HealthyCar.org Press Releases - Is Your Child's Car Seat Toxic?

The Ecology Center is at it again. Last year they released the first-ever consumer guide to toxic chemicals in cars and child car seats at www.HealthyCar.org, including 62 brand new infant, convertible and booster car seats. In December they released a holiday shopping guide to toxic chemicals in toys at www.HealthyToys.org. Now, these Ann-Arbor based environmental scientists are testing 2008 models, and they want to hear from YOU.

HealthyCar.org wants to know which child car seats parents are most interested in having tested. Parents can go to the Test My Car Seat feature at www.HealthyCar.org/carseat.nominate.php and vote by Monday, June 23. Test results of the most popular car seats will be released on Tuesday, July 22nd at www.HealthyCar.org along with updated data on toxic chemicals in 2007- and 2008-model vehicles.

While there are numerous substances in car seats that can lead to health and environmental problems, the Ecology Center is looking for those with known toxicity, persistence, and tendency to build up in people and the environment. Chemicals tested for include: bromine (associated with brominated flame retardants); chlorine (indicating the presence of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC and plasticizers); lead; and heavy metal allergens. Such chemicals have been linked to major health problems such as liver, thyroid and developmental problems in children. Babies are the most vulnerable population in terms of exposure to chemical-laden dust and inhaling toxic fumes, since their systems are still developing.

Anyone looking to buy a new car or car seat, or wondering if their current car or child’s car seat is safe, can visit www.HealthyCar.org after July 22 and search by model, or comparison shop between different models.

To sample the cars and car seats, the Ecology Center uses a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device, which identifies the elemental composition of any material in 30 seconds.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
12:01 a.m. EST, May 16, 2007

FOR PRESS QUESTIONS CONTACT:
Shayna Samuels, 718-541-4785
or Glenn Turner, 917-817-3396

First-Ever Ranking of Toxic Chemicals in Child Car Seats Released Today at HealthyCar.org

Study Shows Chemicals including PVC, Brominated Flame Retardants and Lead May Contribute to Serious Health and Developmental Problems in Children

Best Infant Seats: Graco SnugRide Emerson & EvenFlo Discovery Churchil

Worst Infant Seats: Combi Centre EX Mango & Peg Perigo Primo Vaggio Toffee

Crash tests aren’t the only way to prove the safety of a car seat, according to new research released today by the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center. The same group that recently released the first-ever consumer guide to toxic chemicals in cars at www.HealthyCar.org used the same research methodology to give the public similar information about child car seats. Their research shows that brand new car seats are made with several dangerous chemicals that can lead to serious health risks for children.

Beginning today, Wednesday, May 16, consumers can look up which car seats rank the best and worst in terms of toxic chemical content at www.HealthyCar.org. Anyone looking to buy a new car seat, or wondering if their child’s current car seat is safe, can visit this site and search by model, or comparison shop between different models.

“Car seats save lives. It’s absolutely essential that parents put their children in them while driving,” said Jeff Gearhart, the Ecology Center’s Clean Car Campaign Director. “However, some car seats are safer than others when it comes to chemical composition. Healthycar.org makes it easy for parents to choose the least toxic car seat for their child.”

Chemicals tested for include: bromine (associated with brominated flame retardants); chlorine (indicating the presence of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC and plasticizers); lead; and heavy metal allergens. Such chemicals have been linked to major health problems such as liver, thyroid and developmental problems in children. Children have the highest exposure and are the most vulnerable population in terms of exposure to chemical-laden dust and inhaling toxic fumes, since their systems are still developing.

“Parents have so many choices when it comes to choosing products for their children,” said Deirdre Dolan co-author of The Complete Organic Pregnancy. “HealthyCar.org makes it very easy to choose a safe and still affordable car seat.”

The Ecology Center tested 62 brand new infant, convertible and booster car seats which are retailed at the #1 babies’ product retailer, Babies “R” Us, and top five retailer Target. While some seats are virtually free of the most dangerous chemicals, others are saturated. To sample the car seats, they used a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device, which identifies the elemental composition of any material in less than 60 seconds.

The study found that the best seats had no brominated flame retardants, no PVC and low levels of other chemicals tested. Over 40% of seat cushions tested contained no brominated flame retardants and 77% of the seats were free of PVC-plastic. However, over 1/3 of all seats tested had one or more components which contained higher levels of toxic chemicals. A complete ranking of all of the car seats that were tested can be found at www.HealthyCar.org.

While there are numerous substances in car seats that can lead to health and environmental problems, the Ecology Center selected those with known toxicity, persistence, and tendency to build up in people and the environment. These chemicals included:

Bromine: Associated with the use of brominated flame retardants, BFRs are added to plastics in order to impart fire resistance, but they are released into the environment over the life of the vehicle. Heat and UV-ray exposure in cars can accelerate the breakdown of these chemicals and possibly increase their toxicity. Some BFRs have been associated with thyroid problems, learning and memory impairment, decreased fertility, behavioral changes, and other health problems.

