Baby bibs, blankets contain toxins Canada banned in other products: report
OTTAWA — Baby bibs, mats and blankets tested by scientists with NAFTA’s environmental arm contain toxic chemicals linked to higher rates of cancer, infertility and suppressed immune systems — substances already banned from most other products in Canada.
Muhannad Malas, the toxics program manager at Environmental Defence, says the Commission for Environmental Co-operation study shows it’s time to do away with the federal exemptions that allow the use of such chemicals in clothes and other textiles.
And Environment Minister Catherine McKenna’s ongoing review of Canada’s law that governs toxic chemical use offers a perfect opportunity to address concerns raised by the study, Malas said in an interview.
The chemicals, known broadly as PFAS, are synthetic substances created mostly in the 1950s for a number of purposes in consumer and industrial products, such as non-stick surfaces and stain, water and fire resistance.