Some car seats leach toxic chemicals, says new report
Car seats have joined baby bottles and bath toys on the ever-growing list of Evil Things You’re Subjecting Your Child To. The Michigan-based Ecology Center tested 62 models of tot-toters, finding that about a third can leach chemicals such as chlorine, bromine, and lead. The center, which released a study on the toxicity of car interiors in March, obviously doesn’t advocate that you bear your babes on your lap, Britney-style. “Car seats save lives. It’s absolutely essential that parents put their children in them while driving,” says the group’s Jeff Gearhart, but “some car seats are safer than others when it comes to chemical composition.” So go for a seat found to be less likely to afflict your angel, like the Graco SnugRide Emerson or EvenFlo Discovery Churchill. (Who comes up with these names?) To reduce degradation, the report suggests parking out of direct sunlight, opening car windows, cleaning regularly, and limiting junior’s time in the seat. It’s all about less driving, peeps.
