Feb

29

Z Recommends: Making Shopping Easier!

Filed Under Bisphenol-A | Comments Off

My friends at Z Recommends have gone beyond the call of duty in the name of BPA Free shopping.  They partnered with Mobile Commons to make shopping for BPA Free products even easier, with text messaging!  Head on over to Z Recommends for instructions and tutorials on how to use their service.  Z Recommends is run by two busy parents, who foot the bill for it so if you appreciate all their hard work, please consider a donation to help them keep the great information coming.  Thanks again Z Recs!

Feb

26

Gerber Baby Food and Number 7 Plastics

Filed Under Bisphenol-A, FAQ | 18 Comments

babyfoodWhen I started all this research business last fall I remember sitting in my mother in-laws house watching my sister in-law feed my little 6 month old niece. What should have been a peaceful act of watching my adorable niece eat Gerber pears suddenly turned to an internal question seminar when I glanced at the bottom of the Gerber plastic container. There was that #7 recycling symbol that I had been reading so much about lately. With all this BPA information fresh in my mind I immediately started to think about all the times I fed my son Gerber baby food from those handy 2 pack containers.

Later I was asked to participate on a phone call with EWG’s Sonya Lunder (read about that here) about their latest report on Bisphenol-A in baby formula. Since they were so knowledgeable on the subject I took the opportunity to ask has about baby food containers, specifically Gerber. She said she had talked with Gerber about that very thing.

The #7 recycling symbol, from what I’ve read many times over, is a “catch all” number. When a plastic is labelled with this number it typically means there are more than one type of plastic used. Sometimes there is BPA in it. Sometimes there isn’t. Researchers suggest avoiding #7 since there is no way to know if there is BPA in it or not unless you speak directly to the company.

In the case of Gerber, the plastic used for the baby food containers is made with a combination of #1 and #2 plastics. (see correction below) This being a combination of plastic lands the completed product in the #7 territory. In this case, there is no Bisphenol-A in the Gerber plastic baby food containers. Sonya Lunder confirmed that for me when we spoke, as well as a reader who wrote to me recently to say that she called Gerber directly. They assured her that both the baby food packs and their breastmilk storage bags (both labelled #7) are in fact BPA Free. (Thanks Kelly!)

It’s still safe to say that avoiding #7 (along with #3 and #6) plastics is a good rule of thumb since we don’t always know what materials are in #7 plastics. But if you have a product you use frequently and want to check it out, call the company and ask.

Correction Update: May 4, 2008 - After getting some conflicting information regarding the plastic used in these container’s I wanted to clarify what I’ve learned.  Gerber baby food plastic containers are made with #1 (Polyethylene or PET) and #6 (Polystyrene or PS) layered plastic, according to Gerber reps.  Not the #1 and #2 combination I was told initially, They told us that the inner layer is Polyethylene and the outer layer is the Polystyrene.  Gerber assured us that no food comes in contact with Polystyrene in the packaging and they said they are 100% BPA Free containers.  This information has been confirmed by a number of us here at Safe Mama.  We called and harassed Gerber numerous time to ensure that the information we were given was the same each time we called.  If you have any reservations about their packaging, we encourage you to call them yourself.  They have a very good hot line that is open 24/7 on their website.

Feb

26

Z Recommends Has Done It Again

Filed Under Bisphenol-A | 2 Comments

zrecI’m not shy about my total love and adoration of the folks behind Z Recommends. They review toys and products and in the last couple years have become an invaluable hub of research and information surrounding Bisphenol-A in baby products. They’ve posted very comprehensive reports in the past and have done a new and improved Third Edition on BPA in Infant Care Products which they published last week. If you are here on this site perusing the information on BPA please do go visit their site and look through their report. They’ve spent countless hours calling the companies to gather information so it’s a really worthy read.

They also published today a guest review of five BPA Free baby bottles which is a great perspective on these new products. I urge you to hop over there and give that a read too. And make sure to let them know how much you appreciate their hard work. A big sloppy thanks to Jeremiah and Jennifer who operate Z Recommends!

