This week and next, millions of children like mine are going back to school. And right now, parents are making sure their kids have everything they need to be successful. But it turns out some school supplies might be releasing “toxic dust” -- chemicals known as phthalates – which are linked to serious health problems, including asthma, ADHD, and diabetes.

These chemicals are tightly regulated in toys -- but companies like Disney are exploiting loopholes in a federal law. Because school supplies like lunchboxes aren’t technically “toys,” there is no regulation on the levels of toxic chemicals like phthalates they contain -- and the amounts of these chemicals could be dangerous.

A recent study from the Center for Health, Environment & Justice found that all the children’s lunch boxes tested -- which technically aren’t “toys” -- contained up to 30 times the amount of toxic dust deemed safe by the federal government.

Disney’s lunch boxes were some of the worst offenders. Their lunchboxes are covered with beloved characters -- like iconic princesses and Spiderman, a character my boys love -- but could be shedding toxic chemicals that put my kids at risk.

What’s heartbreaking is that alternatives exist. Disney could choose tomorrow to make their products safer. And, while Congress works on long-term solutions like the Safe Chemicals Act, corporations like Disney have a responsibility to keep our kids safe now.

Tell Disney to be a leader for children's health and stop using dangerous phthalates in their products now.

[You can follow the progress of this petition on my blog -- Groovy Green Livin (www.groovygreenlivin.com)]

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chej/7845757764/in/set-72157631210703538