According to Paracelsus (1493-1541),
who is considered the father of toxicology “All Substances are
poison: there is none which is not a poison, the right dose differentiates
a poison and a remedy.” This concept is being upheld today by
most modern scientists. Info. Tox. International, Inc. also agrees to
this concept and believes that depending on the dose, all art materials
can be toxic or harmless.
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How
regulators define Toxics?
National Institute of Health defines
“toxicity” as a capacity or property of a substance to cause
adverse effects.
Under the Federal Hazardous Substance
Act (FHSA) any substance or mixture of substances which (i) is toxic
. . . if such substance or mixture of substances may cause substantial
personal injury or substantial illness during or as a proximate result
of any customary or reasonably foreseeable handling or use, including
reasonably foreseeable ingestion by children." This definition
encompasses two components: that the substance is "toxic"
and that its reasonably foreseeable or customary use may cause substantial
personal injury or illness.
Section 2(g) of the FHSA defines
the term "toxic" very broadly as "any substance . . .
which has the capacity to produce personal injury or illness to man
through ingestion, inhalation, or absorption through any body surface."
This broad statutory definition covers both acute and chronic toxicity.
The CPSC issued a supplemental definition which clarified that chronically
toxic substances are "toxic" (and must be labeled appropriately)
under the FHSA. These supplemental definitions discussed the particular
chronic hazards of cancer, neurotoxicity, and developmental or reproductive
toxicity. However, the definition is not limited to only these hazards.
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Who
else may be exposed while you are working?
Artists working with art materials
will not be the only ones potentially exposed to art materials or their
components (direct exposure). Individuals who will be in close vicinity
of the artists while working or will be in or near their work areas
will also be exposed to a certain extent (indirect exposure). An important
example of such individuals is unborn and small children. An artist,
who is pregnant or a nursing mother, may unknowingly be exposing her
child to art materials or their components. Such exposures may play
a significant adverse role in the future development of these children.
These exposures can be especially harmful for organic volatiles and/or
certain fat soluble chemicals because these chemicals may accumulate
(concentrate) in fatty tissue including the brain.
Research done by Dr. Gulzar Ahmad,
Dr. Halsall and Dr. Bondy at the Occupational Health Center, Department
of Community and Environmental Medicine, University of California, Irvine
and published in Brain Research, 415 (1987) 194-196, have shown that
some of the chemicals can concentrate in fetal brains and this concentration
can be many times higher that that found in their mother’s brain.
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What is “Acute
Hazard” labeling?
Before 1970 the only warning required
on art materials (and other consumer products) was for acute hazards,
that is, from a single exposure. The Federal Hazardous Substances Act,
required only acute toxicity tests for a single dose, ingestion, inhalation,
skin absorption, and eye contact. If less than half the animals died
within two weeks at a dose rate of 5 grams per kilogram of body weight,
then the material could be labeled "non-toxic". For example
under this law, asbestos could have been labeled non-toxic because it
wouldn't kill you in two weeks. These warning labels for products with
acute hazards were required to contain the following:
1. The name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, distributor,
or seller
2. The common or usual or chemical name of each substance contributing
substantially to the hazard
3. The signal word "DANGER" for extremely flammable, corrosive
or highly toxic substances
4. The signal word "WARNING" or "CAUTION" on other
hazardous substances
5. A statement of the principal hazards
6. Precautionary measures
7. First-aid instructions
8. The word "poison" for highly toxic substances
9. Instructions for special handling and storage
10. The statement "Keep out of the reach of children" or equivalent,
if intended for children, adequate precautions for safe use by children.
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What is “Chronic
Hazard” labeling?
Labeling of HAZARDOUS ART MATERIALS
ACT (LHAMA) and the standard it mandates provides certain requirements
for art materials. Under these requirements, the producer or repackager
of an art material must submit the product's formulation to a toxicologist
who will review the formulation to determine if the art material has
potential to produce chronic adverse health effects through customary
or reasonably foreseeable use. If the toxicologist does determine that
the art material has this potential, the toxicologist will recommend
appropriate hazard labeling, and the producer or repackager must use
suitable labeling on the product. The producer or manufacturer of the
art material must submit to the Commission the criteria the toxicologist
uses to determine whether the producer/repackager’s product presents
a chronic hazard and a list of art materials that require chronic hazard
labeling. If no chronic hazard labeling is needed, a conformance statement
(CONFORMS TO ASTM D-4236) indicating that the product has been reviewed
in accordance with the standard as required must appear on or with the
product. Please note that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
does not endorse any logo.
