Many of us at the Center for Environmental Health are parents, and we know how overwhelming it can be to hear about toxic products for children. We strive to recommend simple, concrete steps that parents can take to protect their children.
Here's one important recommendation to parents with babies who use vinyl bibs: test your bibs.
Because it is not possible to tell by appearance, brand, name, or retailer whether a vinyl baby bib contains lead, we also advise parents to avoid buying vinyl baby bibs altogether. We cannot guarantee that any vinyl product is free of lead.
But if you already own a vinyl baby bib, please test it. The test is quick and simple and requires only a hand-held lead testing kit, a common product in most hardware stores. Two reliable and easy-to-use brands are PACE's Lead Alert (also available by calling 1-800-884-6073) and LeadCheck (also available online at www.leadcheck.com). For a visual demonstration of how to use LeadCheck, please visit www.cehca.org/test-for-lead/.
If your bib tests negative for lead, be sure to wash the test solution off its surface before you allow your baby to use the bib again.
If you think your baby bib tests positive, please call Center for Environmental Health at 510-594-9864. We can help you interpret your test results. We may also be able to use your bib as evidence in our ongoing work to get the lead out of children's vinyl products.
Did you know... that over 1,000 materials, many known or believed to be carcinogenic or reproductive toxins are used to make electronic products? And did you know we are only recycling about 12% of all electronics? See what CEH is doing to help.
With Catholic Healthcare West, a major hospital chain, Center for Environmental Health wrote environmentally stringent standards for computer purchasing, recycling, and disposal, creating a market for computers made with safer materials. See what else we’ve accomplished in our first 10 years.