Foam Playmats-Recent Health Warning

[buliej]

Thank goodness for this thread we threw out our foam mats! Don't like taking chances like that esp since there's enough chemicals around to harm us already. We went to the melb baby and toddler show last weekend and got a Dwinguler bubba mat. We got the medium sized one for about $150. Much more expensive than the foam ones but really good quality. It's also much easier to clean as there are no crevices for stuff to be stuck in between. DD loves the colourful pictures and it's got pictures on both sides too.

Caixin - the Dwinguler mats are made of (at least partially) PVC - that's not a chemical that is kid-friendly despite it being "allowed" under various consumer laws.

UPDATE - hmm - did some more research, apparently there are different kinds of PVC...people (i.e., purchasers who review on Amazon) seem to be OK with the type of PVC in these mats...sorry, Caixin!

[CrazyLady]

I think I'll just stick to a mat. Easier to vacuum and drag outside to hose and clean. The thing about the foam is I don't like the way it starts breaking down after wear. Also with the mould incident i'm really put off by anything thicker. The liquid would have been stuck inside and worked out. Rubber backing would be waaaaaaaay better

[Miss.B]

I love my car/train mat ladies. Just a standard kids rug with rubber backing, have had many a spill and the liquid hasn't done any damage to the good carper underneath (good ol rubber backing). I keep seeing those alphabet mats everywhere still, wonder when they are going to pull them off the shelves completely....I actually threw mine out last weekend when we did a big garage clean up. I bet they'll recall them now and I won't get my pennies back!

[LizLemon]

Not sure if someone posted it elsewhere but I only saw this today - issued back in October by Kidsafe...

Kids foam mats declared safe in Australia by the ACCC
Thursday, 13 October 2011 11:42
Kidsafe Victoria welcomes the release of test results detailing the safety levels of the chemical formamide in ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam mats.

The tests were commissioned by the ACCC, Queensland office of Fair Trading and Consumer Affairs Victoria when Kidsafe reported the issue in February 2011. Concerns were raised after the products were banned in parts of Europe.

The ACCC analysed the findings from 16 EVA products purchased in Australia and reported that:

•half of the products tested released no measurable amount of formamide,
•where formamide was present in the products, the amounts released were very small and;
•the potential exposure to children was calculated and determined to be acceptable levels when compared to the internationally recognised lowest-observable-adverse-effect-level (LOAEL) cited in Environment/Health Canada’s Screening Assessment.
The ACCC stated that the foam play mats available in Australia do not pose any health risks to children and are safe to be used for their intended purpose.

[emc2]

My Mum - who has worked with children and babies over the years - she said the main worry with foam is babies swallowing it or choking on pieces of it.