The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has banned a number of toxic plasticizers. As of February 10, 2009, manufacturers may no longer make, and retail stores may no longer sell, baby crib mattresses that contain these types of phthalates. Phthalates are chemicals used to make the soft vinyl that is used to waterproof mattresses.
The banned phthalates are linked to hormonal problems (particularly in boys), allergies, asthma and cancer.
Yet, your baby is probably sleeping on a mattress that contains these phthalates.
Does your baby's crib mattress contain banned phthalates? If so, it's time for a new mattress for your baby's crib.
Phthalates are found in the plastic covering that protect the mattress from moisture. Babies wet and spit up, and their mattresses are especially vulnerable to dampness. Too much moisture in a mattress, and it becomes an unhealthy haven for bacteria, mold and mildew.
Most crib mattress manufacturers use PVC (a type of vinyl). By itself, PVC is toxic enough; it's widely considered to be one of the most toxic and environmentally unfriendly plastics in use today. However, PVC is a hard plastic, and is made soft and pliable for the surface of a crib mattress with the very toxic phthalates.
Phthalates leach out of the plastic mattress covering into the crib, where they can be inhaled by your baby.
But is there really a danger? Decide for yourself. Research links phthalates with problems with the endocrine (hormonal) system, especially in boys. In 1997, a study published in the International Journal of Cancer found a high risk of testicular cancer associated with exposure to PVC products. Other research has also linked phthalates with cancer to the testes as well liver problems and other types of cancer. Numerous U.S. government agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The U.S. Department of Health, the FDA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have issued public safety statements concerning the use of phthalates.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also reported about unsafe exposure to phthalates. In a study, the AAP noted that phthalates are animal carcinogens known to cause fetal death, malformations and problems with the endocrine (hormonal) system. The AAP went on to say that the adverse risk to children was greater due to the fact that their bodies and organ systems were still developing.
As of February 10, 2009, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) banned three varieties of phthalates (DEHP,DBP, and BBP) for use in baby and children's mattresses and other children's products. Three other phthalates in the CPSC ban (DINP, DIDP, and DnOP) are only illegal for teethers and other objects expected to be placed into a child's mouth, so they still may be present in plastic-covered mattresses.
The safest materials to use for a crib mattress are organic cotton and a non-toxic, food-grade waterproofing known as polyethylene. Polyethylene is favored by The Green Guide and solves the problems associated with a damp mattress without any of the health risks. So both baby and parents can sleep soundly.
