quality play things will help us in more ways than one. Several brands offer non-toxic products, most of which are made of wood and other natural fibers. Some can be found at specialty toy stores and most can easily be ordered thru online retailers. Items such as books, music, and art supplies can still be purchased locally.

We are constantly researching and making the best decisions we can for our family. We appreciate your help and understanding as we work through all of this.

Resources

CNN article on body burden testing:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/10/22/body.burden/index.html

Article on PVC and pthalates:

http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/ftoys.htm

BPA:

http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/114/bpa

BPA in specific sippy cups and bottles:

http://zrecs.blogspot.com/2007/11/z-report-bisphenol-in-baby-bottles-and.html

Plastics Guide:

http://www.healthobservatory.org/library.cfm?refid=77083

More about plastic containers, including specifics on what products to avoid:

http://www.thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=44&sec=3

Plastic Oceans:

http://www.bestlifeonline.com/cms/publish/health-fitness/Our_oceans_are_turning_into_plastic_are_we_2.shtml

Why Not to buy from China:

http://www.maplelandmark.com/imports.shtml

What to Do (specific steps to take in avoiding harmful plastics):

http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/environmental-health/stop-toxic-toys/toxics-fact-sheet

Sara’s Toy Box:

http://saras-toy-box.blogspot.com/

Sara’s Toy Box article on gift ideas from super stores:

http://saras-toy-box.blogspot.com/2007/11/gifts-ideas-from-super-stores.html

Article on Natural Toys

https://www.threesisterstoys.com/t-aboutnatural.aspx

Toy Websites:

Oompa.com

Threesisterstoys.com

Palumba.com

Magiccabin.com

Novanatural.com

Moolka.com

Rosiehippo.com

Atoygarden.com

A quote from palumba.com: “Toys made from natural materials such as wood, silk, wool or beeswax have a warm and honest quality. For example, a doll with a woolen body becomes warm in the embrace of a hug while synthetics remain cold. A wooden block has the weight that one expects to encounter when lifted. It tells a truth about the nature of the object whereas a plastic toy gives a false impression of weight and mass. Young children are learning about our world through their senses. It is our responsibility to provide an environment that tells the story of our world honestly.”