60% of children car seats contain at least one toxic chemical

Toxic substances such as dangerous flame retardants and chemical additives that are linked to cancer, birth defects, hormone imbalances and allergies, found in 60% of children car seats tested by the Ecology Center in Michigan, USA, while others were found to have virtually no hazardous chemicals in them altogether.

You can see the full list of 2011 car seats that they tested and the results in a report that they posted online today, August 3, see at the consumer website HealthyStuff.org.

Jeff gearhart, Research Director at the Ecology Center, told the press there is no doubt that "car seats save lives". It was "imperative" that parents their children in car seats while driving, and this regardless of how the seats should score in this kind of tests, he added.

But, given the range of seats, and that according to this some test seem to be more toxic than others, then parents would do well to research the best car seat for their children, he urged.

The Ecology Center tested more than 150 models launched in 2011, which are available to buy in shops and outlets in Michigan. In 2009 they tested 58 models and in 2008 they 131.

The brands they tested include: Alpha Sport, Baby Trend, Britax, Chicco, Combi, Clek, compass, Dorel Juvenile Group, Evenflo, Fisher Price, Graco, Juvenile harmony, Orbit Baby, Peg Perego, Recaro, Sunshine Kids, Teutonia, and the first year.

They tested for (this is associated with brominated flame retardants or BFR) bromine, chlorine (this indicates the presence of PVC and plasticizers), allergens, lead and other heavy metals. These chemicals have been associated with allergies, cancer, liver toxicity, birth defects and learning impaired.

The tests revealed: 44% of the 2011 models they tested contained BFR which either be regarded as toxic or lack of sufficient security health data.
60% of the models for 2001 contained one or more of the hazardous chemical substances included in the test, such as PVC, brominated flame retardants and heavy metals.
Things seem to improve: percentage of car seats with BFR decreased by 18% in 2009 from 63% to 44% in 2011; and average number of toxins per seat improved 1.5 by 64% in 2009-0.9 in 2011.
However, some makers potentially more dangerous than BFR other companies still used: for example, Baby Trend (100%), Recaro (100%) and Britax (84%).The report says that when the chemicals in these products are exposed to the heat and the UV radiation in sunlight, they break faster, and this can increase their potential toxicity.

Babies and toddlers are assumed to be the most vulnerable group to this source of toxins because they are smaller (so proportionally, even a small amount of toxin has a greater effect), they spend more time in car seats, and their bodies are still in development.

Andy Igrejas, Director of the safer chemicals, healthy families Coalition, said that the report shows "how our country large chemical substances law--the toxic substance Control Act of 1976--is flawed and fails to protect children from dangerous chemical substances".

For a complete list of car seat rankings visit both from 2011 and for previous financial years tests and chemical composition http://www.HealthyStuff.org.

Sources: healthystuff.org, ecocenter.org.

Written by Catharine Paddock, PhD
Copyright: Medical News today
Not to be reproduced without the permission of medical news today