ARTS & CRAFTS


The "Labeling of Hazardous Art Materials Act" of 1988 required that any art and craft materials that present a chronic hazard bear a WARNING statement of the hazard, and an additional warning that it is inappropriate for use by children. The Law directed the Consumer Product Safety Commission to set guidelines determining whether arts and crafts present chronic long-term hazards to both adults and children. All arts and crafts materials must identify the hazardous ingredients, provide guidelines for safe use, identify that the product complies with Federal law, and provide a telephone number for the consumer to request additional information. This information must appear on the label, the packaging, or the display for the product. Although this law has been in effect for nearly ten years, there are still products on the market, especially imported art products, which are not in compliance.

Permanent felt-tip markers, rubber cement, spray fixatives, powdered clay, and instant papier-mache are standard arts and crafts supplies found in many homes. All of these materials contain chemicals that are hazardous if inhaled, absorbed, or swallowed. Children are especially prone to mishandling, chewing, sucking, inhaling, or swallowing art materials and decorating their hands and faces with them.

The Arts & Crafts Materials Institute has successfully sponsored a certification program, certifying that products are nontoxic and meet quality and performance standards. Products in their certification program which have earned the CP (certified product) or AP (approved product) seal include crayons, water colors, tempera colors, finger paints, chalks, modeling materials, block printing inks and media, drawing inks and media, etching inks and media, screen printing inks and media, school pastes and adhesives, acrylic and oil paints and media, marking crayons, and other art materials. Products bearing the AP seal are nontoxic even if ingested. Those bearing the CP seal are nontoxic even if ingested and meet or exceed specific quality standards of material, workmanship, working qualities, and color. Products without these seals but which state they are "nontoxic" indicate only that the product is not acutely toxic and may still make a person sick if swallowed.

An excellent source on toxic arts and crafts information is a data sheet entitled "Children's Art Supplies Can Be Toxic," published by the Center for Occupational Hazards. To obtain a copy, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your request to 5 Beekman Street, New York, NY 10038.

Use: Carefully read labels to identify products which are certified and approved by the Arts and Crafts Materials Institute. A list of these products can be obtained from the Institute, free of charge, by sending a self addressed, stamped envelope and request to 715 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116.

Refrain from eating or drinking while using these products and wash your hands thoroughly when finished.

Alternatives: In order to choose safe art supplies to keep at home, for school projects, or just for fun, consider the following tips:

Avoid Substitute
... powdered tempera paints, pastels, chalks, or dry markers that create dust ... natural dyes, such as dyes made from vegetables, onions skins, tea, flowers, and other food dyes
... instant paper-mache (may contain asbestos fibers and lead from pigments in colored printing inks) ... paper-mache made from black-and-white newspaper and library paste, white paste, or flour and water paste
... aerosol sprays ... brushes and water-based paints in splatter techniques
... oil-based paints, turpentine, benzene, toluene, and rubber cement and its thinner ... water-based paints, glues, inks, etc.

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