Congress responds to chemical threats to our children
As a follow-up to my blog yesterday which I hope raised some concerns for parents who might not have known about these potential dangers, today I want to follow-up with an article about our government and what they are trying to do to help.
By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY
Congress has passed sweeping legislation to improve the safety of toys and other consumer products. The bill — approved by the Senate Thursday night and the House of Representatives Tuesday — follows a rising tide of public concern over product safety, spurred by recalls of 45 million children's toys and products last year and growing worry over chemicals in plastic. The measure, which passed with "veto-proof" majorities, now goes to President Bush, who has not threatened to reject it.
The bill virtually eliminates lead in children's toys and bans six types of chemicals, called phthalates, that have hormone-like effects. Lead can cause both brain damage and behavioral problems in children. A number of animal studies and a few in humans have linked phthalates to early puberty in girls, genital defects and reduced testosterone production in boys and impaired sperm quality in men.
The bill requires that all toys be tested for dangerous chemicals before they're sold — a big change over the current practice, in which untested toys are sold and recalled if necessary, says Rachel Weintraub of the Consumer Federation of America. Outside companies will perform the tests.
The law also boosts the budget of the Consumer Product Safety Commission from $80 million to $118 million in 2010 and $136 million five years later. The commission will be required to set up a website where consumers can both register complaints and read reports posted by others.
"This is by far the most significant improvement in product safety since the Consumer Product Safety Commission was created in the 1970s," Weintraub says.
Congress is following the lead of several states — California, Washington and Vermont — which have voted in the past year to ban phthalates, used to add flexibility to rubber ducks, washable vinyl books and other plastic items.
Earlier this year, leading retailers and manufacturers, including Wal-Mart and Toys 'R Us, announced plans to phase out phthalates in toys nationwide.
The federal law would permanently ban three of the phthalates and ban three others temporarily, pending a scientific review. The phthalate bans go into effect 180 days after the law is passed.
Industry groups have had mixed reaction to the bill.
The Toy Industry Association supports the bill, noting that manufacturers will have an easier time abiding by national guidelines, rather than many different state laws. "We all want safe products," says the association's Joan Lawrence. "I'm a mom myself, and this gives me additional assurances."
The American Chemistry Council, which represents industry, supports strengthening the Consumer Product Safety Commission, but opposes the ban on phthalates, which it says are safe.
"Our children's health and safety is too important to rush through product restrictions without understanding their full consequences," said Sharon Kneiss, vice president of products, in a statement. "Restricting phthalates from children's products, when they have been deemed safe for use in those products by the CPSC, will do nothing to protect children's health."
Others say the reform is long overdue. Andy Igrejas, manager of the Pew Charitable Trusts' environmental health campaign, says environmentalists have been calling for a phthalate ban in toys for 10 years.
Some say Congress should go even further in banning chemicals. Igrejas says lawmakers should pass the Kid-Safe Chemical Act, introduced in May, which would require that all chemicals be tested for safety before being allowed on the market.
And Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said in a statement Friday that Congress should examine the safety of phthalates in other products, such as lotions and shampoos. She is also co-sponsoring legislation to ban another controversial chemical with hormone-like effects, bisphenol A, or BPA, from products intended for children under age 7.
By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY
Congress has passed sweeping legislation to improve the safety of toys and other consumer products. The bill — approved by the Senate Thursday night and the House of Representatives Tuesday — follows a rising tide of public concern over product safety, spurred by recalls of 45 million children's toys and products last year and growing worry over chemicals in plastic. The measure, which passed with "veto-proof" majorities, now goes to President Bush, who has not threatened to reject it.
The bill virtually eliminates lead in children's toys and bans six types of chemicals, called phthalates, that have hormone-like effects. Lead can cause both brain damage and behavioral problems in children. A number of animal studies and a few in humans have linked phthalates to early puberty in girls, genital defects and reduced testosterone production in boys and impaired sperm quality in men.
The bill requires that all toys be tested for dangerous chemicals before they're sold — a big change over the current practice, in which untested toys are sold and recalled if necessary, says Rachel Weintraub of the Consumer Federation of America. Outside companies will perform the tests.
The law also boosts the budget of the Consumer Product Safety Commission from $80 million to $118 million in 2010 and $136 million five years later. The commission will be required to set up a website where consumers can both register complaints and read reports posted by others.
"This is by far the most significant improvement in product safety since the Consumer Product Safety Commission was created in the 1970s," Weintraub says.
Congress is following the lead of several states — California, Washington and Vermont — which have voted in the past year to ban phthalates, used to add flexibility to rubber ducks, washable vinyl books and other plastic items.
Earlier this year, leading retailers and manufacturers, including Wal-Mart and Toys 'R Us, announced plans to phase out phthalates in toys nationwide.
The federal law would permanently ban three of the phthalates and ban three others temporarily, pending a scientific review. The phthalate bans go into effect 180 days after the law is passed.
Industry groups have had mixed reaction to the bill.
The Toy Industry Association supports the bill, noting that manufacturers will have an easier time abiding by national guidelines, rather than many different state laws. "We all want safe products," says the association's Joan Lawrence. "I'm a mom myself, and this gives me additional assurances."
The American Chemistry Council, which represents industry, supports strengthening the Consumer Product Safety Commission, but opposes the ban on phthalates, which it says are safe.
"Our children's health and safety is too important to rush through product restrictions without understanding their full consequences," said Sharon Kneiss, vice president of products, in a statement. "Restricting phthalates from children's products, when they have been deemed safe for use in those products by the CPSC, will do nothing to protect children's health."
Others say the reform is long overdue. Andy Igrejas, manager of the Pew Charitable Trusts' environmental health campaign, says environmentalists have been calling for a phthalate ban in toys for 10 years.
Some say Congress should go even further in banning chemicals. Igrejas says lawmakers should pass the Kid-Safe Chemical Act, introduced in May, which would require that all chemicals be tested for safety before being allowed on the market.
And Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said in a statement Friday that Congress should examine the safety of phthalates in other products, such as lotions and shampoos. She is also co-sponsoring legislation to ban another controversial chemical with hormone-like effects, bisphenol A, or BPA, from products intended for children under age 7.
posted by Susan's blog at
12:38 PM
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