ban in effect

At least in California, effective on Jan 1st, phthalates are banned in children’s products.

Found mostly in children’s toys, phthalates is a colorless, oily chemical used in thousands of products to impart flexibility and durability. Due to leaching, children come in contact with the chemical with hand-to-mouth contact or by chewing on the toy. Most scientists believe, from verifiable data, that phthalates are hormone altering chemicals, that affect the reproductive systems of developing children. There is a greater impact on young boys where genital deformities and sterility are increasing problems.

With the ban in place, consumers can feel more confident that the products their children are exposed to are safe. The ban also applies to online retailers that sell to California consumers.

Specifically, the law bans the use of six types of phthalates found in some children’s toys containing plastic and in “child-care articles” intended “to facilitate sleep, relaxation, or the feeding of children, or to help children with sucking or teething.”

The law also requires that phthalate substitutes be less toxic. The San Francisco Department of the Environment throughout 2008 tested toys made with polyvinyl chloride — which often contains high phthalate levels — bought in city stores.

California is the first state to implement such a ban and it came after a long and arduous fight from chemical and plastic manufacturers. Many states are expected to not place similar bans due to the cost of battling these companies in court and in the law books.

However, this may be one case in which the science will create a natural progression of elimination of this product. You can go HERE for more information.