Study: 80 Percent of Baby Products Are Toxic

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Your baby’s car seat, changing pad and portable crib are part of the 80 percent of baby products that contain toxic or untested chemical flame retardants, according to a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology Wednesday.

The data revealed that one-third of baby products, including nursing pillows contain the chemical called chlorinated tris, which was removed from children’s pajamas in the 1970s after raising concerns about cancer.

Another flame retardant, known as TCEP, was detected in 10 of the tested nursing pillows. TCEP is listed as a carcinogen in California.

Currently, companies are not required to label whether products contain flame retardants.

There are flame retardants in 90 percent of American bodies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“But toddler’s bodies have levels of flame retardants three times higher than adults, which the study says can be explained partly because children are on the floor a great deal, around household dust where chemicals accumulate, and they often have their fingers in their mouth,” Sonya Lunder, a scientist with the Environmental Working Group told USA Today.

Some find fault with the study.

A professor of chemistry at Florida Institute of Technology, Gordon Nelson, said that the study tested some products purchased in 2002, prior to when the common flame retardant, PentaBDE, was phased out of the production process. That chemical is no longer used in products.

Nelson said if the study looked at products sold in stores now, baby products may appear safer.

Click here to read more from Environmental Science & Technology.

Click here to read more from USA Today.