A year-long report has identified nearly 50 items sold at popular dollar stores across the country that contain harmful chemicals.
Experts from the Campaign for Healthier Solutions (CHS) utilized several different methods to test hundreds of products for traces of chemicals.
There are ways for consumers to still shop at dollar stores, while avoiding some of the harmful chemicals.
A new year-long study from the Campaign for Healthier Solutions (CHS) claims that many popular products found at the biggest dollar store chains across the country contain toxic chemicals.
The report showed that nearly 50 personal care, baby, beauty, and cleaning products were found to have toxic chemicals. Many of these products were kids’ toys or baby products, which raises concerns for parents – especially parents of young kids, who often put things in their mouths.
“In nearly every aisle of the dollar store you can still find products containing chemicals that could pose health risks to families and children,” José Bravo, national coordinator of the campaign for healthier solutions said in a news release. “But we know healthier dollar stores are possible.”
Identifying the risks
For the report, the researchers assessed 130 products commonly found in dollar stores. They spanned several different categories, including cleaning products, beauty products and baby products.
The team used the Clearya mobile app to determine the chemical make-up of each of the products involved in the study. Clearya is a consumer app and website where users scan bar codes of cleaning, beauty, or baby products, to determine if they contain harmful chemicals.
The second part of the study came from consumers sending in reports to the Ecology Center lab. Nearly 220 products were purchased by consumers across the country, and experts scanned the products for lead, PVC, and bisphenol S (BPS).
Which products to avoid
Ultimately, the report identified 46 items that contain harmful chemicals. Some of the biggest concerns include:
Formaldehyde-releaser: The report found that a specific baby lotion found in many dollar stores contains the formaldehyde-relaser diazolidinyl urea. These chemicals have been found to increase the risk of cancer.
Lead: Items found at many dollar stores – particularly in children’s toys – had traces of lead. Electronic toys were the biggest culprits – light-up bracelets, candy pails, plastic roses, and more.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): Also known as “the poison plastic,” this chemical was found in nearly two dozen children’s toys on dollar store shelves.
Bisphenol-S (BPS): Receipts from Dollar Tree and Dollar General contained traces of BPS, which can increase the risk of reproductive issues and breast cancer.
"Busy parents shouldn't have to scan the ingredients list of every product they buy to make sure it's safe for our families,” Yolanda Brown Alston, director of workforce programs at Harambee House, said in a news release. “Dollar stores need to step up on chemical safety and provide quality products that add value to our communities.”
Tips to stay safe while shopping at dollar stores
While the CHS is urging dollar stores to pull these contaminated items from shelves, they also offer consumers options for staying chemical-free while shopping at dollar stores.
For starters, experts encourage consumers to download an app like Clearya, as this can help identify products that are safe to use.
The report also recommends that consumers avoid purchasing costume jewelry and electronics from dollar stores, as these may contain dangerous chemicals in interior parts.
When it comes to chemical-laden receipts, the CHS suggests consumers either skip the receipt altogether, or wash their hands after handling receipts.
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