Feb

25

More Phthalate Talk: Unscented Doesn’t Mean Safe

Filed Under Articles, Phthalates Info, Skin Care, paraben free | 4 Comments

lavenderI recently started a new cheat sheet for baby product lines that are paraben and phthalate free. Turns out there is more to the story and as I am finding (and my fellow mom friends are finding) there is more to think about when buying products for your kids. Melissa of Itsabelly pointed me to a post her business partner Jennifer wrote up about phthalates in skin care. The discussion turned to questions about “unscented products” and what she dug up was interesting and scary. An excerpt from the comments section of her post:

Bottom Line: Phthalates may exist in “unscented products.” Phthalates used in certain circumstances are required to be listed, but not when used in regards to a fragrance. So, you cannot count on the label to give you all the ingredients. And, just because a product is labeled as “natural,” does not mean it is actually made with natural ingredients. There is no regulation of the labeling of “natural.” It is best to stick with companies that disclose all ingredients and have signed the compact to never use hazardous ingredients.

I encourage you to read the whole discussion and Jennifer’s findings “Recent Study Finds Baby Shampoo May Expose Children to Phthalates“.

Related Links:
Itsabelly Blog Post
Looking Good Could be Hazardous
Safe Cosmetics Database
Labels Can Hide the Presence of Phthalates

Feb

23

Renaming safe mama: The Hippie Blog.

Filed Under Articles | 6 Comments

clothOk, so not really. But for awhile now, I’ve wanted to switch my son over to cloth diapers. I actually purchased some, but we couldn’t get a handle on not even leaking through naps, and I knew if he was leaking through naps, nighttime would definitely not be happening. I haven’t revisited it, but after chronic eczema on his little bottom for the last two months, I switched over to using mostly seventh generation diapers, which for the most part, I really love, however, I don’t really like that I’m clogging up more landfill space. I’m sure that the diapers we wore as kids are probably still rotting away in a landfill somewhere, and that’s disturbing.

What’s even more disturbing is exactly how toxic disposable diapers are. Yet a good portion of the population uses them, because they’re convenient, myself included. I found a really great eye opening article regarding disposables that links disposables to infertility, as well as cancer. Given my infertile status, this scares me.

Cloth diapers have made a huge comeback and I can understand why. Cloth isn’t just your simple pre-fold with a fastener. They’re cute, fashionable, and best of all, better for your baby’s skin and better for the environment. And if the cloth diaper jargon is enough to make your head spin, there’s another alternative, called Little G’s. The best of both worlds. A cloth cover with a disposable, environmentally friendly, flushable and biodegradable liner. There’s tons of options out there, and in the long run, it’s cheaper than disposables. And if you’re crafty, you can make your own. Lots of today’s moms are making a living out of selling their own designs.

If you’re more interested in learning more about cloth diapering, I found that this was a great site for information. You can also purchase diapers from the site as well.

Feb

21

Dr. Browns Adds PolyPropylene Option in Spring 2008

Filed Under Bisphenol-A, Product Safety | 7 Comments

drbrownsI was tipped off by a reader (thanks Annilee!) about new developments from Handi-Craft, the makers of Dr. Brown’s bottles. I confirmed with the company too and then later noticed it posted on their website.

Before catching wind of this BPA business, I used Dr. Browns polycarbonate bottles for months. I wish I would have known and had the option to choose a Polypropylene alternative then. Mom’s will be able to choose polypropylene bottles (a BPA free plastic) over the polycarbonate bottles this spring. Yay! Below is an excerpt from an email sent to us by a Handi Craft rep:

Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow is extending its baby bottle product offerings to include bottles made of three different materials – glass, polycarbonate plastic, and polypropylene plastic. All three bottle types will maintain the unique internal vent system that makes Dr. Brown’s bottles popular with parents and babies. Polycarbonate bottles are available now, glass bottles are available in January, and polypropylene will be available in the spring of 2008. …

Glass and polypropylene plastic bottles will join our polycarbonate bottles, and all three types will be sold at retail.

Feb

19

Toymakers Eye on Phthalates

Filed Under PVC Free, Phthalates Info, Toy Safety | Comments Off

duckTo echo the last post contributed by SafeMama Becky, I wanted to direct some attention to a related article I read this morning on CBS.com. I’m happy to see more and more attention being brought to the fact that consumers actions and voices are being heard and stores like Toys R Us are taking steps to make sure our needs are met. Parents don’t want toys that could possibly contain a chemical linked to things like reproductive birth defects and cancer. Even if the chance is slight.

Retail giant Toys ‘R’ Us just announced it wants to stop selling children’s products that contain phthalates, nickel-cadmium batteries, or PVC vinyl - a sign that the industry is taking cues from consumer concerns about chemicals like phthalates, even if U.S. government regulators don’t deem them harmful.

