Toronto Water Lead Testing

Back in October 2008, we'd had our water tested for lead levels by the city, and blogged about it. A recent study has implied that if you have a partial pipe replacement at your home, your lead levels may spike rather than going down, and that it might be better to leave old lead pipes in place than to replace part of the pipe (although a full replacement is still an improvement).

Having read this, I inquired if a friend had had his area's pipes replaced, and when he said that they had, I suggested he consider getting his water tested. I pointed him to our blog post and he looked into it, and has discovered that the process has changed somewhat. When we had our water tested, the city dropped off a sample bottle and picked it up again. Now, you have to go and pick up the bottle and drop it off, which is probably a sensible optimization on the city's part, although it is obviously less convenient. The locations and process are are documented on the City of Toronto website.

So if you're interested in having your lead level tested in Toronto or if you've had a partial pipe replacement, this might be a good time to go read up on getting your lead level tested.

Toy Thursday - Non-toxic toys

Instead of talking about one toy this week I want to bring up the subject of what is a non-toxic toy. In another post I will look at what makes a toy green; so this post is strictly about chemicals and toxins.

Everyday we make purchases and decisions on behalf of our little ones from what clothing will they wear; to what will they eat; to what will they play with; and everything else they do. Our children are our responsibility and it's up to us to ensure they are safe.

You would think that if a toy has been approved for sale in Canada that it is safe for play; think again everyday toys are recalled. The recalls catch the toys that don't meet the governments standards but are the standards high enough?

Let's look at various toxins that can be found in toys: (because Christophe keeps me extra busy, I am going yo divide this post in sections each one talking about a toxin)

This weeks toxin is - LEAD

We all know lead is bad, it can be found in your water supply, old construction materials, and paint in your home, it has also been known to turn up in painted toys and kids jewelry.

"Scientists have found there is no safe level of lead for children - even the smallest amount effects a child's ability to learn. Children are more vulnerable than adults to lead. Lead impacts brain development, causing learning and developmental problems including decreased IQ scores, shorter attention spans, and delayed learning" 1

Because lead is a natural element it is found in almost everything around us, trace amounts are probably in all toys. What you want is that your toy does not leach lead. Well this should not only apply to toys but to everything in your home; but we are talking about toys.

How do I avoid lead toys, unless you personally test all your toys for lead there is no way of being 100% certain that your child does not own a toy that contains lead but there are ways you can reduce the chance of this happening.

1. avoid buying no-name brand toys
2. avoid buying toys from the dollar store - they are notorious for recalls
3. do not buy second hand toys that have metal bits or paint unless you know the manufacturer. This way you can look up the toy to see if it has ever been recall
4. do not buy metal jewelry - especial cheep jewelry - for young children. Over 20% of children jewelry contain lead.
5. buy a home lead kit test and test some of your toys, the results may surprise you. (I hope that you do not find any lead in your toys buy I would not count on it)
6. my last tip is use your common sens, check up on the company see if they have had recalls in the past for lead, if so how many, how long ago. If the company has a bad reputation and lots of recalls I would personally avoid purchasing from them.

Number 5 said to get a lead paint test kit, these can be purchased at most reputable paint stores.

Additional reading:
Lead saftey in Toys
A third of toys contain detectable lead
Consumer Product Recalls
Product Recalls
Healthy Toys

I leave you with this question: Have you ever had experience with lead in toys? do you have tips on how to help to avoid lead in toys?

1 - Healthy Toys

Eco Friendly Fridays

This one is a bit more about your families health, but is also about the environment. Get your water tested for lead if you have an old home. Many old homes have lead pipes leading into the house from the cities water main. In Toronto it's easy; if your home was built before 1955 all you need to do is send an email to waterqualityline@toronto.ca with the following information:

• contact person
• address
• nearest major intersection
• contact phone number

One of the city's Samplers will drop off a sample bottle with instructions in 6 - 8 weeks (from time of request). All you need to do is collect the sample as directed and leave it out for pickup on the date indicated on the instruction sheet.

In the meantime, if you suspect lead in your drinking water, you may filter your water (a filter certified to remove lead ie. Faucet-attached Brita Filters remove 90%+ lead) or drink bottled water, until test results are determined.

You may also contact a Public Health Inspector at 416-338-7600 for more information on the health risks associated with lead.

I strongly recommend anyone that has small children and an old home to do this.

If you do not live in Toronto I would recommend to contact your city all and ask what is the procedure for your city.

As it stands we are waiting for our sample bottle I will keep you posted on the results once we have them.