Is your holiday decor dangerous?
The issue regarding lead paint currently plaguing the American toy industry is of profound concern, especially given the high volume of toys distributed during this time of year.
What some may be unaware of is the problem can extend beyond what’s under the tree—to what’s on it.
These days the old adage, “the consumer beware,” sounds trite after a careful reading of the message routinely printed on the back of each box of Christmas lights.
“WARNING: handling the coated electrical wire of this product exposes you to lead, a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects, and other reproductive harm. Wash hands after use.”
This warning was prompted by Proposition 65, which was passed in 1986 in California as an initiative to promote healthy and clean drinking water.
“The warning is really to allow consumers to assess his or her own lead exposure and modify use practices if they see fit. It’s a matter of personal choice,” says Sam Delson, Spokesman with the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, who says most manufacturers post the Proposition 65 Warning on packages to cover themselves.
Bill Sirmans, Environmental Health Director with the Santa Rosa County Health Department, says Christmas lights, as with many plastic products, are made with Poly-Vinyl Chloride (PVC), which contains lead.
Stephanie Anderson Chief Corporate Spokesperson with Orsam Sylvania, one the nation’s leading manufacturers of electrical products including Christmas lights, says the lead found in Christmas lights helps make them fire resistant and durable enough to meet safety requirements.
“The lead in holiday lights has a vital safety role,” says Anderson. “Unlike lead poisoning, flammability is a significant and documented risk associated with holiday lights.”
Sirmans says washing your hands after handling the lights will eliminate the risk of any harmful side effects, although he does point out, “there is no level of lead that we consider safe.” It is for this reason Sirmans recommends always keeping Christmas lights out of the reach of children.
The Poison Information Center recently released a list of other common Christmas hazards—admonishing people to take caution when allowing children to handle family heirlooms and older antique ornaments which may contain lead in the paint. Older artificial Christmas trees have also been known to contain lead.
In educating the public about the risks posed by lead, health department officials have said they are not suggesting families rush out and dispose of all their old ornaments, rather—to use caution, especially around children who are the most susceptible.
Sam Williamson, Senior Community Health Nurse at the Santa Rosa County Health Department says lead poisoning can affect both adults and children, although children are far more likely to be affected because of the propensity to put everything in their mouth. Lead can be either ingested or inhaled.
Depending on the levels of lead in the blood, an adult suffering from lead poisoning will exhibit neurological impairments such as slurred speech and cognitive difficulties, while children tend to be uncoordinated or developmentally delayed.
There are several sources of lead exposure says Williamson—the most common is from old houses which may have lead solder in the pipes or in the paint. When the paint gets old and begins to deteriorate it becomes a dust and can be inhaled.
As a routine part of the application process for new patients at the County Health Department, parents are asked to provide information about such potential environmental impacts on health.
Severe cases of lead poisoning can result in hospitalization with drugs administered to “leech out the lead,” although as Williamson says, in severe cases the neurological impairments may be permanent.
Parents worried about the frequent recalls of toys (many made and imported from China) can sign up for email notifications of mass recalls at the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website at www.cpsc.gov or call 1-800-638-CPSC (2772).