Environmental Health Sciences

Different types of children's toys

In This Season of Giving, Watch Out for Harmful Chemicals in Plastic Toys

Q&A with Olivier Jolliet and Lei Huang

Whether it's a baby Yoda, a plastic building brick or a fashion doll, all toys contain chemicals that give them desired properties: the right hardiness or elasticity, bright colors and fragrances. But these chemicals could also come with health risks, says Olivier Jolliet, professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.