Green Daily

Is your sex toy safe for your body? That's the question Kyle Norris of the Environment Report poses. Her answer: Maybe but likely not.

Ya see, a lot of those vibrating, jelly toys are made with something called phthalates. Phthalates (pronounced thal- ates) are chemical compounds used in all sorts of items to soften plastic. The compound has been linked to damage in the liver and kidney and genital abnormalities.

But as Norris points out, sex toys are unregulated because they are considered 'novelty items.' That is, not for actual use.

Now tell me, how many of you have bought a sex toy and not used it?

One toy that uses phthalates is the Rabbit, a fairly popular sex toy.

Not much research has been done on the effects of phthalates on the places one puts a sex toy were one going to use it. And the research that does exist is mixed. There is enough concern that phthalates are regulated in children's toys. A few types of phthalates are banned in Europe. And Norris's story tells a gross tale of the 60-percent phthalate toy that leaked.

Now off to my next post: How to find an environmentally and physically safe sex toy. This may take a while.

[via The Environment Report]