Thankfully, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), a major source of phthalates, was banned from kids’ toys just last year. Sure, you still have to get rid of older toys and check the ones you buy at consignment shops or yard sales, but it’s still a major victory toward child safety.

PVCs hurt children; it’s that simple. They interact with hormone functioning and are linked to testicular cancer, early onset puberty (which increases breast cancer risk), birth defects and liver problems. Even small amounts of PVC can cause these problems.

PVC doesn’t only contain phthalates, either. They are also a source of lead, cadmium, and organotins, which not only harm kids through touch but are also able to be leached into the air over time. These are not the kinds of things we want in our homes—and definitely not near our kids.

Now it’s time to get these chemicals out of other things our children are in direct contact with every day—such as school supplies. Moms Rising, one of my new favorite organizations, is campaigning for safe school supplies. In fact, it was Moms Rising who spearheaded the campaign that resulted in last year’s banning of PVC in toys—go moms!

You can take action here by signing their petition for PVC-free school supplies. They will be sending the petition to major suppliers and manufacturers of these goods and asking them to go PVC-free.

PVC-free materials are already available; no new technology or funding is needed to make this change. In fact, I’d think it would be cheaper, seeing as products such as paper clips and spiral notebooks are PVC-free until they are coated with coated plastic, which is full of PVC!

We already know that this kind of pressure works; just look at last year’s legislation that resulted from the collective voice of concerned parents across the country. If PVC can be banned from toys, it can certainly be banned from other things, too.

Here are some other products you may wish to avoid, courtesy of Moms Rising via the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice:

• Things labeled “vinyl.” If it’s labeled vinyl, it’s more likely to contain PVC. These include three-ring binders, backpacks, lunchboxes, you name it. The number 3, the letter V, or the letters PVC beneath the symbol for recycling indicate the presence of PVC as well.           
• Notebooks, paperclips, and other coated stuff. If it’s just the metal without coating, you’re good; if it’s coated, it’s probably got PVC.
• Knock-off Crocs. Real crocs don’t have PVC, but the “fake” ones do. Safe bets include Puma, L.L. Bean, and Nike Crocs.

For more tips, download the whole guide here.

And speaking of PVC, I recently wrote an article about sources of lead you may have missed in your home. I neglected to include a big one—your garden hose. Many hoses that are made with PVC contain lead, so be sure not to let your children drink out of the hose.