Mum issues urgent warning about Kmart Australia buy she claims is ‘toxic’: ‘Parents, please don’t buy these for your kids’
An Australian mother has issued an urgent warning about a Kmart product normally aimed at children.
Kmart’s thermal printing camera is suitable for children aged eight and up, but one mum claims the ‘super fun’ cameras use thermal printing paper that is filled with BPA (Bisphenol A).
BPA, a chemical that is used to harden plastics and prevent food contamination, among other things, has also been linked to increased risk of obesity, asthma, diabetes and heart disease, as the substance has come under increasing scrutiny over the past two decades.
“This is really important, I can’t take it anymore: Parents, please don’t buy this for your kids, it’s really bad news,” the mother said in a viral TikTok video.
A groundbreaking study in Australia recently showed that high BPA levels in the womb increase the risk of autism in children.
The research, led by a team of Australian scientists from the Florey Institute at the University of Melbourne, found that when the chemical was found in a pregnant mother’s urine, the chance of a baby boy developing symptoms of autism before the age of two more than tripled.
Kmart Australia strongly denies that any ‘danger’ exists and demands that all Kmart products comply with Australian regulations.
“Our priority is to ensure the products we sell are safe for our customers. We have processes in place to meet the required regulatory and safety standards set out in Australia,” a Kmart spokesperson told FEMAIL.
“There are no BPA compliance issues with this product.”
BPA is not banned in Australia, but in 2010 the Australian government announced a voluntary phase-out of the use of BPA in polycarbonate baby bottles.
According to Food Standards Australia, there are concerns that exposure to BPA over a number of years could cause health problems.
“When food safety authorities around the world evaluated BPA, they generally concluded that there were no safety concerns at the levels at which humans are exposed,” the researchers said.
An Australian mother warned Australian parents not to buy the Kmart Thermal Print Camera for their children because she claims the thermal paper contains ‘dangerously high’ levels of BPA
Although the mother said the camera was “super cute,” she felt it was dangerous to let children come into contact with it
A woman who commented on the video said she was well aware of the presence of BPA in thermal printing paper and agreed the camera was unsafe.
“My mom bought one and I made her throw it in the trash,” she said.
Others said it wasn’t just thermal paper, but regular receipts were also “coated” with the chemical.
“I won’t even let my daughter hold receipts. I know it sounds extreme, but they are so toxic,” said one mother.
“There is so much information on receipts, the BPA content is insanely high, I don’t let my kids hold receipts either,” said another.