Detroit, MI, September 28, 2017 — The Ecology Center, in partnership with the Car Seat Detox Challenge Campaign and the Learning Disabilities Association of America, delivered over 40,000 signatures to Laurel Hurd, President of Graco Children’s Products and CEO of Global Baby Division at Newell Brands, calling on her to remove toxic chemicals from children’s car seats.
The Ecology Center’s Healthy Stuff program tested 15 children’s car seats in 2016, including two manufactured by Graco. Graco’s seats were among the 87% found to contain toxic halogenated flame retardants. Graco’s MyRide 65 seat was found to have halogenated flame retardants in the fabric, foam, and the hard plastic base.
“Many flame retardants still found in child car seats can disrupt hormones and development and contribute to metabolic diseases. And they don’t stay put. Research shows many of these chemicals migrate out of the foam and fabric and are breathed in by a child in a car seat. Safer alternatives are available,” according to Dr. Gillian Miller, the Senior Scientist at the Ecology Center.
In April of this year, the Ecology Center and the Car Seat Detox Challenge Campaign reached out to the companies to notify them of the test results. Graco and other companies were invited to participate in the Car Seat Detox Challenge, asking for a commitment to remove hazardous chemicals from their supply chains. A few have responded. Graco has not.
As a result, parents, caregivers, and concerned citizens have demanded that Graco Children’s Products take on the Car Seat Detox Challenge and “Get Toxic Chemicals Out of Children’s Car Seats.” Deborah Finck of Michigan signed the petition stating, “Baby gear should be free from toxins so that parents don't need to worry about causing health problems while buckling their children into a car seat which is designed for safety.” Signatures were collected on Car Seat Detox Challenge Campaign member websites and Change.org (http://bit.ly/GracoPetition)
Four children’s car seats tested in the study met flame retardant standards without halogenated flame retardants in their principal components.
“The Car Seat Detox Challenge Campaign celebrates the successes of the companies who received the highest recommendations from Healthy Stuff. These brands, however, make up only a small portion of the market and their seats sell at higher prices,” according to Melissa Cooper Sargent, Green Living Resources Director for the Ecology Center.
Sargent welcomed collaborations with corporations, adding, “We would love to work with Graco and others to help them set the trend for flame retardant-free seats that are affordable for the majority of parents.”
Deborah Finck, and other concerned parents, caregivers, and health professionals are urging Graco to take the Car Seat Detox Challenge and to:
- Develop a safer chemicals policy and publicize it within 12 months.
- Create an action plan to address hazardous chemicals in the product line.
- Reduce, eliminate and safely substitute hazardous chemicals from products.
Thousands of people are additionally asking Baby Trend, Cosco, Evenflo, and Safety 1st to take the Car Seat Detox Challenge. These companies make affordable seats that were also found to contain halogenated flame retardants.