Toxic School Supplies? - ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, Sports

Could some of your child's school supplies be considered toxic?

The Center for Health, Environment & Justice advocacy group finds that about 75% of 20 back-to-school items it tested contained high levels of the chemicals.

The Center lists children's school supplies such as backpacks, lunch boxes, three-ring binders, raincoats and rain boots contain higher levels of potentially toxic chemicals called, phthalates.

It says, the chemicals' higher level in those school items is more than the U.S. government allows in most toys.

Phthalates are used to soften vinyl plastic and have been linked to birth defects, early puberty, ADHD, asthma, obesity, diabetes and infertility.

The group specifically named Disney's Dora the Explorer Backpack, the Disney Princess and the Amazing Spiderman Lunch boxes to have phthalate levels much higher than the allowable federal limit for toys.