Groups encourage parents to find PVC-free school supplies

A box of donated backpacks
A box of donated backpacks awaits delivery to a homeless shelter in downtown Minneapolis.
MPR Photo/Tom Weber

A coalition of health-focused groups in Minnesota wants parents to use a new guide to find school supplies that are free of the chemical PVC.

The guide lists products like backpacks to lunchboxes and notes which are known to contain the harmful chemicals.

Peter Starzynski with the Healthy Legacy coalition said just about every school supply being used has a healthier alternative.

"You don't have to completely change your lifestyle; that's not what we're asking folks to do. We're just asking folks to buy the safer product," Starzynski said. "You can still use a three-ring binder; you can still have a backpack; you can still use a lunchbox. Just use a cloth lunchbox, or a metal lunchbox."

PVC is a plastic that contains chemicals considered to be potentially toxic, especially to children.

You can read the guide here.

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