Lead in baby bibs
Jeepers! Now they have found lead in some baby bibs. Where will it end? Why aren’t manufacturers being held accountable BEFORE they make these baby products? Lead is a stunningly toxic metal. A long list of problems has been linked to lead exposure: lowered intelligence, behavior problems, cancer, strokes, high blood pressure, kidney problems, anemia, cavities, and delayed puberty,
This report was written by Caroline Cox, research director at the Center for Environmental Health. www.cehca.org
August, 2007
During the winter of 2006, the Center for Environmental Health found lead problems in bibs sold by a major retailer (Wal-Mart). These problems prompted us to continue screening bibs from other retailers. In June 2007, we purchased bibs from Toys R Us, Babies R Us, and Lisa Kline and tested them for lead. The bibs had a vinyl front and a cotton-polyester back. We sent samples of each of the bibs that screened positive for lead to an independent laboratory. The laboratory digested a vinyl portion of the bib with concentrated nitric acid, and analyzed it for lead using using National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health method 7082. We found that the vinyl portions of five of the bibs we tested contained significant amounts of lead, above 600 parts per million. We used this number because the Consumer Product Safety Commission classifies paints with more than 600 parts per million of lead as “banned hazardous products.” If you have a baby in your family, buy bibs that are not made of vinyl. All-cotton bibs are a good choice. We recommend that you purchase bibs made from organically grown cotton whenever possible. Tell your friends to do the same!
If you need a bib with a waterproof layer, look for bibs that are advertised as PVC-free or vinyl-free. Nobody should have to worry about lead poisoning.
In the meantime, if you, your family, or your friends own bibs that you’re concerned about you can use a lead test kit to check your bibs for lead. These test kits are designed to test paint for lead, but work well for vinyl objects. They are widely available at hardware and paint stores.
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