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Filed Under Healthy Home, Product Safety, PVC Free
I get an email about those foam puzzle piece mats about once a week. If you have emailed me recently about it and I didn’t respond it’s because I have been rolling this one around in my brain for a while and I don’t have a “best” case scenario to offer you. But what I can do is talk about what they are made of and whether that fits into your definition of “safe”. I will also provide some alternative suggestions in a variety of price points.
In general, MOST foam play flooring / mats are made with a material called EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) which is a foam rubber compound. For a while now it has been viewed as a healthier alternative to PVC and the process of making it excludes the use of chlorine which can produce carcinogenic compounds called dioxins. This is part of why PVC is something to avoid. Healthy Child Healthy World discussed EVA in an article back in October of 2008, giving EVA the thumbs up as an alternative.
Despite the fact that EVA foam does emit an “off-gassing” type smell, I cannot find information to disprove EVA’s safety as a material for use with children. Now, this doesn’t mean I am recommending you run out and buy them. There are three things to consider, I’ve discovered in my investigating:
- PVC/Phthalates? Some companies who make these foam mats for kids will only go so far as to say that their product “meets the ASTM standards (American Standards for Toy Manufacturing) and are phthalate compliant.” Step2 told one of our readers that “Some components that are used with our ‘Playmats’ may contain small traces of pvc.“ I don’t know if that means accessories or components of the mats themselves. But they will not go so far as to say they are phthalate free. I will be following up with them on this as soon as I get a moment to hop on the phone.
- Microban. I’ve found a few brands of these play mats that boast they use Microban. Let’s not forget my position on the use of Microban and the extreme disillusion it creates for parents and caregivers. Microban does not protect your child from germs or illnesses, it protects the product from mildew and discoloration. Microban also does not disclose what its made of so the possibility of its use of Triclosan is a possibility. You can decide whether you want to avoid it or not.
- Flame Retardants. Many of the EVA Foam flooring companies use EVA foam that has been treated with flame retardants. Some have and some haven’t… this is where the information gets a little sketchy and I’m still trying to determine if it’s an issue for all EVA foam matting. There is some suggestion that EVA Foam in its original state is inherently flame resistant. What I can’t determine is whether the foam is treated in addition to that. On the plus side, when EVA foam does burn it doesn’t have the same toxicity as PVC – no chlorine, dioxins, etc. I’m still looking into this part.
So there you go. I do believe EVA foam can be recycled and reused but it may be very tricky to find a place to bring it who’ll take it for recycling. From an environmental standpoint, EVA isn’t going to save the planet. So this one is up to you.
What Products Are Safe?
This is where your judgment as a consumer and a parent will come in to play. I’ll provide you with a list of brands that I feel are acceptable as far as safety goes and I’ll give you a few more eco-friendly suggestions if that’s the direction you wish to go.
EVA Foam Options
- Skip Hop Playspot Interlocking Foam Tiles – These claim to be PVC, Phthalate and BPA free and made of EVA. They are cute, colorful and moderately stylish compared to most but they do come at a higher price.
- One Step Ahead Wood Floor Foam Mats – According to One Step Ahead these are PVC and Phthalate free. They look cool… but they do mention the off-gassing smell that I worry about. They say in the description “Don’t worry its safe, we tested it” but we have all heard that before. They make the traditional alphabet puzzle mats too. (Note: I emailed One Step Ahead to confirm the lack of PVC/Phthalates and was told that “Yes, the item meets all US Federal Laws and regulations and has passed all testing. and Yes they are free of PVC and Phthalates.“)
- Soft Tiles Interlocking Foam Floor Mats – Made of EVA and website claims they do not use any phthalates or BPA.
Alternative Options
- Wool Rugs – Wool is a safe choice (if you don’t have allergies to it) and eliminates the potential for off gassing carpet materials and padding.
- FLOR Carpet Tiles – These are modular carpet tiles so its not permanent and you can move it when you need to. They have stylish colors and patterns. FLOR carpet tiles are made with renewable and recycled content and are recyclable.