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Read
and understand labels.
Users of art materials are advised to read the labels and check the
presence of the conformance statement (CONFORMS TO ASTM D-4236) on their
art material packages before buying, rather than just relying on “NON-TOXIC”
labels or logos. This suggestion is in line with a team of experts at
the California Department of Health Services, according to which labels
declaring many children’s art supplies as “NONTOXIC”
may provide only an illusion of safety for parents and teachers or may
even provide misleading and possibly dangerous information.
For children and persons who can
not read and understand labels, a competent adult must provide appropriate
supervision.
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Pay attention
to “Signal Words” on labels
If the labels are prepared according
to the requirements of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act and the
Labeling of Hazardous Art Materials Act of 1988, then signal words (e.g.,
“CAUTION” or “DANGER”) on the labels of your
art materials should be your first alert as to whether the material
is hazardous. Please note that the Federal Hazardous Substance Act (FHSA)
does not require manufacturers to use a particular, federally approved
label, rather it permits manufacturers to decide on the specific language.
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Pay attention to “Label Messages”
and take necessary precautions
Except for the signal words, the
Federal Hazardous Substance Act (FHSA) generally does not require particular
label language and permits manufacturers to decide on the specific language.
However, where labeling cannot adequately protect the public, the CPSC
can ban a hazardous substance.
Section 2(p) (1) of the FHSA requires hazardous substances to bear certain
types of label messages. If you find any of these messages on your label,
then you are advised to take them seriously and take necessary precautions.
Some of the label messages are given below:
o Examples of Risk Phrases
Toxic by ingestion
Toxic by Inhalation
Flammable
Highly flammable
Harmful by inhalation
Harmful in contact with skin
Irritating to eyes
Irritating to eyes and skin
May cause cancer
o Examples of Safety Phrases:
Read, understand
and apply safety instructions found in the MSDSs
Material Safety Data Sheets are normally
available for most art materials. Artists are suggested to carefully
read, understand and use the safety precautions given in the respective
MSDSs. Artists must also be aware that some of the MSDS are better prepared
than others. If artists find that the MSDS accompanying the art materials
they bought do not provide adequate information, they may contact the
manufacturer for additional information.
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Buy art materials
carrying “CONFORMS TO ASTM D-4236” on the label
Parents and guardians should buy
art materials marked with conformance statement “CONFORMS TO ASTM
D-4236”. This statement indicates that the formulations have been
reviewed by a Board Certified Toxicologist for chronic toxicity and
an appropriate label, if necessary, has been recommended.
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Use
of Standard Hygiene Practices
Artists are strongly recommended
to apply standard hygiene practices while working with art materials.
Pregnant and nursing mothers working with art materials are advised
to be extra careful. Some of the standard practices are given below:
• Washing hands after use of art material
• Avoiding contact with eyes, skin and clothing
• Avoiding inhalation (breathing) of fumes
• Not eating, not drinking, and not smoking while working with
art materials
• Not applying cosmetics while working with art material
• Using well ventilated areas for art materials containing organic
volatiles
• Keeping art supplies away from small children
• Spray paints must be used in negatively exhausted hoods or in
open air areas, with the draft directed away from yourself and/or from
other individuals
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Why you should
buy products approved by Info. Tox. International, Inc. (ITI)
Highly Qualified Technical Staff
Info. Tox. International Inc. has
a highly qualified technical staff. This staff includes a Board Certified
Toxicologist, a EUROTOX Registered Toxicologist, a Certified Safety
Assessor for cosmetics (under European Directive), a Certified Hazardous
Materials Manager, a Board Certified Industrial Hygienist and a physician
who is also registered EUROTOX toxicologist. These professionals have
many years of experience in performing safety evaluations of consumer
products including art materials.