Chlorine: Associated with the use of polyvinyl chloride, PVC is a widely used type of plastic that is of concern to the environment and public health during all phases of its life cycle. PVC contains chemicals called phthalates, some of which have been associated with decreased fertility, pre-term deliveries, and damage to the liver, testes, thyroid, ovaries, kidneys, and blood. There is also evidence that phthalates can pass from mothers to babies through the placenta and through breast milk.

Lead: Lead is sometimes used as an additive in automotive plastics. Exposure can lead to a number of potential health effects including brain damage, and problems with the kidneys, blood, nerves, and reproductive system. It can also cause learning and behavioral problems.

Other: Other chemicals tested as part of healthycar.org include antimony, arsenic, chromium, cobalt, copper, mercury, nickel and tin. The substances in this category are allergens, carcinogens, or cause other adverse health impacts depending on the concentrations and exposure levels

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***ATTENTION JOURNALISTS: Advance access to the car seat rankings on an embargoed basis is available upon request.

** ATTN TV Reporters: B-Roll is Available Upon Request**

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE
12:01 a.m. EST, March 20, 2007

FOR PRESS QUESTIONS CONTACT:
Shayna Samuels, 718-541-4785
or Glenn Turner, 917-817-3396

HealthyCar.Org Released Today As First-Ever Consumer Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Cars; Over 200 New Vehicles Ranked for Environmental Safety

Chemicals Released from Indoor Auto Parts Contribute to "New Car Smell" and Serious Health Concerns for Drivers & Passengers

Worst Picks: Nissan Versa, Chevy Aveo, Scion xB 5dr, Kia Rio
Best Picks: Chevy Cobalt, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Honda Odyssey, Volvo V50

(Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - Ann Arbor, MI) - Today the Ecology Center released the first-ever consumer guide to toxic chemicals in cars at www.HealthyCar.org. Over 200 of the most popular 2006- and 2007-model vehicles in the U.S. were tested for chemicals that off-gas from indoor auto parts such as the steering wheel, dashboard, armrests and seats. These chemicals become part of the air we breathe contributing to "new car smell" and a variety of acute and long-term health concerns. Since the average American spends more than 1.5 hours in a car every day, toxic chemical exposure inside vehicles is a major source of potential indoor air pollution.

The good news is that some cars are better than others. Toxic chemicals are not required to make indoor auto parts, and some manufacturers have begun to phase them out. Chemicals of primary concern include: bromine (associated with brominated flame retardants); chlorine (indicating the presence of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC and plasticizers); lead; and heavy metals. Such chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health problems such as allergies, birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, and cancer.

Following are the 10 best and 10 worst of the cars that were tested. GM's Chevy brand had the distinction of both best and worst pick in our samples, with the Cobalt scoring first and Silverado truck scoring last. Brands that fared well included Volvo and Honda/Acura, both with two models in the top ten. Kia/Hyundai joined Chevy with three entries in the worst ten.

A complete list vehicles and other resources are listed below:

"Our findings show that it is not necessary to use toxic chemicals when making indoor auto parts," said Jeff Gearhart, the Ecology Center's Clean Car Campaign Director. "There is no excuse for manufacturers not to replace these hazardous chemicals with safe alternatives immediately."

To sample the vehicles, experts at the Ecology Center used a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device, which identifies the elemental composition of any material in less than 60 seconds. In each vehicle 15 different components were sampled including: steering wheel, shift knob, armrest/center console, dashboard, headliner, carpet, seat front, seat back, seat base, hard door trim, soft door trim, body sealer, wiring, window seal and wheel weights. Components sampled were those most likely to be touched or otherwise contribute to human exposure.

While there are numerous substances in vehicles that can lead to health and environmental problems, HealthyCar.org selected those with known toxicity, persistence, and tendency to build up in people and the environment. These chemicals included:

The same chemicals that cause human health issues can also cause problems in the environment. When vehicles are discarded at the end of their life, the majority of plastic and other non-metallic parts are shredded and put in landfills or burned in incinerators. When discarded in landfills, harmful chemicals contained in vehicle plastics can leach out and contaminate soil and water. When incinerated, toxic chemicals are dispersed throughout the atmosphere.

"HealthyCar.Org is intended to help people make safer choices when it comes to purchasing a vehicle," said Gearhart. "Hopefully manufacturers will begin to get the message and make all of their future cars safe for drivers and passengers."

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***ATTENTION JOURNALISTS: For interviews with the creators of healthycar.org; graphs showing best/worst cars; or other requests please call Shayna Samuels at 718-541-4785.