Source: CBS.com

Feb

19

Toys “R” Us promises to reduce lead, phthalates

Filed Under Phthalates Info, Product Safety, Toy Safety | 3 Comments

I received this via email today and thought I would pass it along:

February 15, 2008
A Message From Gerald L. Storch,
Chairman and CEO, Toys”R”Us, Inc.

Dear Valued Guest,

At Toys“R”Us, Inc., kids are central to who we are and to what we do. Our commitment to their safety is non-negotiable. I wanted to share with you today some of the decisive and proactive changes we have made recently to our already rigorous quality assurance standards:

NOTIFICATION TO MANUFACTURERS OF INCREASED QUALITY ASSURANCE STANDARDS AND OVERSIGHT:

  • We have instructed all manufacturers who produce items for Toys“R”Us, Inc. that products shipped to the company on or after March 1, 2008 must comply with strict new standards, which include:
  • Significantly increasing the frequency of third-party testing, including each batch of product imported to the United States by Toys“R”Us, Inc.;
  • Ensuring all product samples submitted for testing are selected by the company’s third-party, certified laboratory;
  • Date-coding all products;
  • Applying a more stringent standard of 90 ppm for lead in surface coatings versus the current federal standard of 600 ppm for all products manufactured exclusively for Toys“R”Us, Inc.;
  • Requiring substrate materials to meet a standard of 250 ppm for lead versus the company’s current standard of 600 ppm for all products manufactured exclusively for Toys“R”Us, Inc.; and
  • Using lead-screening equipment to conduct company auditing of all products at their point of origin and at various points in the supply chain.

REDUCTION OF PHTHALATES AND POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC) USE:

  • All manufacturers have been notified that by the end of 2008 juvenile products sold in any Toys“R”Us or Babies“R”Us store in the United States must be produced without the addition of phthalates that have raised concerns about infant safety.
  • Additionally, as we move closer to our goal of offering PVC-free products, we have already begun replacing PVC and phthalates in juvenile products manufactured exclusively for Toys“R”Us, Inc.

ELIMINATION OF NICKEL-CADMIUM BATTERIES FROM ALL PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED EXCLUSIVELY FOR TOYS“R”US, INC.

  • We have instructed manufacturers to immediately take steps to eliminate the use of nickel-cadmium batteries from all items manufactured exclusively for Toys“R”Us, Inc. This process is expected to be complete by the end of 2008.

We know that you trust and expect that we will always do the right thing when it comes to the safety of children, and we take that responsibility very seriously. At every turn, we will continue to look for ways to provide the safest shopping environment for the children and families we serve. We love kids and babies – and safety in all we do for them, and for you, is an imperative.

Sincerely,

Gerald L. Storch
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Toys”R”Us, Inc.

Feb

16

Over 1 Million Discovery Car Seats Recalled

Filed Under Product Recalls | Comments Off

As I mentioned in my previous post, here’s some more information I ran across in my surfing. No leeching chemicals, but it’s important nonetheless. Always register your car seat so you can receive important product recall information.

Evenflo announced a voluntary safety recall of the Discovery Infant Car Seat models 390, 391, 534,and 552. The seats have been produced since April 2005 and total over 1 million units. The recall results from tests performed by Evenflo in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The car seat could become separated from its base in high impact side collisions. Evenflow is providing seat owners with a free supplemental dual-hook fastener that keeps the seat better attached to the base. If you own one of these models, call Evenflo at 800-356-2229 or visit www.evenflo.com/Discovery.

For more information, see Evenflo’s press release about the recall.

Feb

14

NHTSA releases new car seat rating system

Filed Under Product Safety | 1 Comment

So I know that we normally talk a lot about bottles, teethers, and toys and such. But since we’re all about safety here, I thought I’d throw out a few things that I’ve run across recently.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released a new ease-of-use rating system for car seats. Parents looking for a seat for their infant, toddler, or 4-8 year old child can review this site to see how easy certain car seat features are to use — before they buy.

The seats are rated in four categories:

  • Evaluation of Instructions
  • Vehicle Installation Features
  • Evaluation of Labels
  • Securing the Child

Each category has a rating from 1 to 5 stars. I checked out our infant safety seat and they were pretty spot on. So when our little guy outgrows his seat (he’s already approaching 20 pounds), I think I’ll use this site before we purchase the next one.

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