Watch for toxic school supplies

A toxic plastic softener – polyvinyl chloride, or PVC -- is banned in children’s toys but is still legal in school supplies. So stick to plain metal paperclips, for example: the colored ones are coated with PVC.

That alert comes from the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice in a new report, Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies, which is being publicized by an NGO, MomsRising.

Among the school products that may be tainted with PVC are lunchboxes, binders, modeling clay, backpacks with shiny plastic designs, and notebooks with metal spirals encased in colored plastic, according to MomsRising.

That organization is circulating a petition to be sent to manufacturers and retailers of those products. Click here to sign a copy.

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