The Barnes Firm

Carcinogens Found in 75 Percent of Children’s Car Seats

• April 18, 2017
• Sandy

SAN FRANCISCO – Parents are faced with more choices every day but it’s often difficult to come to the best conclusions: what’s healthiest for your child? Is this toy safe? Will this car seat withstand a crash?

More than ever, parents are also asking whether children’s products could expose their child to dangerous and harmful chemicals known as carcinogens. Despite efforts to eliminate these chemicals from children’s products such as car seats, new research from the Ecology Center has found that most manufacturers do little to reduce a child’s exposure.

A Bay Area dangerous toys lawyer at The Barnes Firm says federal laws require manufacturers to make children’s car seats flame-resistant – and potentially harmful chemicals are can accomplish this task at a low cost.

“Since some dangerous chemicals are the cheapest way to make the seats conform to federal standards, many parents could unknowingly be placing their children in dangerous car seats in the Bay Area,” dangerous toys attorney Landon Vivian said. “These companies are often poorly regulated and consumers have a right to question the health consequences of these products.”

According to the Ecology Center, almost 75-percent of the car seats tested contained hazardous flame retardants including bromine, chlorine, lead, and other heavy metals.

“Many of these substances have been linked to thyroid complications, learning disabilities and cancers,” Vivian said. “Yet, some of these car seats are marketed to parents as ‘safe’ or ‘green’ products.”

Journalists at CBS recently investigated car seats made by Orbit Baby, a California-based manufacturer that once marketed its car seats as the gold standard in “green” car seats. As such, Orbit became an expensive hit amongst celebrities and health-conscious moms willing to pay top-dollar to protect their kids.

The investigation discovered that Orbit’s car seat-stroller combos tested positive for chlorinated Tris, a recognized carcinogen in the state of California. Since the investigation, Orbit has changed some of its claims on its website.

Orbit told reporters that it “prohibits halogenated flame retardants…” and it does its “own testing (at) independent, accredited laboratories.”

When reporters asked Orbit if its own testing discovered its products contained Tris or other harmful chemicals, the company did not comment.

Researchers concluded many car seat manufacturers do a better job at protecting consumers from dangerous flame-resistant chemicals. Britax and Clek were among the tested car seats to be considered “the best” car seats of 2015, according to the Ecology Center.

Dangerous toys lawyers at The Barnes Firm strongly urge parents to do their own, independent research before committing hundreds or thousands of dollars to a high-end car seat marketed as “safe” or “chemical-free.”

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