- Skip It – Save yourself some money and just properly child proof your home. Rhoost your sharp corners and gate off areas that are unsafe for baby and toddlers. I’ve got 2 boys and never used any type of floor padding other than the area rugs we already have. They get hurt more outside than anywhere else!
Have something to add? Tip? Let me know in the comments or via safemama [at] gmail.com!
Comments
15 Responses to “FAQ: Safe Play Room Flooring: What’s Best?”
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What perfect timing. I’ve been wondering about those floormats. Not so much for cushioning – just because they seem fun. I think I’ll play it safe and just skip it. Thanks!
Thanks so much for this post!! I’ve always wanted to get some of these tiles…not exactly sure why, but I never did any research on them, so I never bought any, and now my child is 4 so I have no need…but this was really good info and I’m passing it on to my friends!! Thanks for all of your hard work and investigating for us!!!
We are planning on using adhesive-backed cork tiles for the play room. It’s all-natural, renewable resource and I couldn’t find anything harmful in my research about these.
I ended up buying some EVA foam mats. I left them outside for a month in the spring till the smell went away…not a perfect solution but it made me feel better
I never used these in my home (I prefer area rugs where need be), but I do have a set that I used at camp (on the porch) and on the deck at home the summer my son was crawling. I am about to have my second child and was going to use the mats in the same manner. I wondered about their safety, though. It’s also good to know that some are better than others. Thanks for the information!
@Diana: That’s an interesting idea! I don’t think there’s much concern about cork but I’ll look into it just in case. Sounds like a promising alternative!
I just bought a cotton braided 7′ x 10′ rug at Target for our playroom (which has hardwood floors). We had a sisal rug in there – which wasn’t my first choice, but it was a rug we used in a previous house. FYI – sisal is NOT kid friendly since it is not easy to clean and shows stains easily. But love the cotton braided one (similar to the classic LL Bean type rugs).
I wasn’t sure about these either so I opted for a wool area rug – it’s soft, matches our home decor and in my opinion is more durable (no finger nail marks!)
Thank you. I have been considdering this for awhile I think wool will be our option.
Thanks for this post. I’ve just been considering buying these – not for the playroom, but for the garage, where we keep our indoor/outdoor play slide and climbing house on a concrete floor. i want to get something under it before someone needs stitches. Thanks for the advice.
I’m so happy to see Flor mentioned! From an environmental standpoint, I’ve been a fan for years. When it came time to put a rug down in our new apartment, we went with them. They are dedicated to achieving zero waste and you can send your tiles back to them for recycling – your old carpet is turned into new carpet! We bought their hopscotch rug, which is numbered 1-9 and can be laid out like a traditional hopscotch grid or (as we have done), in a straight line. My advice – get extra Flor dots (used to hold the carpet squares together) because they lose some stick when you pull up a square for cleaning.
I have the One Step Ahead wood look play mats. We have hardwood floors and a cat who shreds carpets. It seemed like the best option for our baby’s play area.
When I opened the box I was struck with the STRONG plastic smell. It was overwhelming and gross.
I separated the tiles and left them outside on our covered porch for almost 6 weeks before the smell went away. It seemed like it took forever.
The smell did eventually go away. I rinsed them with cool water and dried them before putting them down on the floor.
I will probably always question if they really are our best option, but after the cat had his way with 3 rugs… it was my last resort.
@Sarah: Thanks for sharing your experience with them! It’s not the first time I have heard of it with these EVA tiles – but I can’t find any documentation that talks negatively about the off gassing.
I think of the choking hazard-they can be chewed and parts can come off, posing a choking hazard.
Wool Rugs! Now that’s a great alternative idea. Unfortunately, it is very hard to trust the manufacturers because as we know, the US Federal Laws and regulations don’t require them to provide ALL of the information that many of us may be concerned about. But w ool rug, that’s a good idea!
Suzanne