The agency reported on tests conducted on dozens of products purchased at popular stores with Canadian dollars.  One in four of the products tested tested positive for substances managed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.  Many of the findings were within permissible limits, but the report says those limits are not strong enough.
The outer ring in a set of stereo headphones was found to have 24 times the legal limit for lead and five times the legal limit for cadmium.
The solder inside the same headphones had 170 times more than is considered safe on the outside of the headphones.  Solder on a separate set of earphones had 3,000 times the amount of lead allowed in accessible parts.
But welding is not covered by the regulations, a loophole that Environmental Defense insists must be filled.
Cassie Barker, toxics manager for Environmental Defence, said indoor lead can still be exposed if products are broken or worn.
“The way kids use products and you know they break things and so that internal (lead) quickly becomes an external lead,” he said.
Toxic damage from lead poisoning has been documented for more than 50 years.  It can cause significant cognitive and developmental delays in young children with high exposure and can pose risks of high blood pressure and kidney damage in adults.  Its use in petrol, food cans and paints has been banned.
Cadmium, often found in batteries, coatings and plastic stabilizers, is a known carcinogen.
Barker said the headphones, which exceeded the permissible limits for both metals, are proof that monitoring and enforcement of toxics regulations needs to be strengthened.
“Obviously, retailers shouldn’t shirk their responsibility to have safe products on their shelves,” he said, but regulators leave “big loopholes” for dollar stores.
Other products that raised concerns for Environmental Protection were food containers lined with bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA.  The chemical, which helps make plastics harder, was added to Canada’s toxics list in 2010 after studies linked it to prostate disease, breast cancer, infertility and behavioral problems in children.  In the same year, baby bottles and other plastic baby products were banned.
But it’s still allowed in products like canned food, Barker said.  Some companies have moved away from using the substance itself, but 60 percent of the boxes the agency tested contained it.
The report calls on Environment Canada to require companies to label all hazardous ingredients in products, including those hidden inside electronics or used in packaging.  It also recommends more regulatory enforcement and product testing so that harmful products can be identified before they hit store shelves.
Barker said the tests were done on items from dollar stores because such stores are often the only option for people with low incomes or in marginalized communities.
Environmental Defense provided its report to the companies whose stores it visited, including Dollar Tree and Dollarama.  A statement from Dollar Tree said a similar study in the United States two years ago prompted it to remove 17 chemicals from its products.
A statement from Dollarama said, “consumer product safety is our highest priority and we have strict procedures and controls to monitor product safety and quality.  The four categories of Dollarama products identified in the report (stereo headphones, headphones, pencil case and activity tracker) meet applicable Canadian product regulations and are safe to use for their intended purposes.”
The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which governs toxic chemicals in Canada, is in the middle of an update.
Legislation that would enshrine the right to a healthy environment into law for the first time passed the Senate this spring, although the law does not define what a “healthy environment” means.
Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeau said in an interview that he was open to additional changes to the bill, which is expected to be debated in the House of Commons this fall.
Guilbeault said he had not yet read the Environmental Defense report and could not comment on its specific findings.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 31, 2022.

title: “Toxic Chemicals Commonly Found In Dollar Store Items Tests Show Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-21” author: “April Reyes”

