A chara, - I would like to respond to the report by Christine Newman and Joe Humphreys about the safety of soft PVC toys (The Irish Times, December 19th).
Reports that soft PVC toys may leech toxic phthalates when sucked by children highlight just one of the dangers of PVC. PVC is also associated with the group of highly toxic chemicals known as dioxins, which are produced during its manufacture and disposal. Both phthalates and dioxins negatively affect reproduction and the endocrine system. Dioxin is also a human carcinogen.
VOICE is therefore calling for a phase-out of PVC, not simply a phase-out of all products containing phthalates, as quoted in the above-mentioned report. However as 90 per cent of phthalates produced globally go into PVC, a phase-out of PVC would substantially help to reduce phthalates, which are presently released into the environment in huge quantities. The campaign against PVC is growing and this summer a Swedish government committee recommended a phase-out by 2007. - Yours, etc,
From Iva Pocock
Campaign Coordinator, VOICE, Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2.