Webinar: IPEN Study on Chlorinated Paraffins
A new study by IPEN and its members from ten countries reveals that shockingly high levels of the toxic chemicals chlorinated paraffins are common in children’s plastic toys. All thirty-one toys tested for the study were found to contain the harmful chemicals, which are linked to cancer, damage to developing brains, endocrine disruption, damage to the liver and kidneys, and threats to reproductive health.
Learn more about the study and IPEN members’ work to eliminate toxic plastic chemicals in this webinar, with the study co-authors, IPEN Science Advisor Therese Karlsson, Ph.D. and IPEN Co-chair/Director of Alaska Community Action on Toxics Pamela Miller.
Chlorinated paraffins are among the most hazardous and high production volume chemicals in the world and are widely used in plastics, including in toys for small children. Evidence shows chlorinated paraffins are released from plastics through their life cycle, and children can be exposed when they play with toys through skin contact, inhalation, dust, and ingestion. According to recent studies, current levels of exposure to chlorinated paraffins may already be associated with adverse effects on human health.
The toys were purchased in Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Malaysia, Mali, Philippines, Uganda, and USA. The ten IPEN participating organizations that participated in purchasing toys for testing are:
- Jeunes Volontaires Pour L’Environment (JVE Benin) – Benin
- Action pour l’Ecologie le Developpement et l’Amangement Durable (ACECODAD) - Burundi
- Cameroonian Association for the Promotion of Sustainable Development (CAPSUDGO) - Cameroon
- African Green Society (AFRIGRES) - Democratic Republic of Congo
- Gramin Vikas Evam Paryavaran Samiti (GVEPS) - India
- Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP Malaysia) – Malaysia
- Appui pour la Valorisation et la Promotion des Initiatives Privées (AVPIP) - Mali
- Ban Toxics – Philippines
- Pro-biodiversity Conservationists In Uganda (Probicou) - Uganda
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) - USA