Many Picnic Supplies Contain Toxic Chemicals, Researchers Find

Researchers with the nonprofit Ecology Center tested 58 common picnic products sold at 10 major retailers and found that the majority of them contain a carcinogen or reproductive toxicant.  The results are available at HealthyStuff.org.

Products were tested for lead, phthalates, flame retardants, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury, among others.  The researchers found that 96 percent of the products contained at least one or more chemicals of concern, and that one-third of the products tested had three or more.  Vinyl tablecloths, hoses with vinyl coatings and chairs with vinyl coatings had the highest concentrations of toxins such as lead and phthalates.  Products were purchased from major retailers such as Lowes, Home Depot, Target, Walmart and Costco.

The Chanler Group represents citizen enforcers who, acting in the public interest, commence actions against businesses offering products for sale in California that contain chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm without first providing the health hazard warning required by Proposition 65. Citizen enforcers bringing Proposition 65 actions in the public interest may obtain a Court Judgment imposing civil penalties, an injunction requiring reformulation of products, and/or provision of health hazard warnings. The Chanler Group has represented citizen enforcers of Proposition 65 for more than twenty years.

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