How Can I Find Out Which Toys in My Home Have Phthalates?

Gina Solomon responds:

Unfortunately there is no home test kit or lab you can send your toys to for testing. Some toy manufacturers made pledges to phase out the use of phthalates in their toys several years before the recent ban but this was a voluntary measure and there was no universal implementation date.

Plastic toys and children's products that are "vinyl" or are soft and squishy plastic are most likely to contain phthalates. When in doubt, best to contact the manufacturer about each particular toy of concern or dispose of the toy and replace with something less toxic.

As you can imagine, we receive many questions about plastics - Which are safe for food storage? Are there any that are safe for kids? What do the resin codes mean? Why aren't they on all plastics? etc - so we put together a summary sheet, Plastics FAQs, which I urge you to read. It should help you find safer products for your home and family.