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School supplies can carry dangers
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Harmless school supplies, textbooks, school bags and other attributes of students. It would seem, can these items harm a child?
75% of school products were found to contain chemicals that cause serious illnesses – phthalates.
Senator Charles Schumer said this in a new report from the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice.
Analysis of the chemical composition of products has revealed high levels of toxic phthalates. And experts have found this in things like school bags, lunch boxes, Spider-Man toys and other items used by children every day.
Experts are concerned about long-term contact with such toxic objects. Toxic compounds are very dangerous for children and can cause serious harm to health.
This also raises the question of how phthalates could end up in products intended for children?
The dangers of using such products are difficult to overestimate, because toxins can cause hyperactivity syndrome, asthma and some birth defects.
In his report on this issue, co-author of the study Michael Schade spoke out: "Unfortunately, we ourselves harm our children. We produce dangerous products, sell and buy them without thinking about the value of human life, especially the life of a child."
Senator Charles Schumer agreed with the scientist and proposed the Chemical Safety Act, which would help control the toxic content of products.
"School supplies should make learning easier for our children, not harm their health. It is even more terrifying to see a child's breakfast lovingly packed in a poisonous box by their mother," the senator added.
Sue Rowe of the New York City Teachers Association said her organization hopes the report will spark new laws to ban or at least protect consumers from toxic products. She also urged parents to pay close attention to the ingredients in children's products.
Experts say you can tell if a product contains phthalates by looking closely at the label. If the recycling symbol includes the number 3, the letter V, or the abbreviation "PVC," there's a good chance the product was made with harmful chemicals.
Phthalates, accumulating in the human body, can negatively affect its hormonal background, inhibit mental development and disrupt the endocrine system. These processes, unfortunately, are irreversible.
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