More than 5,000 children’s products contain toxic chemicals
linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and reproductive problems,
according to reports filed with the Washington State Department
of Ecology. An analysis of the reports by the Washington Toxics
Coalition and Safer States found that makers of kids’ products
reported using a total of 41 chemicals identified by Ecology as
a concern for children’s health, including toxic metals such as
cadmium, mercury, and antimony and organic compounds such as
phthalates. Major manufacturers who reported using the chemicals
in their products include Walmart, Gap, Gymboree, Hallmark, J.C.
Penney, and H & M. Examples of product categories reported to
contain toxic chemicals, according the groups’ analysis,
include: - Hallmark party hats containing cancer-causing
arsenic. - Graco car seats containing the toxic flame retardant
tetrabromobisphenol A or TBBPA. - Claire’s cosmetics containing
cancer-causing formaldehyde. - Walmart dolls containing hormone-
disrupting bisphenol