Effective Quality Control
Info. Tox. International, Inc has
an effective quality control procedure. When there is a difference of
opinion, it may send jobs to third parties for toxicological evaluations
and compare their findings with its own. This is done with consents
from its clients (confidentiality agreement required). The final conclusion
is then based on mutual consensus of ITI technical staff.
Strict Confidentiality
Info. Tox. International Inc. keeps
client formulations strictly confidential.
Propagates use of Food Grade or GRAS ingredients
in small Children Products
Info.Tox. International, Inc encourages
the use of food grade or Generally-Recognized-As-Safe (GRAS) ingredients
in art materials, especially those intended for small children. Whenever
a comparatively hazardous material is found in a certain formulation,
our toxicologist will contact the client and persuade him/her to use
a safer ingredient. This policy not only assures safer products for
children but also ensure compliance to the Federal Hazardous Substance
Act (FHSA), including Labeling of the Hazardous Art Materials Act (LHAMA).
Free use of its Logo
Info. Tox. International Inc. allows
its clients use its seal free of charge. According to the US Consumer
Product Safety Commission, FHSA does not prohibit certifying organizations
from developing seals to use as their certifying mark (Letter from CPSC
to ITI, dated October 12, 2005). Info. Tox. International, Inc. believes
that this certifying mark should not be used as a marketing gimmick
and may not be presented as if they have to do something with government
approval.
The seal developed by Info. Tox.
International, Inc. ensures that the formulations are reviewed according
to the regulation and that the products are safe for its intended use,
under customary or reasonably foreseeable handling.
Member Youth Education Motivation Program
Dr. Gulzar Ahmad has been a member
of the Youth Education Motivation Program (YEMP). This complimentary
safety informational package has been prepared by info. Tox. International,
Inc (ITI) as an ongoing effort to educate consumers, artists, parents,
teachers and students about hazards of art materials and the steps they
can take to minimize the hazards. Info. Tox. International, Inc. believes
in consumer safety and since its inception in 1987, it has evaluated
the safety of thousands of consumer products sold around the world.
These products include Art materials, Cosmetics, Tattoos, and hygiene
products.
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Basic acronyms
which will enhance the understating of this article
Acute; Occurring
over a short time [compare with chronic].
Acute exposure; Contact
with a substance that occurs once or for only a short time (up to 14
days) [compare with intermediate duration exposure and chronic exposure].
Body burden; the
total amount of a substance in the body. Some substances build up in
the body because they are stored in fat or bone or because they leave
the body very slowly.
Cancer; Any one
of a group of diseases that occur when cells in the body become abnormal
and grow or multiply out of control.
Carcinogen; A substance
that causes cancer.
CAS number; Chemical
Abstract Service number
Chronic; Occurring
over a long time [compare with acute].
Chronic exposure; Contact
with a substance that occurs over a long time (more than 1 year) [compare
with acute exposure and intermediate duration exposure]
CI number; Color
Index number
Dermal; Referring
to the skin. For example, dermal absorption means passing through the
skin.
Hazard; A source
of potential harm from past, current, or future exposures.
Ingestion; The act
of swallowing something through eating, drinking, or mouthing objects.
A hazardous substance can enter the body this way [see route of exposure].
Inhalation; The
act of breathing. A hazardous substance can enter the body this way
[see route of exposure].
ITI; Info. Tox.
International, Inc
LHAMA; Labeling
of Hazardous Art Materials Act
Route of exposure; the
way people come into contact with a hazardous substance. Three routes
of exposure are breathing [inhalation], eating or drinking [ingestion],
or contact with the skin [dermal contact].
Toxic agent; Chemical
or physical (for example, radiation, heat, cold, microwaves) agents
that, under certain circumstances of exposure, can cause harmful effects
to living organisms.
Toxicology; The
study of the harmful effects of substances on humans or animals.
Volatile organic compounds
(VOCs); Organic compounds that evaporate readily into the air.
VOCs include substances such as benzene, toluene, methylene chloride,
and methyl chloroform.
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For more information on the requirements
for art materials, contact the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,
Recalls and Compliance Division, Office of Compliance, Washington, DC
20207, telephone: 301-504-7913.