The agency reported on tests conducted on dozens of products purchased at popular stores with Canadian dollars.  One in four of the products tested tested positive for substances managed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.  Many of the findings were within permissible limits, but the report says those limits are not strong enough.
The outer ring in a set of stereo headphones was found to have 24 times the legal limit for lead and five times the legal limit for cadmium.
The solder inside the same headphones had 170 times more than is considered safe on the outside of the headphones.  Solder on a separate set of earphones had 3,000 times the amount of lead allowed in accessible parts.
But welding is not covered by the regulations, a loophole that Environmental Defense insists must be filled.
Cassie Barker, toxics manager for Environmental Defence, said indoor lead can still be exposed if products are broken or worn.
“The way kids use products and you know they break things and so that internal (lead) quickly becomes an external lead,” he said.
Toxic damage from lead poisoning has been documented for more than 50 years.  It can cause significant cognitive and developmental delays in young children with high exposure and can pose risks of high blood pressure and kidney damage in adults.  Its use in petrol, food cans and paints has been banned.
Cadmium, often found in batteries, coatings and plastic stabilizers, is a known carcinogen.
Barker said the headphones, which exceeded the permissible limits for both metals, are proof that monitoring and enforcement of toxics regulations needs to be strengthened.
“Obviously, retailers shouldn’t shirk their responsibility to have safe products on their shelves,” he said, but regulators leave “big loopholes” for dollar stores.
Other products that raised concerns for Environmental Protection were food containers lined with bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA.  The chemical, which helps make plastics harder, was added to Canada’s toxics list in 2010 after studies linked it to prostate disease, breast cancer, infertility and behavioral problems in children.  In the same year, baby bottles and other plastic baby products were banned.
But it’s still allowed in products like canned food, Barker said.  Some companies have moved away from using the substance itself, but 60 percent of the boxes the agency tested contained it.
The report calls on Environment Canada to require companies to label all hazardous ingredients in products, including those hidden inside electronics or used in packaging.  It also recommends more regulatory enforcement and product testing so that harmful products can be identified before they hit store shelves.
Barker said the tests were done on items from dollar stores because such stores are often the only option for people with low incomes or in marginalized communities.
Environmental Defense provided its report to the companies whose stores it visited, including Dollar Tree and Dollarama.  A statement from Dollar Tree said a similar study in the United States two years ago prompted it to remove 17 chemicals from its products.
A statement from Dollarama said, “consumer product safety is our highest priority and we have strict procedures and controls to monitor product safety and quality.  The four categories of Dollarama products identified in the report (stereo headphones, headphones, pencil case and activity tracker) meet applicable Canadian product regulations and are safe to use for their intended purposes.”
The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which governs toxic chemicals in Canada, is in the middle of an update.
Legislation that would enshrine the right to a healthy environment into law for the first time passed the Senate this spring, although the law does not define what a “healthy environment” means.
Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeau said in an interview that he was open to additional changes to the bill, which is expected to be debated in the House of Commons this fall.
Guilbeault said he had not yet read the Environmental Defense report and could not comment on its specific findings.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 31, 2022.

title: “Toxic Chemicals Commonly Found In Dollar Store Items Tests Show Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-29” author: “Amanda Delaney”

The agency reported on tests conducted on dozens of products purchased at popular stores with Canadian dollars.  One in four of the products tested tested positive for substances managed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.  Many of the findings were within permissible limits, but the report says those limits are not strong enough.
The outer ring in a set of stereo headphones was found to have 24 times the legal limit for lead and five times the legal limit for cadmium.
The solder inside the same headphones had 170 times more than is considered safe on the outside of the headphones.  Solder on a separate set of earphones had 3,000 times the amount of lead allowed in accessible parts.
But welding is not covered by the regulations, a loophole that Environmental Defense insists must be filled.
Cassie Barker, toxics manager for Environmental Defence, said indoor lead can still be exposed if products are broken or worn.
“The way kids use products and you know they break things and so that internal (lead) quickly becomes an external lead,” he said.
Toxic damage from lead poisoning has been documented for more than 50 years.  It can cause significant cognitive and developmental delays in young children with high exposure and can pose risks of high blood pressure and kidney damage in adults.  Its use in petrol, food cans and paints has been banned.
Cadmium, often found in batteries, coatings and plastic stabilizers, is a known carcinogen.
Barker said the headphones, which exceeded the permissible limits for both metals, are proof that monitoring and enforcement of toxics regulations needs to be strengthened.
“Obviously, retailers shouldn’t shirk their responsibility to have safe products on their shelves,” he said, but regulators leave “big loopholes” for dollar stores.
Other products that raised concerns for Environmental Protection were food containers lined with bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA.  The chemical, which helps make plastics harder, was added to Canada’s toxics list in 2010 after studies linked it to prostate disease, breast cancer, infertility and behavioral problems in children.  In the same year, baby bottles and other plastic baby products were banned.
But it’s still allowed in products like canned food, Barker said.  Some companies have moved away from using the substance itself, but 60 percent of the boxes the agency tested contained it.
The report calls on Environment Canada to require companies to label all hazardous ingredients in products, including those hidden inside electronics or used in packaging.  It also recommends more regulatory enforcement and product testing so that harmful products can be identified before they hit store shelves.
Barker said the tests were done on items from dollar stores because such stores are often the only option for people with low incomes or in marginalized communities.
Environmental Defense provided its report to the companies whose stores it visited, including Dollar Tree and Dollarama.  A statement from Dollar Tree said a similar study in the United States two years ago prompted it to remove 17 chemicals from its products.
A statement from Dollarama said, “consumer product safety is our highest priority and we have strict procedures and controls to monitor product safety and quality.  The four categories of Dollarama products identified in the report (stereo headphones, headphones, pencil case and activity tracker) meet applicable Canadian product regulations and are safe to use for their intended purposes.”
The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which governs toxic chemicals in Canada, is in the middle of an update.
Legislation that would enshrine the right to a healthy environment into law for the first time passed the Senate this spring, although the law does not define what a “healthy environment” means.
Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeau said in an interview that he was open to additional changes to the bill, which is expected to be debated in the House of Commons this fall.
Guilbeault said he had not yet read the Environmental Defense report and could not comment on its specific findings.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 31, 2022.

