New Press Release from CPSC re PHTHALATES

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 6, 2009
Release #09-121

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

CPSC Issues Guidance For Complying With Phthalates Requirements In New Child Safety Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Starting on February 10, 2009, children's toys and child care articles cannot contain more that 0.1% of six phthalates (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP, and DnOPA) regardless of when they were manufactured. The CPSC will abide by a court decision (pdf) issued yesterday ruling that the prohibition on phthalates in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 applies to products in inventory. Phthalates are a group of chemicals (oily, colorless liquids) that are used among other things to make vinyl and other plastics soft and flexible.

A "children's toy" is defined in the statute as a product intended for a child 12 years of age or younger for use when playing. The Commission has previously stated that it will follow the definition of toy in the mandatory toy standard which exempts such things as bikes, playground equipment, musical instruments, and sporting goods (except for their toy counterparts).

The statute also prohibits phthalates over the limit in "child care articles," which include products that a child 3 and younger would use for sleeping, feeding, sucking or teething. By way of example, a pacifier/teether would be an item that would help a child with sucking or teething; a sippy cup would facilitate feeding; and a crib mattress would facilitate sleeping.

Companies must meet their reporting obligation under federal law and immediately tell the Commission if they learn of a children's toy or child care article that exceeds the new phthalates limits starting on February 10, 2009. Companies also should know that the CPSIA generally prohibits the export for sale of children's products that exceed the new phthalates limits.

The agency will be issuing further guidance information next week.
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Re: New Press Release from CPSC re PHTHALATES

As if the landfills weren't filling fast enough....
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Former_Member
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Re: New Press Release from CPSC re PHTHALATES

I will not be using plastic squeakers in my baby/kid toys at all now. I am removing them from my butterfly toys.
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Former_Member
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Re: New Press Release from CPSC re PHTHALATES

chh yeah cos a 12 year old can't have polymer clay ornaments on their shelf.
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Re: New Press Release from CPSC re PHTHALATES

I don't understand. It is so incredibly funny because the FDA found these same "Phthalates" safe for our daily use in plastics.

Don't we all store food in plastic containers? Don’t we all buy our "Organic Juice" stored in plastic bottles? Or, don't we buy "Organic Vegetables" sold in plastic bags? Don't we then take these contaminated items and feed them to our young? How exactly is this all going to be implemented and where is it going to stop?

Perhaps this is just the beginning of outlawing ALL PLASTIC.

How are we going to operate on people? How are we going to give shots? Or do blood transfussions? This is the beginning of lunacy. I think we are just going to let the government legislate us out of existence.

Here is wikipedia defining these "Phthalates":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phthalate

Here is the FDA finding these safe in our food:
http://current.com/items/89208084/controversial_chemical_declared_safe_by_fda_do_you_trust_them.htm
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Re: New Press Release from CPSC re PHTHALATES

Don't take me wrong, I am all for safety. I have kids. But, there is a point when you just have to take a risk and say: "You know what? I may die today from some random circumstance, but, I have to go on living 'til that moment comes."

I am all for finding new solutions to extend our existence, but really, there are sooooo many things which can kill and contaminate a person's body, not to mention their mind and conscience.

Oh!
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hatjunkie
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Re: New Press Release from CPSC re PHTHALATES

Phthalates in children's toys have been illegal for years in Europe. This has been a know issue in the states for years, but has been hushed up because of greed. It's a big deal. It's a leading cause of breast cancer and it passes through the lining of the womb. They are not safe in food either. Read up on it and you'll be pretty horrified.
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Former_Member
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Re: New Press Release from CPSC re PHTHALATES

Annashoub - I have been doing a lot of reading about this and I've never seen anything about that. Where did you hear this??
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Former_Member
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Re: New Press Release from CPSC re PHTHALATES

It has been a short time that they are illegal in Europe and it was because of one study that correlated nondescended testis in baby boys. That study was later disproved.
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Former_Member
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Re: New Press Release from CPSC re PHTHALATES

I'd love a link to your source annashoub. I'm trying desperately to read up and EVERYTHING out there is from a group with some agenda or other (both for and against). I really want to find something unbiased, for once.
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