Center for Health, Environment & Justice | www.chej.org | August 2009
Back-to-School Guide to
Many children’s school supplies, such as
lunchboxes, backpacks and binders, are often
made out of PVC—an unnecessary toxic
plastic that is dangerous to our health and the
environment across its lifecycle: from production,
to use, to disposal. Cancer causing chemicals that
contaminate the air and water of surrounding
communities are used to produce PVC. When
PVC is manufactured or burned, numerous
dioxins are formed and released. Dioxins are a
highly toxic group of chemicals that can cause
cancer, and harm the immune and reproductive
systems. These and other toxic chemicals released
during the PVC lifecycle contaminate our bodies
and may pose irreversible life-long health threats.
hy Shop for PVC - Free School Supplies?
PVC is unique among plastics because it contains
dangerous chemical additives. These harmful
chemicals include phthalates, lead, cadmium,
and/or organotins, which can be toxic to your
child’s health. What’s worse is the danger these
chemicals pose- phthalates and other toxic
additives can leach out or evaporate into the
air over time posing unnecessary dangers to
children. Over 90% of all phthalates are used to
soften or plasticize PVC products. Children are
at risk from even small exposures to these toxic
chemicals. That’s why it’s important to purchase
PVC-free school supplies.
Mentoring
a Moveme
nt,
Empowerin
g People,
Preventin
g Harm
The Center for Health, Environment & Justice
(CHEJ) has created this Back-to-School Guide
to PVC-Free School Supplies to empower you
to make smarter, healthier shopping choices for a
toxic-free future. This guide lists the most common
back-to-school supplies made out of polyvinyl
chloride (PVC or vinyl) plastic and suggests
safer PVC-free alternatives.
Very important
will be on the test!!!
eep the poison plastic
off your back-to-school shopping list!
Center for Health, Environment & Justice | www.chej.org |