A recent study by the Center of Health, Environment and Justice found lunch boxes contained up to 30 times the amount of phthalates deemed safe for toys by the US federal government. Disney character lunch boxes were some of the worst offenders. I don't understand why this keeps happening. I don't understand why companies continue to make toxic products...especially those marketed to kids...especially those that come in contact with food. You are probably wondering how this can even happen. Well lunch boxes are not considered toys therefore they are not regulated on the amount of toxic chemicals they can contain.
Phalates are a plasticizer that are used to soften PVC. They are easily released into the environment, into our food and into us because they do not permanently form a bond with the plastic they are being added to. As the plastic ages or is heated it breaks down causing a faster release of phalates. Phalates are linked to causing serious health problems like ADHD, diabetes and asthma. Kids and their developing immune system are at an even high risk of impact from exposure to these toxins.
My nieces are in a huge Disney princess phase. My nephew actually wants
to be Spiderman. So it really hits home for me when I see that the
Disney princess and Spiderman lunch boxes contain some of the highest
levels of phalates. The thought of them getting sick from one of
these....well it makes my blood boil.
Please join the Green Sisterhood as we fight for Disney to stop using phalates in their lunch boxes. Sign this petition to urge them to take these steps for our children's safety. Please share this petition with your friends and family via social media and email. If you would like to blog about this and need more information please contact Lori from Groovy Green Livin who is the creator of the petition.
Watch here to see Lori talk about this important petition.
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It's just scandalous. The most innocent among us will pay for corporate greed and irresponsibility. I've signed the petition ... thanks for posting about it!
ReplyDeleteI just can not wrap my brain around the thought that they knowingly did this.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know it is in your lunch box?
ReplyDeleteThey only tested 4 different boxes but IMO if it is in the Disney lunch boxes they tested then it is in all the Disney lunch boxes. I will look into the one you have though and see if I can find out more.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Jen for sharing this important petition. Lissy-the toxic chemicals are called pthalates and are found in vinyl products. There's no requirement that the lunch boxes have this anywhere on their labels so I would try to avoid anything made from vinyl. Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteSigned it! Thanks for spreading the word (and think about it: cigarettes are still being sold all over the place. Profit is King). We really have to push back together.
ReplyDeleteFor school lunches, I only use the hard-plastic boxes for drier items. Like sandwiches, a banana, a utensil. Any wet or oily food goes in their stainless tiffins.