title: “Toxic Chemicals Commonly Found In Dollar Store Items Tests Show Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-09” author: “Emma Hansen”

The agency reported on tests conducted on dozens of products purchased at popular stores with Canadian dollars.  One in four of the products tested tested positive for substances managed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.  Many of the findings were within permissible limits, but the report says those limits are not strong enough.
The outer ring in a set of stereo headphones was found to have 24 times the legal limit for lead and five times the legal limit for cadmium.
The solder inside the same headphones had 170 times more than is considered safe on the outside of the headphones.  Solder on a separate set of earphones had 3,000 times the amount of lead allowed in accessible parts.
But welding is not covered by the regulations, a loophole that Environmental Defense insists must be filled.
Cassie Barker, toxics manager for Environmental Defence, said indoor lead can still be exposed if products are broken or worn.
“The way kids use products and you know they break things and so that internal (lead) quickly becomes an external lead,” he said.
Toxic damage from lead poisoning has been documented for more than 50 years.  It can cause significant cognitive and developmental delays in young children with high exposure and can pose risks of high blood pressure and kidney damage in adults.  Its use in petrol, food cans and paints has been banned.
Cadmium, often found in batteries, coatings and plastic stabilizers, is a known carcinogen.
Barker said the headphones, which exceeded the permissible limits for both metals, are proof that monitoring and enforcement of toxics regulations needs to be strengthened.
“Obviously, retailers shouldn’t shirk their responsibility to have safe products on their shelves,” he said, but regulators leave “big loopholes” for dollar stores.
Other products that raised concerns for Environmental Protection were food containers lined with bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA.  The chemical, which helps make plastics harder, was added to Canada’s toxics list in 2010 after studies linked it to prostate disease, breast cancer, infertility and behavioral problems in children.  In the same year, baby bottles and other plastic baby products were banned.
But it’s still allowed in products like canned food, Barker said.  Some companies have moved away from using the substance itself, but 60 percent of the boxes the agency tested contained it.
The report calls on Environment Canada to require companies to label all hazardous ingredients in products, including those hidden inside electronics or used in packaging.  It also recommends more regulatory enforcement and product testing so that harmful products can be identified before they hit store shelves.
Barker said the tests were done on items from dollar stores because such stores are often the only option for people with low incomes or in marginalized communities.
Environmental Defense provided its report to the companies whose stores it visited, including Dollar Tree and Dollarama.  A statement from Dollar Tree said a similar study in the United States two years ago prompted it to remove 17 chemicals from its products.
A statement from Dollarama said, “consumer product safety is our highest priority and we have strict procedures and controls to monitor product safety and quality.  The four categories of Dollarama products identified in the report (stereo headphones, headphones, pencil case and activity tracker) meet applicable Canadian product regulations and are safe to use for their intended purposes.”
The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which governs toxic chemicals in Canada, is in the middle of an update.
Legislation that would enshrine the right to a healthy environment into law for the first time passed the Senate this spring, although the law does not define what a “healthy environment” means.
Environment Minister Stephen Guilbeau said in an interview that he was open to additional changes to the bill, which is expected to be debated in the House of Commons this fall.
Guilbeault said he had not yet read the Environmental Defense report and could not comment on its specific findings.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 31, 2022.