Chemicals Affecting Our Children - Resources for Healthy Children www.scribd.com/doc/254613619 - For more information, Please see Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children www.scribd.com/doc/254613963 - Gardening with Volcanic Rock Dust www.scribd.com/doc/254613846 - Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech www.scribd.com/doc/254613765 - Free School Gardening Art Posters www.scribd.com/doc/254613694 - Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden www.scribd.com/doc/254609890 - Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success www.scribd.com/doc/254613619 - City Chickens for your Organic School Garden www.scribd.com/doc/254613553 - Huerto Ecológico, Tecnologías Sostenibles, Agricultura Organica www.scribd.com/doc/254613494 - Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide www.scribd.com/doc/254613410 - Free Organic Gardening Publications www.scribd.com/doc/254609890 ~

1. Chemicals Affecting Our Children
1.Endocrine Disrupting Compounds
We're going to teach you how to avoid a set of harmful chemicals called endocrine
disrupting compounds (EDC). EDC's are synthetic chemicals that mimic or block
hormones and disrupt the body's normal functions. This disruption can happen through
altering normal hormone levels, stopping or stimulating the production of hormones, or
changing the way hormones travel through the body, thus affecting the functions that
these hormones control.
EDC's are founin ingredients used in everyday plastics, personal care products, flame
retardants, insecticides and more. In recent studies, health effects linked to low‐dose exposure to EDC's included reduced
fertility, male and female reproductive tract abnormalities, miscarriages, menstrual problems, early puberty, brain and
behavior problems, impaired immune function, obesity, diabetes and cancer.
Children are at higher risk because these chemicals can effectively interrupt various stages of development. Children also
eat, breath and metabolize more than adults due to their rapid rate of growth, causing them to be even more
susceptible.
Current regulation does not require that manufacturers label their products with materials used or recycling codes. If you
do find recycling code labels they can be used to help as a general guide, but are not definitive.
But don't worry ‐ we'll teach you exactly what EDC's to avoid, where they're most commonly found and how to do your
own product research. You'll be a Non‐toxic Ninja in no time!
As we teach folks about the pervasive nature of toxic plastic, we often see a look of helplessness settle over their faces.
It all seems so overwhelming, and many people respond with hopelessness, "If it's all around us, then there really isn't
anything I can do anyway."
But the battle has NOT been lost ‐ we're just getting started! The key is in knowing how to choose your priorities and
begin making changes there. Taking one step at a time, starting with the easiest and most obvious solution will quickly
decrease your family's exposure to unnecessary chemicals.
Using the recycling codes as a general guide will help you successfully choose from the major types of safer plastics.
Just think ‐ if you simply replaced all of your reusable food containers with EDC‐free options, you would be eliminating a
huge source of chemical exposure in your everyday life!
Categories to avoid:
PETE or PET (#1): Polyethylene Terephthalate is fine for single use, but begins to break down very quickly when exposed
to heat and detergents. Commonly found in bottled water, soda bottles, cooking oil bottles and peanut butter jars.
PVC or Vinyl (#3 or "V"): We are literally surrounded by Polyvinyl Chloride, making it difficult to avoid. We'll discuss its
common uses, what makes it toxic and how best to avoid in upcoming steps.
PS (#6): Polystyrene is commonly found in packaging pellets or "Styrofoam peanuts," cups, plastic tableware, meat trays,
to‐go "clam shell" containers. Styrofoam cups, meat trays, and
containers break down easily when coming in contact with hot, fatty foods.
Other (#7): This plastic category serves as a catchall for any plastic other than the named #1‐ #6 plastic types. These
miscellaneous plastic containers can be a combination of several
plastic polymers and are often layered with 2 or more of the #1‐ #6 plastic types. It's important to note that not all #7's

2. are toxic, so specifically look for #7 (PC or polycarbonate) and avoid it.
We'll discuss its common uses, what makes it toxic and how best to avoid it in upcoming steps.
Categories generally considered safer:
HDPE (#2): High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is commonly used in detergent bottles and milk jugs.
LDPE (#4): Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) can be found in dry cleaning bags, produce bags, trash can liners and some
food storage containers.
PP (#5): Polypropylene (PP) is the most common plastic used for sippy cups, reusable dishes and utensils. It can also be
found in baby teethers and toys, large outdoor playhouses, kids riding toys, bottle caps, reusable water bottle lids and
drinking straws.
Additionally, silicone, glass and wood are safer alternative choices and are not included in recycling categories.
Keep in mind that you are voting with your dollars. You're telling the manufacturers of plastic products and the chemical
industry what you will accept and what you won't. The more you support the companies who have gone the extra mile
to remove EDC's from their products (and even label them in some cases), the more they'll continue doing so.
2. Bisphenol‐a.
Bisphenol‐a (BPA) is one of the most pervasive endocrine disrupting chemicals used in the plastics market today. Its
hiding places are numerous and surprising, so let's get started learning how create a healthier home by side‐stepping it as
much as possible.
Much of our food supply is packaged in BPA, making it tricky to avoid. And while the FDA recently announced that there
is definite concern about its use in developing children, they made it clear that their hands are tied when it comes to
regulating it.
Common Hiding Places for BPA
The most obvious and most simple way to start is by skipping polycarbonate plastic. This #7 (PC) plastic is found in hard
plastic items with a clear, glossy look such as baby bottles, water
bottles, pacifiers and baby teethers. Polycarbonate resin is known to have a weak chemical bond, which allows BPA to
leach out of the plastic and into food under normal everyday use.
But the fun doesn't stop there. BPA is often used as an ingredient in more surprising products such as pizza boxes made
of recycled cardboard, aluminum can and lid epoxy linings (even on glass jars), infant formula containers and carbonless
credit card receipts.
Tips for Avoiding BPA
1. Most canned foods are lined with a BPA‐based epoxy. Choose Eden Organics canned foods (so far they are the only
BPA‐free option, with the exception of their more acidic
tomato‐based products). Foods in aseptic cartons (Tetra Pak) are also BPA‐fee (Pomi tomatoes, soups, dairy‐free milks,
broths).
2. Consider cooking and canning your own foods, being sure to use Weck jars or mason jars with BPA‐free plastic Ball
lids. Also note that glass jars may still be a better choice than cans because less food comes in contact with their BPA
lined lids.
3. Using food containers made from glass, silicone, stainless steel and wood ensures you won't have to be concerned
about BPA at all.

