PVC: From our bounce houses to our back-to-school supplies

Polyvinyl chloride, commonly known as PVC or vinyl, is a plastic that is ubiquitous in children's products including lunch bags, backpacks, binders, commercial cling wrap and plastic food storage containers.

The problem with PVC is that it has chemical additives including phthalates, lead and cadmium. These chemicals are harmful to children even at low levels.

Just last week, Attorney General Jerry Brown of California sued manufacturers of nine "bounce houses" because the PVC in the houses contained unsafe amounts of lead. You got that right: the bounce houses that our kids jump in, fall on, and the plastic that touched their faces, hands and feet this summer contained lead that is harmful to the development in children.

As summer comes to a close and our children head back to school, there are a few steps that you can take to protect your children from these nasty and harmful toxins.

Our partner organizations Center for Health Environment & Justice (CHEJ) and Washington Toxics have suggestions for how to keep PVC out of your back-to-school purchases.

• Avoid products, like some 3-ring binders, labeled as "vinyl".
• Avoid all plastic packaging with the number "3" in the universal recycling symbol.
• If you can't determine whether the product contains PVC (as many are labeled poorly), call the manufacturer.
• Prioritize your PVC detective work. Most important is plastics that are near food (lunch boxes, plastic wrap, food containers), as they can get into children's systems more quickly.

Want to know more about PVC in your children's school supplies? Download CHEJ's wallet guide (PDF) or check out Washington Toxics' advice about healthy lunches.