while it may seem overkill to worry about seemingly insignificant amounts of a toxic chemical that is claimed to pose no immediate health threat unless heated and ingested, I do believe it is appropriate to treat the topic seriously and free from levity when it comes to the health and safety of children (and people in general). Sometimes we must even "overshoot" our safety margin to make sure there is a clear buffer zone of safety precautions in place. At the same time, we shouldn't jump the gun before we have all known facts in place. Ultimately it is up to the consumers, and parents, to be aware of hazards and protect themselves, but the responsibility to minimize risks in the products and provide truthful information about the risks is the duty of the industry and agencies designed to enforce health/safety standards.
Personally, I'm not 100% comfortable with most standards (including FDA standards) when they say a certain product is considered "safe" because it only contains a negligible amount of toxin that falls below minimum requirements that would warrant being deemed "unsafe." However, in an industrial world where most of our modern commodities are NOT made from natural materials, we sort of have to accept that toxins are present in almost everything we use or consume..... unless you start your own commune in a remote area untouched by modern industrialism, grow your own 100% organic vegatables and livestock, and hand-craft everything from natural elements like wood and other materials. And I don't mean to be facetious or sarcastic when I suggest that; some people actually go and do the whole "green" thing all the way. Really, that's how the entire world SHOULD be. Toxins shouldn't be present in our lives at all, if you ask me.
The sad reality of it is, though, we have grown, as a society, to become reliant on modern industrial convenience, and would be hard pressed to completely revert to a more simpler life going "green." Heck, my ability to even type this silicon-based message on a plastic keyboard goes against green in every way. Once this keyboard is broken, it will occupy a landfill, chemicals will be released into the atmosphere from the plastic as the sun hits it, and the toxins in the circuit boards will seep into the ground and contaminate ground water and surrounding environment.
Playmobil containing a toxin, but below percentages that would pose a risk is just part of our modern convenience package.
The real question I have is this: is there a way to have the best of BOTH worlds? Can we find new ways to enjoy modern convenience, but WITHOUT incorporating ANY (as in not even 1%) dangerous man-made toxins into our environments, our inventions, our homes & families, or, in this case, the toys that find there way into the hands (and sometimes mouths) of our children?
