A few small, easy changes in how you store and heat foods, which toys your child plays with, and which foam furnishings and linens you use can help reduce your child’s exposure to toxic chemicals.

At the Store:

1. Choose safer toys and teethers.

• Look for “PVC-free” on the labels of soft plastic toys and teethers. Some manufacturers have removed PVC from their children’s products, especially products intended to be put into children’s mouths. Unfortunately, no law requires or regulates these labels, and few products are labeled as such. When parents have a question about the chemicals in a product, they should call the manufacturer.
• Choose wooden toys. There are countless manufacturers of high quality wooden toys in the market. Everything from baby rattles to kitchen play-sets are now made out of wood. Some commonly available brands include Plan, Haba, Jake’s Room, Turner Toys, and Holztiger.

2. Choose safer food packaging and serving containers.

• Avoid PVC plastic in food containers. Check the bottom/underside of the product. If you find the number “3” in the recycling triangle, it is made from PVC plastic and should be avoided. Choose plastics labeled #1, #2, #4, or #5 in the recycling triangle, but do not heat beverages or food in plastic containers of any kind.
• Avoid foods wrapped in plastic. Almost all commercial grade plastic cling wrap contains PVC plasticized with phthalates or adipates (another hormone-disrupting PVC plasticizer that leaches out of the cling wrap), and other plastic food packaging may be made of PVC, as well. Avoid buying foods wrapped in plastic, especially cheeses and meats. Buy deli-sliced cheeses and meats and have them wrapped in paper. If you can’t avoid buying plastic-wrapped foods, cut off a thin layer of the cheese or meat when you get home and store the remainder in glass or less-toxic plastic.
• Choose safer containers for sippy cups and water bottles. Look for plastics labeled #1, #2, #4, or #5 in the recycling triangle. As an alternative to hard plastic water bottles (such as the polycarbonate Nalgene bottles), try a lightweight stainless steel bottle instead.
• Choose metal feeding utensils and enamel or ceramic plates. While many manufacturers have removed phthalates from products intended to be put into young children’s mouths, without a law prohibiting their use, there is no guarantee that these products, such as soft plastic-coated feeding spoons, are made without phthalates. Look for PVC-free labels or buy stainless steel, enamel, ceramic, or glass. (Note that enamel cannot be put in the microwave, and you should not use old pottery that could have lead-based glazes).

3. Choose safer sleeping accessories and furniture.

• Choose natural materials for mattresses and linens. Buy products with natural fibers (cotton and wool), which are naturally fire resistant. For example, Lifekind sells organic mattresses, linens, and receiving blankets without PBDEs.
• Purchase furniture without PBDEs. Several retailers sell PBDE-free furniture. For example, European Sleep Works sells mattresses, bedding, and furniture without PBDEs. Ikea is another retailer of PBDE-free foam furnishings.
  
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• Use glass to heat food or liquid in the microwave. You should not heat food in plastic containers or on plastic dishware, or heat liquids in plastic baby bottles. Heating food and liquids in plastic containers can cause chemicals and additives in the plastics to leach out more readily—right into baby’s food and milk. While some plastic containers are marketed as “microwave safe” it is safest to avoid them for heating.
• If you do use plastic bottles, containers, or dishware, to reduce exposure, take care to avoid harsh detergents or hot water when washing them. Do not put plastic bottles, containers, or dishware in the dishwasher. Also, throw out any plastic bottles, containers, and dishware that start to look scratched or hazy. Do not let milk sit for long periods of time in plastic.
  
• Avoid letting your child put plastic toys in his/her mouth. Toys designed for older children are more likely to contain phthalates. It is assumed that young children will not mouth these toys—such as action figures and Barbie dolls. To be safe, keep all plastic toys out of children’s mouths. Call the manufacturer if you want to know if a product contains phthalates.
  
• Avoid degraded or crumbling foam that might contain PBDEs. Replace or cover couches, stuffed chairs, and automobile seats that have exposed foam. Reupholster padded furniture in homes where children or pregnant women live.
• Be careful when removing and replacing the foam padding beneath your carpet. Remove old carpet padding from your home and clean up well when finished.