3. 4. Before you buy plastic food storage containers (be sure to check out Safer Food Storage Guide for and extensive list
of safe alternatives).
5. Choose natural rubber or silicone pacifiers and wood, silicone or EVA teethers. If you do buy plastic teethers or
pacifiers with a plastic shield, buy only brands that are
specifically labeled as BPA‐free (also check our Safer Pacifier and Teether Buying Guides).
3. Phthalates
Were recently banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in products intended for children under the age of
three. In response, parents are gaining a false sense of security when "phthalate‐free PVC" is proudly displayed by
manufacturers on many children's toys. While it's a step in the right direction, we're still left to worry about with many
other harmful chemicals common to PVC. In a recent study conducted by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice
(CHEJ), vinyl shower curtains alone were found to contain high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC's), organotins,
lead, cadmium and other toxic metals.
Tips for Minimizing Exposure to PVC
1. PVC is commonly found in: baby bibs, teethers and toys, cling food wrap, pet toys, 99% of all inflatable toys, nap mats
and shower curtains ‐ just to name a few.
2. If you have vinyl flooring in your home, damp mopping it on a regular basis removes phthalates accumulated in the
dust on the floor. Direct sunlight, moisture and heat on vinyl tiles can cause it to release phthalates more quickly. And of
course, choose non‐vinyl options when replacing flooring.
3. Watch for "vinyl" in product descriptions, as it is commonly used as a nickname for PVC. But keep in mind that the
term "vinyl" may also be used to describe ethylene vinyl Acetate (EVA) and polyethylene Vinyl Acetate (PEVA). Both of
these plastics are considered to be safer alternative to PVC and are acceptable choices.
4. On a side note: food containers are not typically made with PVC (and thus no phthalates), so don't focus your effort
in this area.
5. Encourage the makers of your favorite brands to use PVC alternatives when possible.
6. Check CHEJ's website for an extensive list of companies who have committed not to use PVC in their products.
Get ready for some detective work!
Learning to do your own research is a must in this world of unlabeled products made from untested chemicals. We've
been busily confirming product materials for three years and we're thrilled to share our experience with you!
How to Confirm Materials Used in Products
* If you find an unmarked product, be sure to contact the manufacturer to confirm all material used. Many companies
have begun adding this info to their website, but it may take a little investigative work to locate it.
* Don't let manufacturers side‐step your questions; if you don't get a straight answer right away, keep pushing and ask
to speak to their manager if necessary.
* Always call or email more than once to confirm the info you received, because the customer service representatives
often do not have a clear understanding of product materials.
* If a manufacturer goes so far as to label their products as BPA/PVC‐free, you can usually trust it; they open
themselves up for trouble if that product is found to contain those unwanted
chemicals.
* BPA, PVC and phthalates are like ingredients in a cookie recipe: it's either used or it's not. Lead on the other hand
may be placed in a product on purpose as a stabilizer or it may be more of a by‐product, so always ask whether a

4. company completes third party lead testing on a regular basis.
* Always confirm that colorant is also BPA‐free, as even some #5 polypropylene products may have small amounts of
tint/color added in a BPA‐base.
* Focus your time and energy by prioritizing products you use the most. For BPA, the most important items will be
those that contain food or are made to be mouthed by children. For PVC and phthalates, the items are much more
widespread, so it's even more important to focus on the products that come in contact with your family the most.
If in Drought
3) If you've already purchased a product you suspect of being PVC but you are unable to confirm with the manufacturer,
The SmartMama offers product testing with an XRF analyzer for a fee. She has already tested over 300,000 products and
is always willing to share her findings. You can contact her via email at Jennifer@thesmartmama.com or via Twitter at
www.twitter.com/thesmartmama
Take Action Today
You can create change in our country's chemical policies today by joining the Safer Chemicals Coalition, supporting
Environmental Working Group's research and joining Healthy Child Healthy World's A Wake Up Story education
campaign.
www.nationalgreenschoolcoalition.org
Serving our children and their families!