Nursery World - Shops to cut chemicals in baby goods

Sixteen high street retailers have backed a Friends of the Earth campaign to phase out risky chemicals from the products they sell. According to the environmental organisation, a cocktail of chemicals can be found in everyday products including baby bottles, dummies, clothes and toys. Children's equipment manufacturers the Early Learning Centre and Mothercare are among retailers who have signed the Friends of the Earth Safer Chemicals Pledge. This commits them to identify which of their products contain risky chemicals and to phase them out from their own-brand goods within five years.

Children's equipment manufacturers the Early Learning Centre and Mothercare are among retailers who have signed the Friends of the Earth Safer Chemicals Pledge. This commits them to identify which of their products contain risky chemicals and to phase them out from their own-brand goods within five years.

Friends of the Earth sent questionnaires to retailers asking about chemicals in their products. Ikea, Body Shop and Marks & Spencer came out top for their strong commitment to reducing use of risky chemicals. The Early Learning Centre and Mothercare came sixth and twentieth in the league table respectively.

The Early Learning Centre acknowledged that phthalates could be found in some of its products. Phthalates are used as softeners in toys made of PVC plastic and are suspected of causing cancer, kidney damage and disruption of the body's hormone system.

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