The Center for Environmental Health exposed the lead in your toddler's lunch box recently, (if you bought the wrong one). That led to the exposure of lead in his baby-sister's bib. Yes m'am, if you see your baby chewing on that bib - for instance
the Baby Connection brand vinyl (PVC) bibs, which were sold exclusively at Wal-Mart stores, your little angel has access to a lead level more than 16 times greater than the legal limit for lead in paint.
The Center says legal action has forced Wal Mart to remove the lead-tainted bibs from shelves in three states. Forced. How about your state? Overall, it's a great example of an inspiring wonderful story illustrating just why we don't need a lot of that phony lefty regulation and monitoring of good 'ol market forces. Flip over for press release and study links. cross posted from http://www.organicamerican.com
Center for Environmental Health Press Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 2, 2007 CONTACT: Caroline Cox, 541-654-2626 (cell); Alexa Engelman, 510-594-9864 ex 310; Charles Margulis. Note: Marilyn Furer is available for comment at 847-593-1099. LEGAL ACTION FORCES WAL-MART TO PULL LEAD-TAINTED BABY BIBS IN THREE STATES Oakland, CA- The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) today announced that their legal action has resulted in Wal-Mart stopping the sale of the company's store-brand baby bibs from stores in California, after independent testing found high levels of lead in the vinyl bibs. Testing commissioned by CEH found that one of the Baby Connection brand vinyl (PVC) bibs, which were sold exclusively at Wal-Mart stores, had a lead level of 9700 parts per million (ppm), more than 16 times greater than the legal limit for lead in paint. After learning about the lead-contaminated bibs from CEH, the states of Illinois and New York also tested the bibs and found high lead levels, and today announced that Wal-Mart would also stop selling the bibs in those states indefinitely. However, it is unclear whether Wal-Mart is planning to resume selling the tainted bibs in its stores elsewhere in the U.S. or abroad. "These vinyl bibs pose a lead poisoning threat to infants and toddlers who are at the most vulnerable age," said Caroline Cox, Research Director at CEH and author of a report on lead in baby bibs released by CEH today. "As every parent knows, young children commonly chew and suck on their bibs, so if the bib is contaminated, children are being directly exposed to lead." CEH was first alerted to the problem of lead in baby bibs from Marilyn Furer, a Chicago-area grandmother who used a home lead test on her grandson's bib after she learned that CEH found high lead levels in vinyl lunchboxes. Noticing her grandson Jensen chewing on his bib, Ms. Furer became concerned. Her concern grew after the home test indicated that lead was present on the surface of Jensen's bib. She sent the lead-tainted bib to CEH, which then began its own investigation. The Illinois Attorney General today announced a statewide recall of the Wal-Mart bibs, based on their own testing that found lead levels over the state's legal limit for lead in children's products. Like many vinyl products, the lead-contaminated bibs sold in Wal-Mart are generally made overseas, often in China. "Who is accountable for letting these contaminated products into our country?," said Ms. Furer. "Where are the standards, the testing, and the enforcement for keeping lead out of children's products?" Legislation introduced by Congressmember Waxman and Senator Obama would set strict federal standards for lead in any product marketed for children under age six, but the bill has languished in Congress. Independent lab tests commissioned by CEH in 2006 and 2007 found high lead levels in four Wal-Mart bibs purchased in California. In December 2006, CEH informed Wal-Mart that the lead levels in their bibs violate California law. The New York Attorney General's office also tested the bibs and found high lead levels, and today urged parents to consider discarding the Wal-Mart bibs. CEH recommends that parents avoid vinyl bibs and replace any vinyl bibs with organic cotton bibs or bibs made from other safe materials. "There is no reason that children should be exposed to lead from their baby bibs," said Cox. "Parents need to know that vinyl is a poison plastic that doesn't belong near their kids." CEH has a ten-year track record of protecting children from hidden lead risks in consumer products, using legal action to eliminate lead threats from vinyl lunchboxes, baby powders, children's medicines, imported candies, and metal and vinyl jewelry. The CEH report, "An Unnecessary Poison: Babies, Bibs and Lead" is online at http://www.cehca.org/babybibs.htm ### crossed posted from http://www.organicamerican.com