Members of the Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE) will join dozens of groups around the country in demanding that Target stop selling products made of or packaged in PVC, one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created.

SAVE volunteers will gather Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 4 p.m. outside of the Target store in Saugus to hand out flyers and postcards to shoppers and deliver a message to the store manager: “Make our Products Safer.”

"Target may have the latest hip designs, but their aisles are filled with products made from dangerous chemicals linked to cancer," said Ann Devlin, spokesperson for SAVE.

"Target should follow their competitors’ lead and switch to readily-available, safe alternatives. This is not an anti-Target campaign. This is about protecting our community," she added.

PVC plastic, commonly referred to as vinyl, contains highly toxic additives such as phthalates and produces dioxin, a potent carcinogen, when burned. Products made with PVC include some children’s toys, shower curtains, shampoo bottles and home building materials. One way to be sure if a product is made from PVC is to look for the number "3" inside, or the letter "V" underneath, the universal recycling symbol.

The negative health impacts of PVC are most notable in communities near trash incinerators, such as Saugus, home to one of the seven working incinerators in Massachusetts.

Wal-Mart, Nike, Microsoft, Ikea, H&M and Johnson and Johnson are all phasing-out PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, products and/or packaging due to serious health and environmental problems associated with this poison plastic.

Unfortunately Target has refused to respond to over 60 environmental organizations who have been urging the company since March, 2006 to begin replacing these hazardous materials with safe alternatives, Devlin explained.

SAVE’s event this Wednesday is part of a national day of action where groups in 13 states organized protests, rallies and news conferences at Target stores.